Sukkah 62

בבני כרכין שהיו מורישין את לולביהן לבני בניהן אמרו (להם) משם ראיה אין שעת הדחק ראיה

Regarding the city-dwellers who would bequeath their Lulavs to their grandchildren [for lack of fresh Lulavs, this source supporting the use of dry Lulavs].' They said to him, 'From there is your proof? A time of distress is not a [valid] proof.'"

קתני מיהת רבי יהודה אומר אף יבשין כשרין מאי לאו אאתרוג לא אלולב

Still, as it taught, Rabbi Yehudah says [that] Even dried ones are valid. Does [this] not [refer] to the Etrog? No. [This refers] to the Lulav.

אמר מר כשם שאין פוחתין מהן כך אין מוסיפין עליהן פשיטא מהו דתימא הואיל ואמר רבי יהודה לולב צריך אגד ואי מייתי מינא אחרינא האי לחודיה קאי והאי לחודיה קאי קמ"ל

A Master said, "Just like we do not take away from the [four species], so too we do not add to them." This is obvious [seeing as we are not allowed to add to commandments]! You might have said, Seeing as Rabbi Yehudah said that a Lulav [bundle] needs binding, if you bring another species [outside of the bundle], than [you might think that] this [i.e. the Lulav bundle] is one group, and this [i.e. the new species] is one group. We learn from the [above statement that you cannot add to the four species].

אמר מר לא מצא אתרוג לא יביא לא רמון ולא פריש ולא דבר אחר פשיטא מהו דתימא לייתי כי היכי שלא תשכח תורת אתרוג קמ"ל זימנין דנפיק חורבא מיניה דאתי למסרך

A Master said, "If he did not find an Etrog, he should not bring: not a pomegranate, not a quince, and not any other thing." This is obvious[! Why would any other fruit be acceptable?]! You might have said, "We should bring it so that the instruction regarding the Etrog will not be forgotten." We learn from the [above statement], that sometimes destruction comes from this [as people will forget the Etrog and bring this new fruit instead].

ת"ש אתרוג הישן פסול ורבי יהודה מכשיר תיובתא דרבא תיובתא

Come and hear: "An old Etrog is invalid, and Rabbi Yehudah validates it." This is a rejection of Rava, and [his opinion that Rabbi Yehudah invalidates a dry Lulav] is rejected.

ולא בעי הדר והא אנן תנן הירוק ככרתי רבי מאיר מכשיר ורבי יהודה פוסל לאו משום דבעי הדר לא משום דלא גמר פירא

But do we not teach, "[An Etrog] green as turquoise, Rabbi Meir validates, and Rabbi Yehudah invalidates?" Is [Rabbi Yehudah's opinion] not because he requires beauty? No. It is because it has not ripened yet [and is not a complete Etrog].

תא שמע שיעור אתרוג קטן רבי מאיר אומר כאגוז ר' יהודה אומר כביצה לאו משום דבעי הדר לא משום דלא גמר פירא

Come and hear, "The minimum size of an Etrog: Rabbi Meir says, 'Like a walnut;' Rabbi Yehudah says, 'Like an egg.'" Is [Rabbi Yehudah's opinion] not because he requires beauty? No. It is because it is not fully ripened [and is not considered a complete Etrog].

ת"ש ובגדול כדי שיאחוז שנים בידו אחת דברי ר' יהודה רבי יוסי אומר אפילו אחד בשתי ידיו מאי טעמא לאו משום דבעי הדר לא כיון דאמר רבה לולב בימין ואתרוג בשמאל זימנין דמחלפי ליה ואתי לאפוכינהו ואתי לאיפסולי

Come and hear: "And [regarding] a big [Etrog, the maximum is small enough] so that he can hold two in his one hand; the words of Rabbi Yehudah. Rabbi Yose says, 'Even [if the Etrog is so big that he can only hold] one in his two hands.'" What is the reasoning [of Rabbi Yehudah]? Is it not because he requires beauty? No. Seeing as Rabba said, "The Lulav [is held] the right [hand] and the Etrog is in the left." Sometimes, they will be switched, and so you will flip them, and [if the Etrog is as large as Rabbi Yose allows,] you will invalidate it [by dropping it and breaking the Pitom].

ואלא לרבי יהודה הא כתיב הדר

And rather, for Rabbi Yehuda, does it not say [in reference to the Etrog] "Beautiful ['Hadar']"?

ההוא הדר באילנו משנה לשנה:

That means [according to Rabbi Yehudah, a fruit] that dwells ['HaDar'] on its tree from year to year.

של אשרה ושל עיר הנדחת: ושל אשרה פסול והאמר רבא לולב של ע"ז לא יטול ואם נטל כשר

(Mishnah:) [A Lulav] of a worshipped tree or of a wayward city is invalid. (Gemara:) And that of a worshipped tree is invalid? But didn't Rava say, "A Lulav of idol worship should not be taken [for the Mitzvah], but if it was taken, it is valid [as opposed to the Mishnah's ruling]?"

הכא באשרה דמשה עסקינן דכתותי מיכתת שיעוריה

Here [ie. in the Mishnah], we are dealing with a worshipped tree [from the days] of Moses, for [it must be burnt, and therefore it is treated as ashes, and so] its size is crushed [to below the minimum size of a Lulav. The worshipped tree of Rava is a tree worshipped after the days of Moses, which does not need to be burnt].

דיקא נמי דקתני דומיא דעיר הנדחת שמע מינה:

We can also infer this [from the Mishnah], for like it is taught, it is similar to a wayward city [which must be destroyed].

נקטם ראשו: אמר רב הונא לא שנו אלא נקטם אבל נסדק כשר

(Mishnah:) [If] its top was severed [ it is invalid]. Rav Huna said, They only taught [that the Lulav is invalid in the case of its top being] severed, but [if the Lulav was] slit, it is valid.

ונסדק כשר והתניא לולב כפוף

And [a] slit [Lulav] is valid? But isn't it taught, "A bent Lulav,