More Discussions for this daf
1. HEIGHT OF SUKAH 2. Dofen Akumah on an Itzteva 3. Rav Huna - Kundisin
4. "Itztava" 5. Itztava 6. Ma'aKeh
7. Itzteva 8. Rambam's Shitah of Amud 9. Dofen Akumah
10. Seven by Seven, or a bit More? 11. Too Many Walls?
DAF DISCUSSIONS - SUKAH 4

Ahron Fishman asked:

The rambam says (hilchos succah perek 4 halachah 14) says ypu have sichach koshek without walls. Why is the sekach kosher? If we dont say gud asik the cholal of this succah is above 20 so it should be sekech posel? Also why does the rambam mention this here (that its sekach kosher0? It seems to have no connection to the sugya?

Ahron Fishman, Eretz Yisroel

The Kollel replies:

Ahron - Mazeltov on coming to Eretz Yisroel! Beruchim Haboim!

(1) The Rambam means that the sekach is from material that is kosher for sekach, i.e. it grew from the ground and it does not receive tuma etc. So this is sekach kosher but in the wrong place - over 20 amos.

(2) The reason the Rambam mentions this here is to stress that even though the sekach is from kosher materials and so there is no problem with the sekach itself, nevertheless the sukah is invalid for a different reason, namely that it has no walls.

This can be understood a little better with the help of Rashi on the very first Mishnah in the Masechte, above 2a DH v'she-cham'tah who writes that the word "sukah" is derived from the word "sekach". This means that the most important part of the sukah is the sekach which covers it over and provides protection for the person sitting inside it. In addition this suka has the right size, because the amud is 10 tefochim by 10 tefochim or more.

Nevertheless this is not always sufficient, as in this case for instance where there is problem with the defanos because they are not noticeable and therefore considered as non-existent. The Rambam is telling us a chidush that even though the most important part is kosher, the suka is still posul because a suka must also have at least 3 kosher walls.

KOL TUV

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