Study Sukkah folio 36B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
The Talmud notes: And there is nothing more to discuss here. Clearly, the opinions of R' Akiva and R' Shimon do not necessarily coincide.
The baraita continues: If he grew the etrog in a mold and shaped it to appear like a different species, it is unfit. Rava said: The rabbis taught that it is unfit only if he shaped it to appear like a different species; however, if he shaped the etrog so it still appears like its own species, it
§ It was stated that the amora’im disagree with regard to an etrog that mice pierced. Rav said: That is not beautiful. Is that so? But wouldn’t R' Ḥanina dip his etrog, eat part of it, and fulfill his obligation with what remained of it? The Talmud asks: And for R' Ḥanina, the Mishnah is difficult,
The Talmud explains: Granted, for R' Ḥanina, the Mishnah is not difficult, as it can be explained that here, when the Mishnah prohibits one from using an incomplete etrog, it is referring to performing the mitzva on the 1st day of the festival of Sukkot, when a complete taking of the species is re
§ Some say this exchange differently. Rav said with regard to an etrog that mice pierced: That is beautiful, as R' Ḥanina would dip his etrog, eat part of it, and fulfill his obligation with what remained of it, indicating that an incomplete etrog is fit. The Talmud asks: And for R' Ḥanina, the Mis