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Summary

We learned in the mishnah (24.4) “A lulav whose length is 3 tefachim [and another tefach] so that it can be shaken, is kosher.”

Rav Yehuda quoting Shmuel: The hadas and aravah should be 3 tefachim, and the lulav should be 4, so that it rises a tefach above the others.

Rabbi Parnach quoting Rabbi Yochanan: The shedra must reach 4 tefachim.

Challenge: We learned in the mishnah (24.4) “A lulav whose length is 3 tefachim so that it can be shaken, is kosher.”

Resolution: It should be read as: “A lulav whose length is 3 tefachim [and another tefach] so that it can be shaken, is kosher.”

The extra tefach can either include the leaves (Shmuel) or include only the area of the shedra (Rabbi Yochanan).

Challenge: Beraisa: “The hadas and aravah should be 3 tefachim, and the lulav should be 4”. It seems to include the area of the leaves as well!

Resolution: It means the shedra itself should be 4 tefachim.

Beraisa: “The hadas and aravah should be 3 tefachim, and the lulav should be 4. Rabbi Tarfon: The hadas and aravah should be a full amah [although we can be lenient and use an amah] of 5 tefachim”.

Rava: It is difficult to find hadassim with 3 tefachim of plaited leaves and Rabbi Tarfon expects us to find ones with 5 tefachim?!

When Rav Dimi came from Eretz Yisroel he explained: Rabbi Tarfon’s intention was that the hadas and aravah should be measured with larger tefachim, as if a 6 tefach amah is only 5 tefachim, making each tefach a tefach and one fifth.

Challenge: But then Shmuel is contradicting himself. Rabbi Yehuda quoted Shmuel as saying that the hadas and aravah should be 3 tefachim. But Rav Huna quoting Shmuel: The halacha follows Rabbi Tarfon [that the hadas and aravah should be 3 and ⅗]

Resolution: Shmuel was not precise.

Challenge: You can’t be imprecise and round off to a lower number (6.5) which would result in a leniency!

When Ravin came from Eretz Yisroel he explained: Rabbi Tarfon’s intention was that the hadas and aravah should be measured with smaller tefachim, as if a 5 tefach amah is actually tefachim, making 3 tefachim only 2 ½ tefachim.

Challenge: But then Shmuel is still contradicting himself. Rabbi Yehuda quoted Shmuel as saying that the hadas and aravah should be 3 tefachim. But Rav Huna quoting Shmuel: The halacha follows Rabbi Tarfon [that the hadas and aravah should be 2 and ½],

Resolution: Shmuel was not precise, in a more stringent manner.