44.2 F
New York
Friday, March 29, 2024

A Halachic Guide to Building a Sukkah

Related Articles

-Advertisement-

Must read

According to some opinions, one should begin to build the Sukkah before Yom Kippur, as an added merit.

Detailed guidelines for ensuring that your sukkah is ‘kosher’.

1. When should one begin building the Sukkah?

According to most opinions, one should begin on at the departure of Yom Kippur in order to go immediately from one mitzvah to another. If this is not possible, one should begin the following morning. If this will not leave him sufficient time to complete the Sukkah, one may begin to build before Yom Kippur, but he should not place the s’chach until after Yom Kippur. According to some opinions, one should begin to build the Sukkah before Yom Kippur, as an added merit.

2. When should one finish the construction?

Ideally, the Sukkah should be completed on the day after Yom Kippur. However, if by doing so, the Sukkah will not be built properly and sturdily, he should devote more time to erect a better and more beautiful Sukkah.

3. May one build the Sukkah on erev Shabbat or erev Yom Tov?

Yes, but one must stop building at halachic midday. According to some opinions, one may continue to build until mincha ketanah (two-and-a-half halachic hours before sunset).

4. May one build a Sukkah on chol hamoed?

If a person did not build a Sukkah before Yom Tov, or if he built one but it fell down, he may build one on chol hamoed. If necessary, even skilled work (which is usually forbidden on chol hamoed) is permitted in order to fulfill the mitzvah, but if possible this type of work should be avoided and the Sukkah should be a simple construction.

5. Is anyone allowed to build a Sukkah?

Any person may build a Sukkah, including women and children. However, it is a mitzvah for every man to participate personally in the building, and whoever toils and sweats with this task receives atonement for serious sins. It is preferable not to ask a gentile to build a Sukkah.

6. May one build a Sukkah anywhere?

A Sukkah must be built under the sky, with nothing intervening between the s’chach and the sky. One must be careful not to build a Sukkah under:

a roof

an overhanging balcony

a tree

protruding s’chach of another Sukkah

7. What if one part of the Sukkah is under the sky and one part is not?

If the section under the sky has sufficient walls and the minimum dimensions, the Sukkah is kosher. Nevertheless, one may only eat in the part of the Sukkah that is under the sky. Sometimes, the invalid section may be included in calculating the size of the Sukkah and a rabbi should be consulted.

8. May the Sukkah be built near a tree if the branches sway over the s’chach in the wind?

Ideally, one should chop off these branches. If one did not do so, the Sukkah is still kosher even when the branches are swaying over the s’chach.

9. May one build a Sukkah underneath washing lines?

Yes. Since the lines are very narrow and there is space between them, they do not invalidate the Sukkah. This is true even when laundry is hanging from the lines. However, if the laundry becomes entangled in the lines, the area of the s’chach beneath is invalidated. In some situations, this may invalidate the entire Sukkah.

10. May one build a Sukkah in a public area?

In Israel, this is allowed since permission is automatically granted to use the street for this purpose.

In the diaspora, one should ideally avoid doing this unless specific permission is obtained from the authorities. However, the custom is to be lenient in this matter if no other area is available, especially if the Sukkah is built close to the house.

11. May one build a Sukkah on soil or grass?

On soil is permitted, but it is forbidden to sweep the floor on Shabbat and Yom Tov. It is therefore advisable to cover the floor with some suitable flooring.

On grass is not advisable since it is difficult to avoid spilling liquids on the grass on Shabbat and Yom Tov. The grass should be covered with suitable flooring.

12. Does a Sukkah require a mezuzah?

Since a Sukkah is only a temporary dwelling, it does not require a mezuzah.

13. What is the minimum size of a Sukkah?

The inside of the Sukkah must measure at least seven tefachim long by seven tefachim wide. This is the smallest area in which a person could reasonably be expected to sit. (Even if the Sukkah is very long, it must still measure at least seven tefachim wide.)

In practice, this means that the Sukkah should preferably measure 70cm x 70cm. It is still kosher if it measures only 56cm x 56cm.

The internal height should measure at least 1m, but it is still kosher if it measures only 80cm.

14. What is the maximum size of a Sukkah?

There is no limit to the size of a Sukkah. In terms of height, however, the s’chach must not be higher than 20 amot from the floor of the Sukkah (approx. 10 meters). This is rarely applicable.

15. How many walls should a Sukkah have?

Strictly speaking, a Sukkah may be kosher even if it has less than three complete walls. However, the custom is to build a Sukkah with four complete walls to avoid complications. In order of preference, a Sukkah should have:

4 complete walls

3 complete walls

4 incomplete walls

3 incomplete walls

16. From which materials should the walls be made?

The walls may be made from any sturdy material.

The walls must be strong enough to remain in position when the wind blows. Therefore, sheets that flap may not be used. Ideally, one should not even use sheets that are firmly tied down on all sides, in case they become detached and this goes unnoticed. If three walls are made from sturdy materials, one may use sheets for the fourth wall.

17. May one use sheets in extenuating circumstances?

If no alternatives are available, one may use sheets that are tied down on all sides. In this situation, it is preferable to tie several horizontal strings around the Sukkah. These strings should be tied at intervals of less than 24cm, to a height of at least 80cm (preferably to a height of 1m). This method invokes a halachic principle that considers the strings to be united to form a solid wall. With such strings, the Sukkah is kosher according to all opinions.

18. How high must the walls be?

The walls must be at least 80cm high (preferably 1m) but do not need to reach the s’chach. It is perfectly acceptable to support the s’chach on wooden posts etc, if the walls are the minimum height. The remaining spaces may be left open or filled with sheets or any other material. In this situation, the s’chach should preferably reach the line directly above the wall.

The walls do not need to touch the ground, but they must not be raised more than 24cm above it.

19. Which materials may be used for s’chach?

The Torah requires one to use a material that satisfies these three conditions:

it is vegetation

it is detached from the ground

it is incapable of becoming tamei

According to one opinion, the best s’chach is cut branches of trees. This is hinted by the numerical value of the word Sukkah (91) which is identical to that of the word tree (‘ilan’).   (Aish.com)

balance of natureDonate

Latest article

- Advertisement -