Daf Yomi - Sukkah 16 - Highlights

Rav Ami rules that one cannot use worn out clothes for s'chach. Even though it is less than the minimum amount required to become tamei (less than 3 x 3), nevertheless it cannot be used for s'chach since it originated from something that would be able to become tamei.

The Mishna ruled that if one burrowed an opening inside a haystack, it is not a valid sukkah because the s'chach was not placed there for the intention to be used for shade . Rav Huna qualifies this ruling and maintains that if there would have been previously a space of a tefach high and seven tefachim squared and then he would place the haystack on top of this space and then he hallows out a space, the sukkah would be valid because this would be regarded as extending the existing walls.

If one suspends the walls of his sukkah in a way that they are more than three tefachim above the ground, the sukkah is invalid. Rabbi Yosi maintains that even ten tefachim higher will be valid. The Gemora states that the argument is based on the premise if a suspended wall is deemed a wall or not. Rabbi yosi applies the principle of gud achis and views the wall as extending downward towards the ground.

The Gemora cites a Mishna in Eruvin regarding a well of water that is situated between two courtyards and one cannot draw water from there because there is a concern that the water is coming from the other courtyard. there is a debate there as to how to rectify it. Some opinions maintain that a barrier must be set up in the well and others hold that it is sufficient if it's on top of the well. This argument is also based on the concept of a suspended wall being deemed a proper wall or not.

The Gemora states that the arguments are not parallel. A wall for a sukkah is required min haTorah and perhaps that is why a suspended wall is not sufficient, however in regards to the courtyards, where it is only a prohibition from the Sages, a suspended wall would be enough. One can say in reverse that Shabbos which has the stringency of stoning would be more strict than sukkah which is merely a positive commandment.

The Gemora cites an incident in Tzipori where they had forgotten to bring the Sefer Torah to the shul from before Shabbos and they carried it on Shabbos relying on suspended sheets which were spread on posts from before Shabbos.

Rav Chisda rules that if one suspends a mat which is a bit larger than four tefachim, it can be utilyzed as one of the walls of a sukkah. This is based on the principle of lavud, which connects a wall to the ground or to the roof above it, providing that the wall is within three tefachim of the ground or roof. In this instance, this concept will required twice - once to connect the four tefach wall to the floor below and once to connect it with the s'chach above it thereby creating a wall of ten tefachim high.