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Mishna (7.3): A double-decker sukkah; the bottom level sukkah is possul, while the upper level is kosher. Rabbi Yehuda: If the upper level is uninhabitable, the bottom level is kosher.

Summary

Beraisa: The possuk states: “Live in Sukkos” this teaches: but not in sukkos that are under other sukkos, nor in sukkos that are under trees, or sukkos that are in houses.

Challenge: Perhaps the possuk teaches that a double decker sukkah is kosher, since it uses the plural ‘ sukkos ’? Rav Nachman bar Yitzchok: Although it is read in plural, the word is actually written in singular form (4.6).

Rabbi Yirmiyah: A double decker sukkah: Sometimes they’re both kosher [when the schach of the lower level is sparse and the upper level is within 20 amos]. Sometimes they’re both possul [when the schach of both levels provides ‘more shade than sun’ and the upper level is higher than 20 amos (it is thus possul, but it has enough schach to be considered a sukkah and invalidate the lower sukkah)]. Sometimes the lower level is kosher and the upper level is possul [when the schach of the lower level provides ‘more shade than sun’ and the schach of the upper level is sparse and within 20 amos*].

Sometimes the upper level is kosher and the lower level is possul [when the schach of both levels provides ‘more shade than sun’ and the schach of the upper level is within 20 amos. The lower level is possul since it is a “[valid] sukkah under a [valid] sukkah”]. _________

• Tosfos says that this last condition is irrelevant and the wording of the gemara must be amended to omit it. Rashi explains that if the schach was above 20 amos it would be considered possul schach which disqualifies what’s underneath it (7.4).