High-tech Sukkah

This year, I decided to take my Sukkah to the next level. Every year it’s so hot and uncomfortable, so I figured, why not really upgrade it? I went all out: I improved the lighting, installed new air conditioning, and added speakers for Simchas Beis Ha’shoevah. Now it’s super comfortable, and honestly, I’m really happy with how it turned out. But, I’ve been having second thoughts. Maybe the whole point of the Sukkah is be a temporary and somewhat fragile dwelling and by modernizing it so much, I might be going against the traditional idea of what a Sukkah is supposed to be, so was it a correct choice?

Thank you for your question.

You did the most amazing thing! Not only does it not go against the idea of the Sukkah, but it actually fulfills the mitzvah to make the Sukkah as comfortable as possible. This is derived from the Torah’s instruction for us to dwell in the Sukkah for seven days, as it is written:

ויקרא פרק כג, מב

בַּסֻּכֹּת תֵּשְׁבוּ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים

It is written in Leviticus Perek 23. Verse 42.
You shall dwell in the Sukkah for seven days.

The Gemara in Tractate Sukkah, page 26a, writes:

תלמוד בבלי מסכת סוכה דף כו עמוד א

-אביי אמר: תשבו כעין תדורו

Abaye said that this verse teaches us that the mitzvah of Sukkah involves making the Sukkah a place where you can live comfortably, just as you would in your own home.

So, by modernizing your Sukkah, you have actually made it as comfortable as your home. Of course, that being said, it’s important to ensure that all the modernization of the Sukkah aligns with the specific halachot concerning how the Sukkah should be structured.

On the contrary, a Sukkah that is built in a way that makes it uncomfortable to live in, could be problematic, and I’d like to explain why.

We know that someone who is uncomfortable (mitz'taer) being in the Sukkah, for example, if it starts to rain, is permitted to leave the Sukkah. This is brought in Tosafot, Tractate Sukkah, page 26a.

However, there is a debate among the Rishonim regarding whether someone who builds a Sukkah in a place where he knows he will be uncomfortable—for example, in an area with extreme heat—can he later claim exemption due to discomfort. Since in this case, he already knows from the outset that he will be mitztaer (uncomfortable), so can he still leave the Sukkah based on that discomfort, or maybe not since he knowingly put himself in that situation.

The opinion of the Mordechai Tractate sukkah Perek 2 Siman 12 is

כל שאין הסוכה ראויה לאחד מאופני הישיבה אינו יוצא בה כלל

Any Sukkah that is not suitable for one of the forms of dwelling is not valid for fulfilling the obligation at all.

The opinion of the Rosh tractate sukkah page 26

דאי בביתו היאך עושה סוכה מתחילה בדבר שהיה מצטער לישן בה ויפטר משום מצטער?

.....How then could he build a Sukkah from the outset in a way that would cause discomfort and expect to be exempt due to distress?

Hagaon HaRav Amrom Fried, shlitah, explains that there is a halachic difference between these two Rishonim. According to the Mordechai’s opinion, if someone builds a Sukkah in a way that is not suitable for dwelling, it is not considered a Sukkah at all, as it defeats its entire purpose. However, according to the Rosh , while it is still considered a Sukkah, if a person built it in a way that he knew would cause discomfort, he cannot later be exempted from dwelling in the Sukkah due to that discomfort. This is because one can only be exempt from the Mitsvah of Sukkah due to a discomfort that came about incidentally.

Le’halacha:

שולחן ערוך אורח חיים הלכות סוכה סימן תרמ סעיף ד

מצטער פטור מן הסוכה, הוא ולא משמשיו (אבל בלילה ראשונה אפי' מצטער חייב לאכול שם כזית) (כל בו); איזהו מצטער, זה שאינו יכול לישן בסוכה מפני הרוח, או מפני הזבובים והפרעושים וכיוצא בהם, או מפני הריח; ודוקא שבא לו הצער במקרה, אחר שעשה שם הסוכה, אבל אין לו לעשות סוכתו לכתחלה במקום הריח או הרוח ולומר: מצטער אני.

הגה: ואם עשאה מתחלה במקום שמצטער באכילה או בשתייה או בשינה, או שא"א לו לעשות אחד מהם בסוכה מחמת דמתיירא מלסטים או גנבים כשהוא בסוכה, אינו יוצא באותה סוכה כלל, אפי' בדברים שלא מצטער בהם, דלא הויא כעין דירה שיוכל לעשות שם כל צרכיו (מרדכי פרק הישן).

Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, Hilchos Sukkah, Siman 640, Seif 4

One who is uncomfortable (mitz'taer) is exempt from the Sukkah, but not his attendants. (However, on the first night, even if he is uncomfortable (mitz'taer), he is obligated to eat there an olive-sized portion.) (Kol Bo).
What qualifies as "uncomfortable" (mitz'taer)? This refers to someone who cannot sleep in the Sukkah due to the wind, flies, fleas, etc. or a bad smell. However, this is only if the discomfort came about incidentally after he made the Sukkah . But one may not initially build the Sukkah in a place with bad smells or wind and then claim, "I am uncomfortable" (mitz'taer).

Rema : If one initially built the Sukkah in a place where he would be uncomfortable (mitz'taer) when eating, drinking, or sleeping, or in a case where he cannot perform one of these actions in the Sukkah because he fears thieves or robbers, he does not fulfill the mitzvah in that Sukkah at all , even for things that do not cause him discomfort (mitz'taer). This is because it is not considered a dwelling where one can live normally . (Mordechai).

We see that the Mechaber follows the opinion of the Rosh , while the Rema follows the opinion of the Mordechai. So, if someone were to build a Sukkah in a place infested with mice and rats, or in an area of extreme heat where they know they wouldn’t be able to live or even eat in the Sukkah, according to the Mechaber, the Sukkah would still be kosher, but the person would not be exempt from staying there due to the infestation or heat, since he Knew about it from the beginning when he built the Sukkah. However, according to the Rema, such a Sukkah would be invalid because it is not suitable for dwelling.

Therefore, by modernizing your Sukkah, you have actually enhanced it, making it a kosher Sukkah that is suitable and comfortable to live in.

Wishing you a Chag Sameach!

Torah, Leviticus 23:42

Talmud Bavli, Sukkah 26a

Tosafos, Sukkah 26a

Mordechai, Sukkah Perek 2, Siman 12

Rosh, Sukkah 26

Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, Hilchos Sukkah, Siman 640, Seif 4

Azamroh Lishmecho issue #263