Issue of Building a Sukkah Under a Tree
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Question
Honorable Gaon Rabbi Avraham Fried, shlita, In Sukkah 9b, it is stated that building a sukkah under a tree is like building it inside a house. However, in Sukkah 2a, it is permitted to build in Ashtarot-Karnaim, where it is said to remove that place. Why not say here as well to remove the house, like in the case of Ashtarot-Karnaim? This is especially puzzling in light of the words of the Bach at the beginning of סימן תרכ"ו, where he writes that a verse is needed "בסוכת תשבו" and not under a house, to exclude the possibility of considering a house like Ashtarot-Karnaim. This proves that one might have thought to remove the house like Ashtarot-Karnaim. However, there seems to be a simple distinction: a house is invalid s'chach, while Ashtarot-Karnaim is not s'chach but merely blocks the sun, and there is no invalidation in this.
Answer
Shalom Rav,
The distinction you mentioned is correct.