Laws of the Sukkah

Contents

Building the Sukkah
The Laws of Covering the Sukkah
The Size of the Sukkah
The Laws of the Schach
The Laws of Invalid Schach and Open Space
The Laws of the Walls
Sukkah Decorations

Putting up the walls first
A. The walls should be erected before placing the schach. If the schach was placed before the walls were built, the schach must subsequently be moved or shaken. [1]

A minor
B. Ideally, one should not allow a minor to place the schach on the sukkah. Once he has reached the age of thirteen, even if it is not known that he has produced two hairs, he is valid for placing the schach. [2]

The walls of the sukkah
C. The structure of the sukkah must have two adjacent walls, joined in the form of the Hebrew letter reish; the third wall need not be attached to the other two walls. [3] When the third wall is seven tefachim, nothing more is required, and even if the sukkah is long, the wall need not extend along the entire length of the sukkah. [4]

For the sake of shade
D. The sukkah should be made for the sake of shade [for the sake of the mitzvah]. [5]

Earlier than thirty days
E. A sukkah made more than thirty days before the festival [an old sukkah] requires some renewal: one should raise the schach over an area of one tefach by one tefach [10 cm by 10 cm] in one place, or raise it slightly along its length or across its width. [6]

Renewing something in it
F. An old sukkah in which, as stated, one must renew something, is nevertheless valid after the fact if nothing was renewed. [7]

Used as a dwelling
G. A sukkah that is used as a dwelling during the rest of the year must have all its schach lifted and replaced for the sake of the sukkah in order to render it valid. If this was not done, the sukkah is invalid by Torah law. [8]

Opening a roof
H. If a sukkah was made according to halachah and the schach remains there during the year, but a roof is closed over it and the area is used as a dwelling, the schach must be raised to make it fit for use on Sukkot. [9]

Pergola
I. A pergola used during the year requires only some renewal and the schach need not be lifted, since it does not have the status of a year-round dwelling, as it is not a place permanently designated for eating and drinking. [10]

The Laws of Covering the Sukkah

The measure of the covering
J. Ideally, the schach should be light enough for the stars to be visible. After the fact, even if one placed thick schach that hides the stars, the sukkah is valid. [11]

Rain does not enter it
K. A sukkah with so much schach that rain does not enter should, stringently, be considered invalid; however, after the fact, if it is impossible to correct the schach, one may rely on the lenient opinions. [12]

Attached schach
L. Schach attached with nails is invalid by Torah law. [13]

The Size of the Sukkah

Minimum valid size
M. The sukkah must be seven tefachim by seven tefachim [56 cm according to the smaller measure, or 70 cm according to the larger measure]. [14] If it is not seven tefachim wide it is invalid; since a doubt in a Torah law is ruled stringently, one should measure seven tefachim according to the larger measure. [15]

A small sukkah
N. A sukkah built on a balcony that does not have seven tefachim on its own, but only together with the mosaic ledge [the wide stone railing], may be accepted by some authorities in pressing circumstances. [16]

Including the mosaic ledge
O. If a sukkah has seven tefachim and beside it there is a mosaic ledge, one may sit on it as part of the sukkah, even if behind it there is a railing serving as the sukkah wall, because we view the ledge as part and continuation of the floor. [17]

Height of the walls
P. The walls must be at least ten tefachim high [80 cm according to the smaller measure and 100 cm according to the larger measure] [18] , and even if the schach is much higher, these walls suffice. [19]

The schach is distant from the walls
Q. If walls ten tefachim high have the schach standing up to three tefachim away from them, the sukkah is valid, because we apply the principles of gud asik and lavud. [20]

The Laws of the Schach

Grown from the ground
R. Valid schach must be from something that grows from the ground and is of a type that cannot receive ritual impurity. [21]

The support
S. Ideally, even the support of the schach should conform to “the laws of valid schach,” meaning it should be grown from the ground and not susceptible to ritual impurity; after the fact, however, this does not invalidate. [22]

A support of a support
T. A support of a support, such as screws that join the sukkah walls and thereby hold the supports of the schach, is considered by the Chazon Ish [23] to have the status of the support itself, which ideally should be made of material fit for schach. The Mishnah Berurah [24] maintains that it is not included in the category of support, and even initially it may be made from something that receives impurity, such as iron; where possible, it is proper to be stringent.

Materials invalid for schach
U. Iron, such as nails and screws, and plastic, such as cable ties and the like, are invalid for schach because they do not grow from the ground. For this reason, initially one should not use them to support the schach. However, if the schach can withstand an ordinary wind even without these items, they are not considered a support and may initially be used for reinforcement.

Cotton and linen threads
V. Cotton or linen threads are rabbinically invalid for schach, [25] and the authorities disagree regarding a support made from something rabbinically invalid for schach. Initially it is proper to be stringent, [26] and therefore the schach should be tied with a natural plant [not processed], such as geva or raffia.

A reed mat
W. A reed mat used for schach must have been made for covering and not for lying or sitting. [27] One must also ensure that the threads holding the mat are made of a natural unprocessed plant, such as geva or raffia, and not processed threads. Therefore, one should buy a schach mat only if it has reliable kashrut certification.

Covering with boards
X. The custom is not to use boards for schach at all, even when they are less than four tefachim wide. Therefore, many are careful not to use slats, but only round reeds [keines], palm branches, and the like. Some are lenient if the slats are only about four to five centimeters wide. One who has no custom to be lenient should follow the straightforward ruling of the Shulchan Aruch that boards are not used for schach at all. [28]

A mat of slats
Y. Even those who are lenient to use slats for schach should preferably be stringent not to use a slat mat, because some maintain that the joining of the boards makes them one body, like a board four tefachim wide, which is invalid for schach. [29]

The Laws of Invalid Schach and Open Space

In an ordinary wind
Z. The schach must withstand an ordinary wind, [30] and if it does so, then even if it is fastened in place with materials invalid for schach, the sukkah is valid. [31]

Open space
AA. A gap of open air in the schach invalidates the sukkah when it is three tefachim wide. If it is less than that, it does not invalidate the entire sukkah, but one may not sleep under the open space. Therefore, with schach made of keines, one must ensure that there is no air gap between the reeds running from one end to the other, and schach should also be placed across the width of the sukkah. Some maintain that even the majority of one’s head or body should not be under the open space. [32]

Invalid schach at the side
AB. Invalid schach adjacent to the walls does not invalidate the sukkah up to four amot, but one may not eat or sleep beneath it. [33]

Invalid schach in the middle of the sukkah
AC. If a sukkah has three walls and invalid schach four tefachim wide lies in the middle along its entire length, the sukkah is invalid, unless there is the required minimum sukkah area together with the three walls before the invalid schach. Even in such a case, one may not sit under the invalid schach. [34]

More than three tefachim and less than four
AD. Invalid schach that is more than three tefachim [24–28.8 cm] but less than four tefachim [32–38.4 cm] does not invalidate the sukkah, even if it extends across the entire sukkah; however, initially one should not sleep under that invalid schach. [35]

Less than three tefachim
AE. Invalid schach less than three tefachim [24–28.8 cm] is no disqualification at all, even if it extends along the whole length or width of the sukkah, and one may eat and sleep beneath it. Therefore, if above one’s sukkah there is a gutter or concrete beam, even along the entire sukkah, as long as it lacks this measure it does not invalidate at all, and one may eat and sleep under that place. [36]

A way to permit invalid schach wider than four tefachim
AF. Even when the invalid schach is wider than four tefachim, part of its area can be rendered permissible by placing a partition 23 cm from the valid schach, thereby reducing the area of the invalid schach to less than the disqualifying measure. Thus, if a sukkah balcony is three meters long and has 50 cm of open air and 50 cm of concrete ceiling, one should place a 70 cm partition 23 cm from the beginning of the concrete ceiling, and along the rest of the sukkah make a tzurat hapetach; this reduces the measure of the invalid schach, and one will be able to sleep beneath it.

Under an air-conditioner motor
AG. If an air-conditioner motor is above the sukkah, and its width is less than 24 cm, one may eat and sleep beneath it. [37]

A small sukkah
AH. In a small sukkah less than ten tefachim in size, even invalid schach of three tefachim along the length or width of the entire sukkah invalidates it. Although this measure of invalid schach does not invalidate other sukkot, in this sukkah it reduces the measure of valid schach, and therefore it is invalid. [38] But if the invalid schach is less than three tefachim, it is valid, [39] and some maintain that if the invalid schach is not three tefachim in one place but divided between two places, and there are four tefachim of valid schach, the invalid schach does not invalidate it. [40]

Clotheslines and bars
AI. Clotheslines or bars located above the schach do not invalidate it, since no individual bar or line is three tefachim wide. Some, however, are initially stringent where it can be corrected, because they are concerned for the view that lavud is applied stringently, combining all the lines together to invalidate the sukkah. According to this view, valid schach should be placed between them, with the bars or clotheslines serving as a support of a support. [41]

The Laws of the Walls

In an ordinary wind
AJ. The walls must withstand an ordinary wind. If an ordinary wind moves them, the sukkah is invalid. [42] The authorities disagree regarding the degree of movement that invalidates: any movement, or only movement of three tefachim. [43] In practice, in a case of need, one may be lenient like the latter opinion.

Made of sheets
AK. If the walls of a sukkah are made of sheets, even if they are tightly stretched, it is good to add lavud partitions: surround the sukkah with ropes five times across the width of its walls, with 20 cm between each rope, from the floor up to a height of one meter. This creates spaces of less than three tefachim according to the smaller measure and ten tefachim according to the larger measure. [44]

Vertical or horizontal elements
AL. A sukkah made of partitions consisting only of vertical or only of horizontal elements, meaning posts or ropes with less than three tefachim between them, requires, halachically, stringency to have four walls; three are insufficient. [45] The Chazon Ish [46] is stringent even with four walls. However, if in addition to the ropes one also stretches sheets, it may be validated even with three walls, as stated in the previous paragraph.

Vertical and horizontal elements
AM. A partition made of both vertical and horizontal elements is considered a complete partition. According to the Mishnah Berurah [47] a railing is considered such a partition, since there is metal across it at the top and bottom. According to the Chazon Ish [48] there must be a horizontal element every three tefachim; therefore, a railing or bars cannot serve as a partition.

Ideally
AN. Ideally, complete walls should be made, because not everyone is expert in all the details of the laws of partitions. [49]

Sukkah Decorations

On the schach
AO. One may not hang sukkah decorations at a distance of four tefachim or more from the schach. If the decoration begins within four tefachim of the schach and hangs down beyond four tefachim, then if it is less than four tefachim wide, it is permitted. [50]

Muktzeh
AP. Decorations that fell from the schach or the walls on Shabbat or Yom Tov are muktzeh and may not be moved. If one stipulated before the festival that he is not separating himself from them throughout bein hashmashot, they may be moved on Shabbat and Yom Tov. On Chol Hamoed, they may in any case be moved and even rehung. [51]

Taking them down
AQ. It is permitted to take down the decorations on Chol Hamoed if there is concern that they will be ruined by rain. [52]

Spreading plastic sheeting
AR. It is permitted to spread plastic sheeting over the schach [whether above it or below it] on Shabbat and Yom Tov so that the decorations will not be ruined by rain, but one must be careful not to touch the schach with one’s hands, because it is muktzeh. [53]

Hanging during Chol Hamoed
AS. It is permitted to hang decorations during Chol Hamoed. [54]

Preparing during Chol Hamoed
AT. It is permitted to prepare decorations during Chol Hamoed only if they are an amateur act; if special expertise is required to make them, it is considered skilled labor and is forbidden. [55]

[1] Rema (siman 635, se’if 1) and Mishnah Berurah (s.k. 9, 10).
[2] See Magen Avraham (siman 14, s.k. 3), Bikkurei Yaakov (siman 635, s.k. 2), and Pri Megadim (siman 649, Eshel Avraham, s.k. 8), who rule that it is ineffective; however, Biur Halachah (siman 14, s.v. lehatzrich) and Mishnah Berurah (siman 649, s.k. 14) write that this disqualification applies only to tefillin.
[3] Shulchan Aruch (siman 630, se’if 2).
[4] Rema (ibid., se’if 3).
[5] Shulchan Aruch (siman 635, se’if 1) and Mishnah Berurah (s.k. 1).
[6] Shulchan Aruch (siman 636, se’if 1) and Mishnah Berurah (s.k. 5, 6, 7).
[7] Mishnah Berurah (ibid., s.k. 4).
[8] Ibid.
[9] Mishnah Berurah (ibid., s.k. 7).
[10] Shulchan Aruch (ibid. and se’if 2).
[11] Shulchan Aruch (siman 631, se’if 3).
[12] Mishnah Berurah (ibid., s.k. 6).
[13] Tosafot, Sukkah (2a), and Shaar HaTziyun (siman 633, s.k. 6).
[14] The precise measure of seven tefachim according to the larger measure is 67.8 cm, but in Torah law one should be stringent with a generous tefach; therefore, initially the measure is 70 cm.
[15] Shulchan Aruch (siman 634, se’if 1).
[16] Shaarei Teshuvah (siman 634, s.k. 3).
[17] However, initially one should not rely on the railing as a wall, as below, since complete walls are required.
[18] The precise measure of ten tefachim according to the larger measure is 96 cm, but in Torah law one should be stringent with a generous tefach; therefore, initially the measure is 100 cm.
[19] Shulchan Aruch (siman 630, se’if 9).
[20] Ibid.
[21] Shulchan Aruch (siman 629, se’if 1).
[22] Mishnah Berurah (siman 629, s.k. 22).
[23] Orach Chaim, siman 143 (s.k. 2).
[24] Siman 630 (s.k. 59).
[25] Shulchan Aruch (siman 629, se’if 4) and Mishnah Berurah (s.k. 12).
[26] Mishnah Berurah (ibid., s.k. 26); see Biur Halachah (siman 630, se’if 1, s.v. kol).
[27] Shulchan Aruch (siman 626, se’if 6).
[28] Shulchan Aruch (siman 629, se’if 18) and Mishnah Berurah (s.k. 49).
[29] It makes no difference that the board is made from many small pieces of wood if they are joined together as one; some wrote that if rain enters between the slats, it is not considered one body, even though they are connected.
[30] Shulchan Aruch (siman 628, se’if 2).
[31] It is not considered a support for the schach, since the schach stands without it.
[32] Rema (siman 632, se’if 2), Chazon Ish (Orach Chaim, siman 144, s.k. 5).
[33] Shulchan Aruch (siman 632, se’if 1).
[34] Ibid.
[35] Mishnah Berurah (ibid., s.k. 3).
[36] Ibid.
[37] Since it does not contain three tefachim, its law is as above.
[38] Shulchan Aruch (ibid.).
[39] Ibid. and Mishnah Berurah (s.k. 9).
[40] Chazon Ish (Orach Chaim, siman 144, s.k. 4).
[41] See Mishnah Berurah (siman 626, s.k. 17) and Shaar HaTziyun (s.k. 23).
[42] Shulchan Aruch (siman 630, se’if 10).
[43] See Magen Avraham (siman 363, s.k. 4) and Mishkenot Yaakov (siman 123), who require that the partition not move at all; see Pri Megadim and Chazon Ish (siman 77, s.k. 6), that there is no invalidation unless the wind nullifies the partition.
[44] Aruch HaShulchan (ibid., se’if 32).
[45] Mishnah Berurah (siman 630, s.k. 7).
[46] Siman 75 (s.k. 2).
[47] Shaar HaTziyun (siman 360, s.k. 2).
[48] Ibid.
[49] Rema (siman 630, se’if 5).
[50] Shulchan Aruch (siman 627, se’if 4) and Mishnah Berurah (s.k. 12).
[51] Shulchan Aruch (siman 638, se’if 2) and Mishnah Berurah (s.k. 14, 15).
[52] Although the decorations were set aside for their mitzvah if no stipulation was made, there is no prohibition to take them down since one is not using them. Removing decorations because of rain is also not prohibited work on Chol Hamoed, since it prevents loss.
[53] Mishnah Berurah (siman 629, s.k. 58), Shaar HaTziyun (ibid., s.k. 84), and similarly below (siman 640, s.k. 25). What we wrote that it is permitted to spread it applies specifically within three tefachim of the schach.
[54] Mishnah Berurah (siman 638, s.k. 14).
[55] See Shulchan Aruch (siman 637, se’if 1) and Biur Halachah (s.v. oseh, and siman 540, se’if 1, s.v. boneh).

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