Study Sukkah folio 17B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
משום שיעורא ולאו שיעורא הוא. האי לאו שיעורא הוא, כיון דלא שוו שיעורייהו להדדי — לא מצטרפי.
the status of the sukka is determined on the basis of whether it is the requisite measure or it is not the requisite measure. In other words, the difference between unfit roofing that is 4 cubits and unfit roofing that is less is a unique halakha, completely unrelated to the principle of curved wall. Similarly, it is a unique halakha that 3 handbreadths of space in a roof render a sukka unfit. In this case, there is not the requisite measure according to either halakha; and since their measures are not equal to each other, they do not combine to render the sukka unfit. The sukka is rendered unfit only when the measure of unfit roofing reaches 4 cubits.
אלא לדידכו דאמריתו שיעור משום הפלגה — מה לי איתפלג בסכך פסול, מה לי אתפלג בסכך פסול ואויר.
However, according to you, who say that the measure of 4 handbreadths for unfit roofing is due to the distance between the wall and the fit roofing, which renders the sukka unfit, what is the difference to me if it was distanced due to unfit roofing, and what is the difference to me if it was distanced due to a combination of unfit roofing and space? In either case, the distance between the roofing and the wall should prevent connecting the roofing to the wall. This concludes Rabba’s account of his exchange with the rabbis of the school of Rav.
אמר ליה אביי: ולמר נמי, נהי דלא שוו שיעורייהו בסוכה גדולה, בסוכה קטנה מי לא שוו שיעורייהו?
Abaye said to Rabba: And according to the Master, too, although their measures are not equal in a large sukka, which is larger than 4 cubits, in a small sukka aren’t their measures equal? In a minimally sized sukka, 7 by 7 handbreadths, 3 handbreadths of unfit roofing must render the sukka unfit. If the measure of fitness were to remain up to 4 handbreadths, that would mean that a sukka with a majority of unfit roofing is fit, which is unreasonable. Therefore, Rabba’s contention that the measures of unfit roofing and space are totally different is not precise.