Decorating the Sukkah using QR codes

Hi, I am planning to decorate my sukkah with QR codes this year, which might sound weird, but let me explain the twist. Since I plan to have guests over on Chol Hamoed, I thought I would hang different QR codes around the sukkah and from the sechach so the guests will have to go around and open each one, and there will be family pictures, old-time videos, etc. I was wondering, is this the right way to do sukkah decorations, or does it have to stay traditional?

Thank you for your question.

Wow, it sounds very interesting and extremely entertaining. I remember when I was a child living in London, we used to go “sukkah looking,” as it was called. We would visit our neighbors' sukkahs and see the most amazing, original decorations, and of course, we were then given a treat like a toffee or sweet. So, as I read your question, I’m amazed at how times have changed and that now it's about decorating the sukkah using QR codes. Wow, that’s quite amazing.

Having said that, we have to realize that the mitzvah of decorating the sukkah is not a form of entertaining the guests. Rather there is a mitzvah to beautify the items we use in the service of Hashem. For example, one has to have a beautiful tallit and tefillin.

This is learned from the Passuk in Exodus 15,2."

שמות פרק טו, ב

זֶה אֵלִי וְאַנְוֵהוּ אֱלֹהֵי אָבִי וַאֲרֹמְמֶנְהוּ:

"This is my G-d, and I will glorify Him ; the G-d of my father, and I will exalt Him."

תלמוד בבלי מסכת שבת דף קלג עמוד ב

דתניא: זה אלי, ואנוהו - התנאה לפניו במצות; עשה לפניו סוכה נאה, ולולב נאה, ושופר נאה, ציצית נאה, ספר תורה נאה וכתוב בו לשמו בדיו נאה, בקולמוס נאה, בלבלר אומן וכורכו בשיראין נאין.

‘This is my G-d, and I will glorify Him' - beautify yourself before Him with mitzvos, make a beautiful sukkah, a beautiful lulav, a beautiful shofar, beautiful tzitzit, a beautiful Torah scroll, and write it for His sake with fine ink, with a fine quill, by a skilled scribe, and bind it with beautiful cloth."

This concept is known as 'Hiddur Mitzvah', the beautification of the items used to perform a mitsvah.

So, by hanging decorations, we are beautifying the sukkah and fulfilling the mitzvah of Hiddur Mitzvah.

The Rambam, in his commentary on the Mishnayos, Tractate Sukkah, Perek 2, writes that beautifying the sukkah is part of the mitzvah of תשבו כעין תדורו (you shall dwell in the sukkah as you dwell in your home). Just as a person likes to decorate his home, so too we decorate the sukkah, as it is considered our home

So, by hanging QR codes, even though it may be entertaining, one is not beautifying the sukkah, and therefore it would not be considered as a Hiddur Mitzvah

Since we are discussing the mitzvah of hanging decorations, I would like to share with you the halachot that apply to hanging decorations as brought by Harav Hagaon Harav Amrom Fried, Shelitah

When hanging decorations, it is important to note that the decorations should hang within four Tefachim (38.8 cm) from the Sechach.

However, if the decorations start within the four Tefachim (38.8 cm), then it is permissible as long as the width of the decoration is less than four Tefachim (38.8cm).

If the decorations fall during Chol Hamoed, then they are not considered muktzeh, and one may hang them back in their place. However, if they fell, they are considered muktzeh and it is forbidden to move them, as brought in Tractate Shabbos, page 22a:

תלמוד בבלי מסכת שבת דף כב עמוד א

דתניא: סככה כהלכתה, ועיטרה בקרמים ובסדינין המצויירין, ותלה בה אגוזים אפרסקין שקדים ורמונים ופרכילי ענבים, ועטרות של שבלים, יינות (של) שמנים וסלתות - אסור להסתפק מהן עד מוצאי יום טוב האחרון של חג, ואם התנה עליהן - הכל לפי תנאו.

The Gemara writes that the fruits, etc., used for adorning the sukkah are muktzeh. The reason is that since they were designated for the mitzvah of decorating the sukkah, one may not change their purpose in the middle of Shabbos.

However, if one stipulated at the start of Yom Tov, meaning during sunset (bein hashmashot), that he does not intend to designate it solely for the purpose of decorations, but rather he may want to use it during Yom Tov, then it does not become muktzeh and one may move it on Yom Tov. (Shulchan Aruch 638:2).

Wishing you a chag sameach!

Exodus 15:2

Talmud Bavli, Tractate Shabbos 133b

Rambam, Commentary on Mishnayot, Sukkah Perek 2

Tractate Shabbos, Page 22a

Azamroh Lishmecho Issue 263