An easy way to enlarge your sukkah TB Sukkah 19

My parents wanted to enlarge our house by building an addition in the late 60s or very early 70s. The addition consisted of a formal living room, a small office for my father, and a bathroom with a stall shower. Even though only three rooms were added, the contractor not only had to worry about the building materials, but also electrical wiring, plumbing for the bathroom, and a dedicated boiler to heat the section of the house.

Today’s daf TB Sukkah 19 teaches us how to create in addition to our sukkah with the minimum amount of material. Remember that two of the three requirements of kosher sekhakh are: 1, it must grow from the ground; and 2, it must be detached. After what grew from the ground was processed (for example, removing the wheat from the chaff, the chaff which is inedible for human consumption) would be excellent sekhakh. Ironically this kosher sekhakh is called waste (pesal -פְּסָל) in the Talmud. This pesal extending beyond the walls the sukkah can create the addition.

“§ It was taught in the Tosefta: Fit roofing that consists of different kinds of agricultural waste products that extend from the sukka has the legal status like that of the sukka. The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of: Waste products that extend from the sukka? Ulla said: Branches that extend behind the sukka and are not limited to the area within the sukka walls.”  (Sefaria.org translation) In other words, we can utilize these extended branches to create a kosher addition to our sukkah. The Gemara proceeds to prove that this addition must satisfy all the other requirements of a kosher sukkah.

“The Gemara asks: But don’t we require three walls to render an area covered with roofing a fit sukka? The Gemara answers: It is referring to a case where there are three walls. The two side walls of the sukka do not end at the middle wall between them; rather, they too extend behind the sukka, forming a second sukka. The Gemara asks: But don’t we require seven by seven handbreadths as the minimum area for fitness of a sukka? The Gemara answers: It is referring to a case where there is the requisite minimum area. The Gemara asks: But don’t we require that its shade exceeds its sunlight? The Gemara answers: It is referring to a case where there is more shade than sunlight.

After noting that the sukka has three walls, the requisite area, and sufficient shade, the Gemara asks: If so, what purpose is there to state this halakha? The fact that this sukka extends from another is not relevant. The Gemara answers: Nevertheless, there is a novel element in this halakha. Lest you say that since, as evidenced by the placement of the connecting middle wall, these walls were initially established for inside the original sukka but not for outside the original sukka; and therefore you say no, the middle wall cannot be considered a wall for the additional sukka, Ulla teaches us that the initial intention is not relevant.” (Sefaria.org translation) When a family actually sleeps in the sukkah, this extension could serve as a second and welcomed bedroom.

Rabba and Rav Yosef provide us with a second interpretation of what it means to be an extension of the sukkah. Rabba and Rav Yosef both say with regard to the case in the Tosefta: Here, it is referring to a case with branches that extend before the front entrance of the sukka, and one of the side walls extends together with the roofing. Lest you say that this extension does not have the minimum requisite size for the fitness of a sukka, in terms of its area and number of walls, therefore, Ulla teaches us that it is fit because it is considered an extension of the sukka.” (Sefaria.org translation) In this interpretation, this extension as a vestibule that can serve lots of different purposes.