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Building the Sukkah: Difference between revisions

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==Materials for walls of Sukkah==
==Materials for walls of Sukkah==
# All materials are permissible to be for the walls of a Sukkah (see next halacha). Some say that that a pious person should preferably only  use materials that aren't Biblically unfit for S'chach. <ref>S"A 630:1 rules that all materials are permissible. Biur Halacha D"H Kol quotes two reasons that a pious person should be strict only to use materials that are not unfit biblically for S'chach based on the Bach siman 630, but quotes others who reject this stringency. See Chazon Ovadia Sukkot 1-2 for a list of poskim as well even though he allows the use of these materials. </ref>
# All materials are permissible to be for the walls of a Sukkah (see next halacha). Some say that that a pious person should preferably only  use materials that aren't Biblically unfit for S'chach. <ref>S"A 630:1 rules that all materials are permissible. Biur Halacha s.v. Kol quotes two reasons that a pious person should be strict only to use materials that are not unfit biblically for S'chach based on the Bach siman 630, but quotes others who reject this stringency. See Chazon Ovadia Sukkot 1-2 for a list of poskim as well even though he allows the use of these materials. </ref>
# Many authorities hold that plastic curtains (tarp, canvas) are unfit for walls of a Sukkah, while others permit. [This is not because of an issue with the material itself but because of an issue with it blowing in the wind.] <Ref> Rav Ovadiah Yosef in Chazon Ovadyah (pg 1-5), Yabia Omer OC 9:59, and Yechave Daat 3:46, Rav Menashe Klein Mishnah Halachot 512, rav chaim zonnenfeld in salmat chaim 254 and Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach in Halichot Shlomo (Sukkah 7:1 pg 97) hold that plastic curtains that sway in the wind even slightly are unfit for walls of a Sukkah. However, Rav Moshe Feinstein in Sh”t Iggerot Moshe 5:40 permits if the curtains are thick and there are poles. [http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/764662/Rabbi_Hershel_Schachter/%D7%A2%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%99_%D7%99%D7%95%D7%94%D7%9B'%D7%A4_%D7%95%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%9B%D7%95%D7%AA Rav Hershel Schachter] (min 72-80) explains that even though the Chazon Ish (hilchot eruvin 13:6) was lenient most poskim are strict. Rav Schachter leaves an absolute guideline unclear but in a situation of extreme need one could rely on the Chazon Ish. </ref>
# Many authorities hold that plastic curtains (tarp, canvas) are unfit for walls of a Sukkah, while others permit. [This is not because of an issue with the material itself but because of an issue with it blowing in the wind.] <Ref> Rav Ovadiah Yosef in Chazon Ovadyah (pg 1-5), Yabia Omer OC 9:59, and Yechave Daat 3:46, Rav Menashe Klein Mishnah Halachot 512, rav chaim zonnenfeld in salmat chaim 254 and Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach in Halichot Shlomo (Sukkah 7:1 pg 97) hold that plastic curtains that sway in the wind even slightly are unfit for walls of a Sukkah. However, Rav Moshe Feinstein in Sh”t Iggerot Moshe 5:40 permits if the curtains are thick and there are poles. [http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/764662/Rabbi_Hershel_Schachter/%D7%A2%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%99_%D7%99%D7%95%D7%94%D7%9B'%D7%A4_%D7%95%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%9B%D7%95%D7%AA Rav Hershel Schachter] (min 72-80) explains that even though the Chazon Ish (hilchot eruvin 13:6) was lenient most poskim are strict. Rav Schachter leaves an absolute guideline unclear but in a situation of extreme need one could rely on the Chazon Ish. </ref>


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# If one made the S'chach very thin so that there's patches of empty space it's fit only if (1) there's no area of empty space larger than 3 [[Tefachim]] and (2) there is a majority of shade and minority of sunlight (counting the entire area of the S'chach). Even if it's an acceptable Sukkah, nonetheless, if there's a patch of 7x7 7 [[Tefachim]] which has more sunlight than shade one may not sit in that area. <ref>S"A 631:2 and 4 rules that if altogether there's a majority of shade and minority of sunlight and there's no open space of 3 [[Tefachim]] it's fit. Rama 631:2 adds that some are strict if there's an area of 7x7 [[Tefachim]] which has more sunlight than shade. The Aruch HaShulchan 631:5 and Mishna Brurah 631:4 writes that in such an area one may not sit. Mishna Brurah adds that if there's such a patch that breaks up one of the walls so that there's only 2 walls left then it puts the whole sukkah into question. </ref>
# If one made the S'chach very thin so that there's patches of empty space it's fit only if (1) there's no area of empty space larger than 3 [[Tefachim]] and (2) there is a majority of shade and minority of sunlight (counting the entire area of the S'chach). Even if it's an acceptable Sukkah, nonetheless, if there's a patch of 7x7 7 [[Tefachim]] which has more sunlight than shade one may not sit in that area. <ref>S"A 631:2 and 4 rules that if altogether there's a majority of shade and minority of sunlight and there's no open space of 3 [[Tefachim]] it's fit. Rama 631:2 adds that some are strict if there's an area of 7x7 [[Tefachim]] which has more sunlight than shade. The Aruch HaShulchan 631:5 and Mishna Brurah 631:4 writes that in such an area one may not sit. Mishna Brurah adds that if there's such a patch that breaks up one of the walls so that there's only 2 walls left then it puts the whole sukkah into question. </ref>
# It's preferable not to put the S'chach directly on top of walls which are made out of material that's unfit for S'chach. <ref> Mishna Brurah 630:59, Chazon Ovadyah (Sukkot pg 44) </ref>According to most leading authorities, however, it's permissible to place S'chach on top of a material that's fit for S'chach which is in turn held up by something that's unfit for S'chach. Therefore, if one has a metal frame one should place wooden planks on the frame and then S'chach on top of it. <ref>Mishna Brurah 629:26, BeYitzchak Yikra (Rav Nevensal) on that Mishna Brurah quoting Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, Yabia Omer 10:46 and Chazon Ovadyah (Sukkot pg 44) are lenient unlike the Chazon Ish 143:2-3. [http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/764662/Rabbi_Hershel_Schachter/%D7%A2%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%99_%D7%99%D7%95%D7%94%D7%9B'%D7%A4_%D7%95%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%9B%D7%95%D7%AA Rav Hershel Schachter] (62:30-66:15) also seems to be lenient (listen for exact language). see Chelkat Yaakov 3:127, Minchat Shlomo 2:55 and Moadim u'zmanim 1:82. </ref> Bidieved, if the schach was placed directly on metal, it is kosher. <ref> Mishnah Berurah 629:22 and 630:58 </ref>  
# It's preferable not to put the S'chach directly on top of walls which are made out of material that's unfit for S'chach. <ref> Mishna Brurah 630:59, Chazon Ovadyah (Sukkot pg 44) </ref>According to most leading authorities, however, it's permissible to place S'chach on top of a material that's fit for S'chach which is in turn held up by something that's unfit for S'chach. Therefore, if one has a metal frame one should place wooden planks on the frame and then S'chach on top of it. <ref>Mishna Brurah 629:26, BeYitzchak Yikra (Rav Nevensal) on that Mishna Brurah quoting Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, Yabia Omer 10:46 and Chazon Ovadyah (Sukkot pg 44) are lenient unlike the Chazon Ish 143:2-3. [http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/764662/Rabbi_Hershel_Schachter/%D7%A2%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%99_%D7%99%D7%95%D7%94%D7%9B'%D7%A4_%D7%95%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%9B%D7%95%D7%AA Rav Hershel Schachter] (62:30-66:15) also seems to be lenient (listen for exact language). see Chelkat Yaakov 3:127, Minchat Shlomo 2:55 and Moadim u'zmanim 1:82. </ref> Bidieved, if the schach was placed directly on metal, it is kosher. <ref> Mishnah Berurah 629:22 and 630:58 </ref>  
# One must ensure that one's Sukkah is under the open sky and not beneath a tree, roof of a house, or a porch. (For details about after the fact see the footnote.) <ref> Rama 626:1 writes that in all cases one should avoid building one's sukkah under a tree or roof. Mishna Brurah 626:1 and Aruch HaShulchan 626:1 explain that it's best to build the Sukkah under the open sky. So rules Chazon Ovadyah (Sukkot pg 11) and Yalkut Yosef Moadim page 125. However, after the fact, Aruch HaShulchan 626:1 writes if it's built under a roofed area it's unfit, but if it's built under a tree there is a discussion about when it is fit. S"A 626:1 (according to Biur Halacha D"H VeYesh, Mishna Berurah 626:10 and 11) rules that a sukkah under branches of a tree is fit only if it fits three requirements (See S"A with Mishna Berurah 626:10 and 11). (1) Among the branches of the tree there is majority of sun and minority shade (2) the there is less than four tefachim of tree branches over the schach, and (3) there is a majority of shade from the kosher schach and a minority of shade even without the tree branches (and even so the sachach under the tree branches itself is unfit but the rest of the sukkah is fit). </ref>
# One must ensure that one's Sukkah is under the open sky and not beneath a tree, roof of a house, or a porch. (For details about after the fact see the footnote.) <ref> Rama 626:1 writes that in all cases one should avoid building one's sukkah under a tree or roof. Mishna Brurah 626:1 and Aruch HaShulchan 626:1 explain that it's best to build the Sukkah under the open sky. So rules Chazon Ovadyah (Sukkot pg 11) and Yalkut Yosef Moadim page 125. However, after the fact, Aruch HaShulchan 626:1 writes if it's built under a roofed area it's unfit, but if it's built under a tree there is a discussion about when it is fit. S"A 626:1 (according to Biur Halacha s.v. VeYesh, Mishna Berurah 626:10 and 11) rules that a sukkah under branches of a tree is fit only if it fits three requirements (See S"A with Mishna Berurah 626:10 and 11). (1) Among the branches of the tree there is majority of sun and minority shade (2) the there is less than four tefachim of tree branches over the schach, and (3) there is a majority of shade from the kosher schach and a minority of shade even without the tree branches (and even so the sachach under the tree branches itself is unfit but the rest of the sukkah is fit). </ref>
# A sukkah built under clothes-lines or electric/phone lines, even if there isn't a space of 3 tefachim between each one, is still kosher, even if clothing is on the lines. <ref> Yalkut Yosef Moadim page 125, Chazon Ovadia Sukkot page 69. </ref>
# A sukkah built under clothes-lines or electric/phone lines, even if there isn't a space of 3 tefachim between each one, is still kosher, even if clothing is on the lines. <ref> Yalkut Yosef Moadim page 125, Chazon Ovadia Sukkot page 69. </ref>
# If one built a sukkah under a tree or a house which would render it unfit, and then removed the branches or the roof to make it kosher, this isn't a problem of taaseh vilo min ha'asuy as the problem was never in the schach itself. <ref> Chazon Ovadia page 33. </ref>  
# If one built a sukkah under a tree or a house which would render it unfit, and then removed the branches or the roof to make it kosher, this isn't a problem of taaseh vilo min ha'asuy as the problem was never in the schach itself. <ref> Chazon Ovadia page 33. </ref>