Eating in the Sukkah: Difference between revisions

#One should live in one's [[Sukkah]] like one lives in one's house the rest of the year. Therefore, one should eat, drink, sleep, hang out, speak to one's friend, and learn in the [[Sukkah]].<ref>Shulchan Aruch 639:1 writes that one should live in one's [[Sukkah]] like one lives in one's house the rest of the year which includes eating, drinking, and sleeping. Mishna Brurah 639:2 adds speaking to one's friend and BeYitzchak Yikare 639:1 adds hanging out. Regarding speaking with friends, Chazon Ovadia [[Sukkot]] pg. 147 quotes those who disagree and say that one should only speak words of torah in the [[sukkah]]. See also Sh"t Minchat Shlomo 2:58. Minhagei Chatam Sofer 8:12 it is tells that that the Chatam Sofer only left the sukka once each day for [[Shacharit]]. He even said [[mincha]] and [[maariv]] in the [[sukkah]]. Regarding learning in the [[Sukkah]] see further. </ref>

#One should even bring one's nice utensils into the [[Sukkah]] just like uses them during the year in the house, however, one should not bring one's [[cooking]] pots into the [[Sukkah]].<ref>Shulchan Aruch 639:1 writes that one should bring one's nice untensils into the [[Sukkah]], however, the [[cooking]] pots shouldn't brought in the [[Sukkah]]. The Rama adds that one may leave the [[cooking]] pots in the [[Sukkah]] during the meal but not after the meal, however, the Mishna Brurah 639:5 writes that the minhag is to be strict not to even bring [[cooking]] pots in the [[Sukkah]] during the meal. </ref>

#One should not do any degrading activity in the [[Sukkah]]. Therefore one should not clean the dishes in the [[Sukkah]], however, one may clean the cups.<ref>Rama 639:1, Mishna Brurah 639:9. However, the Ben Ish Chai Haazinu Halacha 9 forbids even cleaning cups except if they are small cups like coffee cups. </ref>

#One may not go to the bathroom in the [[Sukkah]] even if one goes in a pot.<ref>Chayei Adam 147:2, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 135:2, Aruch Hashulchan 639:4. Chazon Ovadia [[Sukkot]] pg. 131 is mekil for someone who is old or sick and it is too difficult for him to leave the sukka to go in a pot, just he warns that he should make sure to cover the pot properly. </ref>

#It is permissible to smoke in the [[sukkah]], disregarding the permissibility of smoking in general.<ref>Chazon Ovadia [[Sukkot]] pg. 130, for smoking in general, see Yalkut Yosef Hilchot Kibbud Av Vaem 7:footnote 16 and [[Hygiene_%26_Health#Smoking|Smoking]] </ref>

#Because of the holiness of the [[Sukkah]], it's proper to minimize one's mundane speech in the [[Sukkah]] and increase one's speech in Torah and holy matters and all the more so one should be careful not to speak any forbidden speech such as [[Lashon Hara]] or getting angry.<ref>Mishna Brurah 639:2, Baer Heitev 639:2, Kaf Hachaim 639:5-6, Bikkurei Yaakov 639:2</ref>

==Learning in the Sukkah==

#One should learn in the [[Sukkah]] unless one isn't unable to concentrate in which case one should learn inside.<ref>Gemara Sukkah 28b, Shulchan Aruch O.C. 639:4. Nitei Gavriel 58:1 quotes the Yarot Dvash (Dorosh 6 s.v. VeZehu) who explains that one who sits in the [[sukkah]] with pure intent, learns, and enjoys the holiday merits a special level of divine presence.  

* Is spending time in the sukkah an obligation? Toratcha Shashu'ay (Binyanei Sukkah by R' Toledano ch. 1) quotes Tosfot Rabbi Yehuda Hachiddush Brachot 11b who says that there's no prohibition to do tiyul and learning outside of a sukkah and it is only a mitzvah if you want to. However, Rashi Sukkah 48a s.v. lo says it is an obligation to learn in the sukkah and also Baal Hameor end of pesachim says this as well regarding tiyul. There's two versions of the Rosh Brachot 1:13 regarding this question. Shaar Hatziyun 629:29 holds it is an obligation.</ref>

#If the cold or heat (if one doesn't have air conditioning in the [[Sukkah]]) bothers oneself and one can't concentrate to learn one may learn inside.<ref>Mishna Brurah 639:29 writes that if it's too cold for oneself in the [[sukkah]] and one can't concentrate one may learn inside. Natai Gavriel 48:7 extends this where it's too hot and one doesn't have air conditioning in the [[sukkah]]. </ref>

#If it's a pain to bring all the Seforim into the [[Sukkah]] many times (as one needs the space to eat or sleep) then one doesn't have to learn in the [[Sukkah]], however, if one can leave all the Seforim in the [[Sukkah]] for the entire holiday one must do that.<ref>Mishna Brurah 639:29, Natai Gavriel 58:3. see also Kaf Hachaim 639:62 Chazon Ovadia [[Sukkot]] pg. 127 and Yalkut Yosef Moadim pg. 141 </ref>

#One should pray in a shul and not in one's [[Sukkah]] even if one can get a [[minyan]] in the [[Sukkah]]. If there's no shul in one's city if one is able to concentrate in the [[Sukkah]] one should pray in the [[Sukkah]].<ref>Shulchan Aruch O.C. 639:4 writes that if one wants one may pray in the [[Sukkah]]. The Mishna Brurah 639:30 explains that in the place where one  has greater kavanah (concentration) one should pray unless there is a shul in the city in which case one should go there (because during the rest of the year one would leave one's house to go to the shul. Pri Megadim (M"Z 639:14), Kaf HaChaim 639:67, and Nitei Gavriel 58:8 add that one should pray in the established shul even if one can get a [[minyan]] in the [[Sukkah]]. </ref>

#If one usually does [[Havdalah]] at home during [[Sukkot]] one should do it in the [[Sukkah]]. However, those who listen to [[Havdalah]] in the shul can do so also on [[Sukkot]].<ref>Mishna Brurah 639:30, Shaar HaTziyun 639:57, Kaf HaChaim 639:66.  

Taz 639:14 explains that davening which is usually outside one's house can be in a shul since it is always outside the house. However, those who generally do havdalah at their house should do it in the sukkah. Pri Megadim M"Z 639:14 writes that the minhag is to do havdalah in the sukkah. The Taz and Mishna Brurah seem to be understanding that the reason to do havdalah in the sukkah is because one should spend one's time and do all of one's normal household activities in one's sukkah. Since one normally does havdalah at home one should do it in the sukkah. Hilchot Chag Bchag ch. 13 fnt. 30 and Shoshanat Yisrael p. 113 understand the Mishna Brurah this way. However, the Shevet Halevi 6:42 understands that the reason to do havdalah in the sukkah seems only to be because havdalah is an established way to drink wine and that requires a sukkah (see Magen Avraham 639:5). If that is the case, in fact, Rav Ovadia (Chazon Ovadia Sukkaot p. 140) disagrees and thinks that there's no obligation to do havdalah in the sukkah since even drinking wine in an established way doesn't need a sukkah according to the Rama 639:2. Additionally, Shoshat Yisrael cites Rav Shlomo Miller as holding that the only reason to do havdalah in the sukkah is because of the drinking.</ref> If one does it in the succah there is a discussion if you should recite the beracha.<ref>Shevet HaLevi 6:42 writes that no beracha of leshev basuccah is recited upon havdalah because it isn't a keviat seuda. However, Chazon Ish quoted in Rivevos Efrayim 1:428 and 3:424 rules that since it is wine for [[havdala]] it elevates the level of drinking to keviat seuda, and therefore would require the beracha. Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Shemirat Shabbat Kehilchata ch. 58 fnt. 103 cited by Dirshu 639:36) agrees. Rav Elyashiv in Succas Chayim page 202 rules that this applies only to wine and not to grape juice. The Steipler in Orchos Rabbeinu 2: page 228 as well as Shemirat Shabbat Kehilchita 58:22 recommend eating bread immediately after [[havdala]] to avoid any doubts, and recite leseh basuccah Shemirat Shabbat kihilchita recommends reciting the leshev basuccah before the boreh pri hagefen. Sh"t Minchat Yitzchak 9:163 says that one should have in mind when eating seudat shlishit to have in mind specifically, that the leshev basukkah recited then will not cover [[havdala]], then when reciting [[havdala]] say the beracha and immediately start eating melaveh malka. </ref>

# Some say that the if it is difficult to hear for a man to hear havdalah in the sukkah it is permissible for him to listen to havdalah from someone who is exempt from the sukkah because he is pained by going to the sukkah and is saying it outside the sukkah.<ref>Shoshat Yisrael p. 113 quoting Rav Shlomo Miller because there's no reason the one listening to the havdalah needs to be in the sukkah, just the one drinking.</ref>

#Sephardim hold that it is not necessary to recite havdalah in the sukkah.<Ref>Chazon Ovadia Sukkot p. 140 explains that it isn't necessary to do havdalah in the sukkah since drinking wine even in an established way isn't considered a fixed meal that needs to be in a sukkah (Rama 639:2). He adds that this is the minhag.</ref>

#A community committee meeting can take place as usual and doesn't have to be in the [[Sukkah]].<ref>Nitei Gavriel 58:10 who explains that the [[Sukkah]] is supposed to replace one's home but anyway for the meeting one always leaves one's home to go another place and also that they wouldn't be able to concentrate as well in the [[Sukkah]]. </ref>