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A large reed mat: If it was made to lie down on it, it is mekabel tumah and cannot be used for schach.

If it was made to cover merchandise or the like, it can be used as schach and it is not mekabel tumah.

Gemara:

Challenge: The mishna seems to contradict itself!You say that “If it was made to lie down on it, it cannot be used”, so we understand that if it was not known to be made with that intention, it’s kosher .

But then you say that “If it was made to cover, it can be used”, so it seems that only if it was made with this specific intention, it’s kosher?!

Summary

Resolution [this resolution is improbable, but the gemara suggests it for the time being]: The second half of the mishna’s statement is referring to a small mat. [A large reed mat is kosher as long as it’s not known to be made with the intention of lying down on it. A small mat is only kosher if it was made with the specific intention of using it to cover things].

Challenge: The mishna continues: Rabbi Eliezer: Whether the mat is small or big: If it was made to lie down on it, it is mekabel tumah and cannot be used for schach.

If it was made to cover merchandise or the like, it can be used as schach and it is not mekabel tumah.

Here he explicitly stated that he is discussing both large and small mats, yet the same question can be raised about his words (from the first part of his statement it seems that if it was not known to be made with the intention of lying down on it, it’s kosher. Yet from the second part of his statement it seems that mats are only kosher if they were made with the specific intention of using them to cover things).

Rava: Everyone agrees that a large mat is most likely kosher (unless it was known to be made with the intention of lying down on it). But a small mat is a matter of debate. The Tanna Kamma holds it is most likely possul while Rabbi Eliezer holds that even a small mat is most likely kosher.

The mishna must be read as follows:

“A large reed mat: If it was made to lie down on it, it is mekabel tumah and cannot be used for schach.

[But] If it was [not] made [specifically to lie down on, then we treat as if it was made] to cover merchandise or the like, [and] it can be used as schach and it is not mekabel tumah.” Rabbi Eliezer argues that even a small mat is not perceived as being designed only for sleep and can be used as schach.

Abayye to Rava: So why does Rabbi Eliezer say “whether the mat is small or big”? He should say “big or small”! (That’s the proper order of speaking, the bigger chiddush should be the mentioned last). This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate