Shiur summary (draft from the recording)
Beis Shammai's Source for Sukkah Yeshanah
מאי טעמייהו דבית שמאי
Sukkah 8b · from line 14 · Thursday, July 16, 2026
The sugya
The Gemara establishes that Beis Shammai also need the pasuk 'chag hasukkos shivas yamim laShem' for the issur on atzei sukkah. So it brings another pasuk for their source that a sukkah must be made l'shem chag: 'chag hasukkos taaseh lecha' in Parshas Re'eh, which Rashi rearranges to read 'sukkos taaseh l'chag'. Beis Hillal use that pasuk to teach that one may make a sukkah on chol hamoed. Beis Shammai hold like R' Eliezer that one may not, so each side has a use for the pasuk.
Step by step (shakla v’tarya)
- KashaLine 14: Beis Shammai also need the pasuk 'chag hasukkos... laShem' for the issur on atzei sukkah. How can they use it to require a sukkah made l'shem chag?
- TeirutzThe Gemara answers with three words, 'ein hachi nami': yes, Beis Shammai also use the pasuk for this.
- So we have to rethink where Beis Shammai get their source. Everyone uses the first pasuk for atzei sukkah.
- Kasha'Ella mai taamaihu d'Beis Shammai': what is their reason?
- The RebbiThe burden of proof is on Beis Shammai, since they introduce the restriction. Nobody told us a sukkah must be l'shem chag, so they must bring a pasuk.
- Teirutz'Ksiv kra acharina': another, very similar pasuk is written. The first pasuk was in Parshas Emor; this one is in Parshas Re'eh.
- The parshiyos in the Torah that list the Yomim Tovim are Emor, Pinchas and Re'eh.
- GemaraLine 16: 'Chag hasukkos taaseh lecha shivas yamim', the Yom Tov of Sukkos you shall make for yourself seven days. So 'sukkah ha'asuyah l'shem chag ba'inan', we need a sukkah made for the sake of the chag.
- RashiRashi (across from line 8, on 'chag hasukkos taaseh') breaks up the pasuk and darshens it out of order: 'sukkos taaseh l'chag'.
- Why was rearranging not needed for the first pasuk? Because it contains the word 'laShem'. This pasuk does not, so the only way to see that it refers to the sukkah is to rearrange it.
- Mark the Gemara on line 16: 1 over 'sukkos', 2 over 'taaseh', 3 back over 'chag', and add a lamed. It is not perfect, since the pasuk has no 'l'chag'.
- KashaWhat do Beis Hillal do with this pasuk? They could say 'I don't rearrange it'. But then what are they learning from it?
- TeirutzLine 18: 'hahu mibaei lei', Beis Hillal need it to teach that one may make a sukkah on chol hamoed, any of the seven days.
- 'Beis Shammai sevira lehu': it says 'lehu' because it refers to the whole camp; 'lehu' means them and 'lei' means him.
- ShitahBeis Shammai hold like R' Eliezer, that one cannot make a sukkah on chol hamoed.
- MaskanaEverything wraps up: everyone has a use for the pasuk. Beis Shammai darshen 'sukkos taaseh l'chag' and don't need it for chol hamoed, since in their view one can't build then. Beis Hillal don't break it up and learn that one may make a sukkah any day of Sukkos, e.g. when traveling.
Kashas
- Beis Shammai also need 'chag hasukkos shivas yamim laShem' for the issur on atzei sukkah, so how can they use it for sukkah l'shem chag?
- Ella mai taamaihu d'Beis Shammai?
- If Beis Hillal don't rearrange the second pasuk, what do they learn from it?
Teirutzim
- Ein hachi nami: yes, Beis Shammai also need it for atzei sukkah.
- Kra acharina, 'chag hasukkos taaseh lecha shivas yamim' (Re'eh), read as 'sukkos taaseh l'chag': the sukkah must be made l'shem chag.
- Beis Hillal use it to permit making a sukkah on chol hamoed. Beis Shammai hold like R' Eliezer that one may not, so they are free to darshen it for l'shem chag.
Rashi & Tosafos
- Rashi: On 'chag hasukkos taaseh' (across from line 8), Rashi breaks up the pasuk and darshens it rearranged: 'sukkos taaseh l'chag'.
Mareh mekomos
- Pasuk in Parshas Emor, 'chag hasukkos shivas yamim laShem': the first pasuk, used for atzei sukkah.
- Pasuk in Parshas Re'eh, 'chag hasukkos taaseh lecha shivas yamim': Beis Shammai's source for sukkah l'shem chag; Beis Hillal's source for building on chol hamoed.
- R' Eliezer: one may not make a sukkah on chol hamoed. Beis Shammai hold like him.
The Rebbi’s chiddushim
- The Gemara's job is not just to give the end result but to show the discussion of how we get there.
- The burden of proof is on the side that introduces a restriction. Here that is Beis Shammai.
- The first pasuk needed no rearranging because it says 'laShem'. The second lacks it, so to apply it to the sukkah one must rearrange it like an anagram.
- Beis Hillal could tactically just say 'I read the pasuk as it is', but then the Gemara asks what they do with it.
- Gemara grammar rule: 'lehu' means them (the whole camp, e.g. Beis Shammai), 'lei' means him.
Unclear in recording
- A remark contrasting 'ein' meaning no and 'ein' meaning yes is unclear in recording; the point made is that here it means yes.
- A discussion of which Yom Tov these parshiyos are read on (Shabbos chol hamoed, Shemini Atzeres, 'aser te'aser') is unclear in recording.
- A reference to having learned this 'in the second perek' is unclear in recording.
- A discussion of why Beis Hillal sometimes appear with 'lei' is unclear in recording.
Drafted from the recording of the shiur, for chazarah. Torah terms follow the Rebbi’s own words; anything that could not be made out is marked “unclear in recording”. Tap a time to hear that point. Corrections welcome.