Very quickly review the גמרא דף יד. “ר’ יהודה אומר (three lines before the medium size lines) until “עגולה” (two dots – sixth line from bottom of the Amud)
Questions:
Why according to the Rabanan does a קורה which is four tefachim wide not need to be strong enough to support a brick?
Is a four tefachim wide קורה made from straw or twigs kosher?
Learn ביאור הלכה ס’ שס”ג סע’ י”ז “חזקה
https://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=60389&st=&pgnum=60
https://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=60389&st=&pgnum=61
According to the opinion of the Shulchan Aruch סע’ כב that two קורות combined can only be maximum one tefach apart from one another. Could they combine to create a קורה which is four tefachim wide and therefore be allowed to be 2 1/2 tefachim apart from one another ?
Learn ביאור הלכה ס’ שס”ג סע’ כב “בתוך טפח
https://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=60389&st=&pgnum=61
What if the physical material of the קורות total four tefachim but there are gaps in between?
See השגת חזון איש
Questions on the Gemara earlier on the Amud
The Gemara brought a scenerio where a mat is placed over a קורה and the mat is suspended in the air 3 tefachim or more from the ground. The קורה is disqualified because it is not visible and the mat does not serve as a mechitza since there is a gap of three tefachim between it and the ground.
According to the opinion of קורה משום מחיצה why should it matter that the קורה is not visible it should still function as a mechitza?
Learn ריטב”א
Why can’t the mat itself be considered a קורה?
Learn ריטב”א דף יד “קורה אין כאן
And רשב”א “הניח קורה
How is it possible to have an opinion of קורה משום מחיצה as the mechitza is suspended above three tefachim from the ground?
Learn ריטב”א דף יד “מחיצה אין כאן
And ח’ מאירי דף יד “ויש שנשאלו
How could a Lechi be considered a mechitza when animals are able to walk right past it?
Learn the גמרא דף יד. “עגולה (two dots – sixth line from bottom of the Amud) until the משנה דף יד עמוד ב
Question:
The Gemara is very exacting with the mathematical calculation of the ratio of the circumference of a circle to the diameter (3:1) taking into consideration the thickness of the walls of the basin.
How could this be when the real ratio of the circumference of a circle to the diameter is pi (3.14:1)?
Learn תוס’ “והאיכא
See פ’ משניות לרמב”ם
And תוספת יום טוב says since קורה is only required mdrabanan they are lenient even to consider the width of tefach even though it is a little narrower.
Learn רש”ש who asks what about the opinion that lechi and Korah is a Halacha Lmoshe M’sinai?
Learn שער הציון או”ח ס’ שע”ב אות יח
And חזון איש או”ח ס’ קלח אות ד