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Today’s Daf Yomi Question:
If even a dwelling within a cemetery is considered valid, why is a house on an island not regarded as such?
The house on an island is considered a valid dwelling. If the question is what the Chiddush is, the Chiddush is that fact that it is not meant for anyone to stay there.
In fact, my question is, why is a ‘house on the water’ considered a dwelling although nobody lives there — as long as it is used for storing boat items — while a silo used for grain is not considered a dwelling. What is the difference?
I think the point is as Rashi said by the Kever: although nobody is living there, this is the type of building meant for someone to live in. So, a ‘house on the water’ — the greatest Chiddush of all these houses — is built like a regular house and looks no different. It is a normal house that happens to be found on an islet and is therefore not used as an actual dwelling.
In this case, when the Gemara asks what it is used for, either it is just out of curiosity or, more likely, if it would be completely useless then it wouldn’t be a house at all.