R Touitou - Laws Of Sukkot and the Sukka

Published on October 13, 2024

אם ירצה ה׳

Neither post, nor the transcript, nor the halachot extracted from the transcript have been reviewed by R. David Touitou chlita

Hilchot (Laws) of Sukkot

I. Laws Related to the End of Yom Kippur:

Lighting the Havdalah Candle Before Yom Kippur: This is done to allow for Havdalah after Yom Kippur, especially when Yom Kippur falls on Shabbat. [Common practice based on the principle of preparing for a mitzvah in advance ( hachana).]
The Prohibition of Certain Activities Before the End of Yom Kippur: Bringing one's wife under the tallit, kissing, and general socializing are discouraged until after Ne'ilah (concluding Yom Kippur service) and Arvit (evening prayer). [Based on the concept that Yom Kippur is a solemn day requiring full focus on repentance and prayer. While not explicitly codified, this reflects common practice and the spirit of the day.]
Arvit as the Conclusion of Yom Kippur: The Arvit prayer, specifically the Atah Chonantanu paragraph, marks the official end of Yom Kippur. [Commonly accepted practice based on the structure of the prayer service and the Talmudic discussion of when days begin and end (e.g., Berachot 2a).]

II. Laws of Birkat HaLevanah (Blessing of the Moon):

Timing of Birkat HaLevanah: While generally recited after Yom Kippur, some communities recite it before to add another mitzvah to the holiday. [Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 426] The lecture highlights the tension between the joyous nature of Birkat HaLevanah and the solemnity of Yom Kippur as influencing the timing.

III. Laws of Building and Using the Succah:

Prohibition of Building Under a Tree or Building: A Succah cannot be built under a pre-existing roof, including a tree, house, or balcony (mirpeset). [Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 629:1]
Permitted Use of a Pergola: Building a Succah under a pergola is permissible under certain conditions, particularly regarding the walls and roofing material. The pergola itself cannot serve as the s'chach. [Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 630:1]
Minimum Height of Succah Walls: The walls must be at least 10 tefachim high. While a tefach can vary, it's generally accepted as approximately 8-10cm, making the minimum height 80-100cm. Some are stringent and require a full meter. [Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 630:1]
Wall Construction with Gaps: Walls can be constructed with gaps between boards, provided the gaps are less than 3 tefachim (approximately 24cm). [Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 630:5]
Maximum Height of the Succah: A Succah cannot be taller than 20 amot. An amah is approximately 50cm, making the maximum height approximately 10 meters. [Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 631:1]
Succah Roofing (S'chach):
- S'chach must be made from something that grows from the ground (davar hatzomeach min ha'aretz), is detached from the ground (talush min hakarka), and does not contract ritual impurity (davar she'eino mekabel tumah). [Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 629]
- Use of wooden boards, straw, branches, and canvas are discussed, with caveats about proper attachment and susceptibility to wind. Canvas requires extra attention to ensure it doesn't billow in the wind and create gaps larger than 3 tefachim.
- Metal and animal hides are explicitly forbidden for s'chach. [Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 629:3]
- The s'chach should be thin enough to see the stars, but if it's so thick that rain doesn't penetrate, the Succah is invalid (pasul). [Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 631:1]
Order of Construction: Walls should be erected before the s'chach is placed. [Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 630:1] However, if the s'chach is placed first, it can be lifted and the walls put in place.
Decorating the Succah: Decorating the Succah is a common custom (minhag), often with the Shivat HaMinim (seven species) and other colorful decorations. [Based on the general principle of beautifying mitzvot and enhancing joy ( hiddur mitzvah).]
Prohibition of Unseemly Activities in the Succah: The Succah should not be used for frivolous activities, arguments, or inappropriate conversations. [Based on the sanctity of the Succah as a dwelling place of the Shechinah (Divine Presence).]
Eating in the Succah:
- Eating a kazayit of bread (approx. 27 grams) in the Succah on the first night is a Torah commandment. [Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 639:1]
- One should not eat more than a k'beitzah (egg-sized portion) of bread before the evening meal to ensure a proper appetite for the mitzvah.
- From midday on Erev Sukkot, one should refrain from eating a regular meal of bread outside the Succah. [Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 639:1]
- The berachah (blessing) of le'shev baSuccah is recited when eating a meal including bread (pat) or mezonot in sufficient quantity, but not for snacks or drinks. [Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 639:1]
- One should not eat or drink anything considered part of a meal outside the Succah once the festive meal has begun. [Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 639:3]
Sleeping in the Succah:
- Sleeping in the Succah is a mitzvah according to most Sephardic authorities. [Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 639:1 and common Sephardic practice]
- The Lubavitch custom is generally not to sleep in the Succah, based on a verse relating to Jacob's encounter with the Divine Presence and the sanctity of the Succah. [Based on the interpretation of Genesis 28:16-17 and the analogy to the sanctity of a synagogue.]

IV. Miscellaneous:

Ushpizin (Guests): Inviting guests to the Succah, especially those who do not have their own, is a highly valued custom. [Based on mystical interpretations of the Succah and kabbalistic tradition.]

Key Terms in the Succot Laws

Hebrew Word/Phrase	Transliteration	Detailed Explanation
סוכה	Succah	A temporary dwelling covered with s'chach (plant material), used during the festival of Sukkot. It commemorates the temporary shelters used by the Israelites during their 40-year journey in the desert after the Exodus from Egypt. It also symbolizes the clouds of glory that protected them. Dwelling in the Succah is a mitzvah.
סכך	S'chach	The roofing material of the Succah. It must be made of organic material that grew from the earth, is now detached from the ground, and is not susceptible to tumah (ritual impurity). Valid examples include bamboo poles, palm branches, corn stalks, and branches from deciduous trees. It must be placed after the walls are erected.
ארבעת המינים	Arba'at HaMinim	The "Four Species" used during Sukkot: etrog (citron), lulav (palm branch), hadassim (myrtle branches), and aravot (willow branches). They are held and shaken in specific directions during prayer services. They symbolize the different types of Jews and the unity of the Jewish people.
לולב	Lulav	A closed frond from a date palm tree, one of the Arba'at HaMinim. It represents the spine and symbolizes those Jews with Torah learning but lacking good deeds.
אתרוג	Etrog	A citron, one of the Arba'at HaMinim. It represents the heart and symbolizes those Jews with both Torah learning and good deeds.
הדסים	Hadassim	Myrtle branches, one of the Arba'at HaMinim. They represent the eyes and symbolize those Jews who perform good deeds but lack Torah learning.
ערבות	Aravot	Willow branches, one of the Arba'at HaMinim. They represent the lips and symbolize those Jews who lack both Torah learning and good deeds. They are included to show that even those furthest from Torah and mitzvot are still part of the Jewish people.
חג הסוכות	Chag HaSuccot	The Festival of Booths (Sukkot), a seven-day holiday commemorating the Israelites' journey through the desert after leaving Egypt. It is a time of great joy and celebration.
שמיני עצרת	Shemini Atzeret	The eighth day following Succot, celebrated as a separate holiday. While connected to Succot, it has its own unique character and is considered a time for G-d to express special closeness to the Jewish people.
שמחת תורה	Simchat Torah	The holiday immediately following Shemini Atzeret, celebrating the conclusion and restarting of the annual Torah reading cycle. It is marked by joyous processions with the Torah scrolls in the synagogue.
עשה	Aseh	A positive commandment, an obligation to perform a specific action. The mitzvah of dwelling in the Succah is a positive commandment.
מצווה	Mitzvah	A commandment or precept from the Torah. Mitzvot are divine instructions that guide Jewish life and connect us to G-d. There are positive (aseh) and negative (lo ta'aseh) mitzvot.
ברכה	Berachah	A blessing recited before performing a mitzvah or partaking of food or drink. It acknowledges G-d as the source of all things.
לישב בסוכה	Le’shev BaSuccah	The blessing recited upon entering the Succah to dwell in it:
לישב בסוכה	Le’shev BaSuccah	"To dwell in the Succah." This is the berachah recited upon entering the Succah with the intention of fulfilling the mitzvah of dwelling within it. It is recited only when one sits down to eat a meal in the Succah.
הושענא רבה	Hoshana Rabbah	The seventh day of Sukkot. Hoshana means "save us" and is a special day of prayer for divine mercy and salvation. It is believed that final judgments sealed on Yom Kippur are finalized on Hoshana Rabbah. The willow branches are beaten against the ground, symbolizing the casting off of sins.
תפילה	Tefillah	Prayer. While prayer is always important, it takes on special significance during Sukkot, as with all Jewish holidays.
תשובה	Teshuvah	Repentance. The process of recognizing one's sins, feeling remorse, confessing them to G-d, and making a commitment to change one's behavior. While the High Holy Days are a particularly important time for teshuvah, it is a process that can and should be ongoing throughout the year.
זכרון	Zechut	Merit. The spiritual credit earned by performing mitzvot and good deeds. Zechut can protect individuals and the community as a whole.
ענן כבוד	Ananei Kavod	Clouds of Glory. The miraculous clouds that surrounded and protected the Israelites during their journey through the desert after the Exodus. The Succah serves as a reminder of these clouds.
יציאת מצרים	Yetzi'at Mitzrayim	The Exodus from Egypt. The central event in Jewish history, marking the liberation of the Israelites from slavery. The Succah commemorates the temporary dwellings used during the subsequent journey through the desert.
קידוש	Kiddush	Sanctification. A prayer recited over wine or grape juice to sanctify Shabbat and holidays. On Sukkot, Kiddush is recited in the Succah on the first night (and second night outside of Israel).
ברכת המזון	Birkat Hamazon	Grace After Meals. A series of blessings recited after eating a meal containing bread. When eating in the Succah, a modified version is recited mentioning the Succah.
מזונות	Mezonot	A food category that includes foods made from grains other than wheat, barley, rye, oats, and spelt. Examples include rice, corn, and quinoa. Specific blessings and rules apply to eating mezonot. Eating a significant amount of mezonot can trigger the obligation to sit in the Succah.
פת	Pat	Bread. Specifically refers to bread made from the five major grains: wheat, barley, rye, oats, and spelt. Eating bread in the Succah is a central part of fulfilling the mitzvah.
כביצה	K'beitzah	An amount of food equivalent to the volume of an average egg. This measurement is used in various halachic contexts, including the amount of bread one should eat on the first night of Sukkot.
כזית	Kazayit	An amount of food equivalent to the volume of an olive. This is the minimum amount of bread one must eat in the Succah on the first night to fulfill the mitzvah.
שיעור	Shi'ur	A specific measurement or quantity required for a mitzvah to be fulfilled correctly.
בית הלל	Beit Hillel	One of the major schools of thought in the time of the Mishnah and Talmud. Their opinions often differ from Beit Shammai, and generally, Beit Hillel's opinions are followed in Jewish law.
בית שמאי	Beit Shammai	Another major school of thought in the time of the Mishnah and Talmud. Their opinions are often more stringent than those of Beit Hillel.
מחלוקת	Machloket	A disagreement or debate between halachic authorities. Understanding the different sides of a machloket is essential for proper application of Jewish law.
בדיעבד	Bedi'avad	"After the fact." Refers to the halachic status of an action performed incorrectly. While the ideal (lechatchilah) is to perform a mitzvah correctly from the outset, there are often different rules that apply if a mistake is made.
לכתחילה	Lechatchilah	"Ideally" or "from the outset." Refers to the preferred way of performing a mitzvah according to Jewish law.

Succot Scenarios, Issues, and Solutions

1. Rain:

Scenario: A sudden downpour starts during your Succah meal.
Issue: The rain is coming through the s'chach, making it unpleasant to eat.
Solution: If the rain is light and doesn't disrupt the meal significantly, you can continue eating. However, if the rain is heavy and makes it uncomfortable, you can move the meal indoors. If you anticipate rain, consider having a backup plan, such as a large umbrella or a temporary covering that can be quickly deployed over the s'chach (but not replacing it).
Caveat: A temporary covering should not be a permanent fixture and should not invalidate the s'chach.
Pitfall: Using a non-kosher covering, like plastic sheeting, which would invalidate the Succah.

2. Wind:

Scenario: A strong gust of wind blows several pieces of s'chach off the Succah.
Issue: There are now gaps in the s'chach larger than 3 tefachim.
Solution: If possible, replace the missing s'chach immediately. If it's not possible to replace it right away, and the gaps are significant, move the meal indoors. After the wind subsides, repair the s'chach properly.
Pitfall: Ignoring the gaps and continuing to use the Succah as is.

3. Limited Space:

Scenario: You live in an apartment building with no balcony or outdoor space.
Issue: You have nowhere to build a Succah.
Solution: If your building has a communal rooftop or courtyard, inquire about building a Succah there. Alternatively, you can join a local synagogue or community Succah for meals.
Caveat: Ensure the communal Succah is built according to halachic requirements.

4. Pre-existing Structures:

Scenario: You have a covered porch and want to use it as a Succah.
Issue: The porch roof invalidates the Succah.
Solution: You can potentially build a Succah within the porch, as long as it has its own independent s'chach and walls that meet the halachic requirements. The porch roof should be considered separate and above the Succah structure.
Pitfall: Simply using the porch as is, assuming the existing roof can function as s'chach.

5. Decorations:

Scenario: You want to decorate your Succah with hanging fruit.
Issue: The fruit may be considered part of the s'chach if it hangs down too low.
Solution: Hang the fruit high enough so it's clearly decorative and doesn't function as roofing material. A good rule of thumb is to keep it at least 24cm above the s'chach.
Caveat: If the fruit rots or becomes detached and falls onto the s'chach, it could potentially invalidate the Succah if it covers a significant area.

6. Forgetting Le'shev BaSuccah:

Scenario: You've already eaten a significant portion of your meal before remembering the blessing.
Issue: You may have missed the opportunity to say le'shev baSuccah.
Solution: If you remember before finishing the meal, recite the blessing immediately. If you've already finished the substantial part of the meal, you've fulfilled the mitzvah of eating in the Succah but missed the blessing. Try to be more mindful next time.
Pitfall: Not being mindful of the berachot (blessings) when entering and eating in the Succah.

7. Eating Outside the Succah:

Scenario: You're running late and need to grab a quick bite before a Succah meal later.
Issue: You don't want to inadvertently eat something that requires being in the Succah.
Solution: Stick to foods that don't require the Succah, such as fruit, vegetables, or drinks. If you must eat bread or mezonot, eat less than a k'beitzah.
Pitfall: Eating a full meal with bread outside the Succah shortly before a planned Succah meal.

Non-Observant Jews, Gentiles

I. Inviting Non-Jews:

Scenario 1: Inviting Non-Jews to the Succah: You want to invite your non-Jewish colleague to enter the Succah or for a Yom Tov meal.
- Halacha: Due to the extreme holiness of the Sukkah, it is proper not to invite non-Jews to enter the Succah, as this causes the holiness to leave [Shach Al HaTorah Parshas Emor and Kaf HaChaim Siman 639:6]. Strictly according to the Law, it is allowed, but highly advisable not to do. Special cases are Gentiles in the process of conversion and care-givers (see Scenarios below).
Scenario 2: Uninvited Non-Jew shows up: A non-Jewish friend unexpectedly shows up during your Yom Tov meal.
- Halacha: You can offer them food that was already prepared for the family/Jewish guests, but don't cook anything extra specifically for them. [O.C. 512:1, Mishnah Berurah 11]
Scenario 3: Non-Observant Jew: You want to invite a non-observant Jewish friend for Yom Tov.
- Halacha: Generally permitted, especially for kiruv rechokim (bringing distant Jews closer), as they are not considered like non-Jews in this regard. [Chazon Ish, Y.D. 1:6, Tzitz Eliezer 8:16-20] However, avoid cooking specifically for them.
Scenario 4: Potential Convert: You're hosting a Yom Tov meal and want to invite someone in the process of converting to Judaism.
- Halacha: Until their conversion is complete, they are considered non-Jewish for this halachah and should not be formally invited. [Shulchan Shelomo, O.C. 512, notes 5 and 6]
Scenario 5: Extenuating Circumstances: Not inviting a non-Jewish caregiver would significantly impact your family's simchat Yom Tov.
- Halacha: Consult a rabbi. Under such circumstances, some permit inviting them if all their food is prepared before Yom Tov. One possible solution is for the non-Jew to acquire the food beforehand, so they are eating their own food. [Beiur Halachah 512:1, Kol ha-Torah, vol. 62, pg. 48]

Transcript

Shalom, it's very nice. Be'emet (in truth), baruch Hashem (blessed be G'd). Tov (good), boker tov (good morning). Boker tov. Boker tov. Boker tov.

Yom Chamishi (Thursday). We are truly on the eve of Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). We are doing the laws on laSuccah (the Sukkah).

One of the most grandiose festivals of Judaism, the Succah, as the Midrash tells us, once be'ezrat Hashem (with G'd's help), al pi halacha (according to Jewish law), when we have finished Yom Kippur, we have lit the candle of Havdalah before the entrance of Yom Kippur to be able to make the Havdalah (separation ceremony marking the end of Shabbat and festivals), especially when Shabbat and Kippur fall together, a fortiori.

And here is what the Midrash tells us. MiMotzei Yom Kippur bat kol yotzet ve'omeret (From the exit of Yom Kippur, a voice goes out and says) – a voice that goes out, that is audible to us if we are capable of hearing it, and if we are not capable, well, we don't hear it, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't exist – and it tells us lech echol besimcha lachmecha ushteh belev tov yaynecha ki ratzah Elokim et ma'asecha (Go eat your bread with joy and drink your wine with a happy heart, for G'd has approved of your deeds) – va' be'ezrat Hashem (and with G'd's help), eat in the joy and drink your wine, for HaKadosh Baruch Hu (the Holy One, Blessed be He), with a pure heart, of course, ki ratzah Elokim et ma'asecha (for G'd has approved of your deeds), for G'd has accepted your teshuvah (repentance), and you have every reason in the world to be happy and to eat in all serenity, not quietude, lechem (your bread). So, as soon as we have finished Kippur, we generally do Birkat HaLevanah (Blessing of the Moon) in certain communities, and we return quickly to the house, be'ezrat Hashem (with G'd's help), to be able to consume and break the fast. Just as there is a mitzvah (commandment) to fast, there is a mitzvah to consume, not to continue beyond what is asked of you, since it is written, uh, until the 10th. Asor la'asor (the tenth to the tenth), it's the 10th, not the 11th. So, the evening is already the 11th of the month of Tishrei.

Ve… Tov, az katub kacha, mitpallelim Arvit shel Motzei Yom HaKippurim bein achat ubein shtei tzinuot (And… Good, so it is written thus: We pray Arvit of Motzei Yom Kippur between one and two tzinuot). There is a very important thing that I would like to emphasize here, it's that the tzara nu arav (our troubles are many), I don't know why, the Satan has managed to do phenomenal work in people's minds. It's that a large number of people, davka (specifically) those who live in galut (exile) – we don't see this much in Israel – believe, they are persuaded, that Kippur is over when they hear the shofar. Not at all. You are still in Kippur. There are people who bring their wives under the tallit (prayer shawl), a Tunisian minhag (custom). It's a minhag. Garu'a (it is pulled out), it is absolutely necessary to stop this. We do not bring a woman into the beit knesset (synagogue), especially in this generation, a fortiori.

What's more, afterwards we kiss each other. “Thank you, Roger,” “Hi, Paul,” “How are you, Pierre?” We are not in a church. It's important to know this. It's important to stop saying, “Well, this is my Torah.” Well, if this is your Torah, yes? Well, you have to change your Torah because it's not good. You have to change these habits. It's your tradition, it would be time to raise your level a little bit and stop believing that what you are doing is good. Zeh lo tov (This is not good). Go ask the question to any rav (rabbi), he will tell you, this is not good. Lachreyn (certainly), we do not go in and kiss each other in the beit knesset. It's an insult vis-à-vis the halacha (Jewish law), deChul le'alma (of all the world), and no matter what kippah (skullcap) you are wearing, any rav, it's something that no one will give you – unless it’s a Reform rav, of course – the authorization. Ein davar kazeh, lo ya'avod velo ya'eh (There is no such thing, it will not work and it will not happen).

Okay? So, we have not finished the prayer. The prayer of Arvit comes to close Yom HaKippurim (Yom Kippur). It comes to close it. When we say Atah chonantanu (You grace us), then we leave this, this Kippur. Then, yes, only then, we can go home or change our shoes or other things.

So there you have it. Ach sheteretz filatam kemasah (but that you should run your prayers like a heap). And the Arvit prayer, we must not do it al havad vad stil (in a rushed manner), “I'm getting rid of it,” “I'm done with that.” Not at all. We must do the Arvit prayer in very good conditions, be'eit la'avodah (at a time of service), by singing it. For this, there are chazzanim (cantors) who are paid for this, because there is a mitzvah to pay the chazzanim so that they don't take their work lightly. U'bifrat shezeh, atah nistayem Yom HaKadosh ve'ano ra'im (And especially this one, you conclude the Holy Day and we are evil). And as the Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law) says here, for in this Arvit prayer, and not the Birkat Kohanim (Priestly Blessing) nor the shofar, then the Arvit prayer ends. That's why I will finish just with Kippur, with a little message: avoid, so as not to let this festival slip through your fingers, going around France, the United States, or elsewhere, from one synagogue to another to kill time. Absolutely not! Manage to have a place in a beit knesset, do not move from this place, listen to the prayers. And if you don't know how to pray, then be quiet and ask the chazzan to pray for you when he prays. But to walk around to kill time is certainly not the right way to spend Kippur.

Or to watch shiurim (Torah lessons) on the internet during Kippur. Yes? It is strictly asur (forbidden). There are people who, well, like us, when we were young in France, we would watch, twice, the movie of, once Samson, once Delilah with Victor Mature and, and, and The Ten Commandments to kill at least three hours of film, plus an hour and a half, that made four and a half hours killed, but we gave ourselves a clear conscience because we watched religious films. We have to stop this. It's over, this time, it's over. Thank G'd, we have all evolved, even if we all have non-Jewish names in the family, we all have rabbis in the family. And thank G'd, we must ask the question to those who seriously study the Torah. This is not how we celebrate the holidays. We go to the beit knesset and we speak with our Creator, be'ezrat Hashem (with G'd's help). Tov (good).

Tzari'ach atah chonantanu birkat atah chonen beMotzei Yom HaKippurim mishatat Tefillat Arvit shel Motzei Yom HaKippurim ve'omar HaMelech HaKadosh bimkom HaKel HaKadosh u'HaMelech HaMishpat bimkom HaMelech ve'HaMelech Tziddek u'Mishpat nizkar achar kedai dibbur eino chozer ve'atah zochreinu (We need atah chonantanu, the blessing of atah chonen in Motzei Yom HaKippurim from the end of the Arvit prayer of Motzei Yom HaKippurim. And we say HaMelech HaKadosh instead of HaKel HaKadosh, and HaMelech HaMishpat instead of HaMelech, and HaMelech Tziddek u'Mishpat is mentioned after a certain amount of speech, it does not return, and You remember us). Once we say, we no longer say HaMelech HaKadosh, we no longer say, we no longer say HaMelech HaMishpat, we return to the current cycle of the year vis-à-vis our Amidah (standing prayer). I propose simply that we follow the siddur (prayer book).

We do not say the blessing on besamim (spices) even when it falls on Shabbat Kippur. And why? Because we can smell besamim on Yom Kippur. Ve'Ashkenazim holechim al haBesamim Motzei Yom Kippur shechal beshabbat (And Ashkenazim go according to the besamim of Motzei Yom Kippur that fell on Shabbat). So, we do it on the wine and the candle only, on Motzei Kippur, not on the besamim. On the besamim, these are incenses, you see. Tzari'ach levarech birkat Borei Me'orei HaEsh al haner shel Shabbat, ha'eino ner shedolek me'erev Yom HaKippurim o al ner shehudlak miner acher shehaya dolek me'erev Yom HaKippurim. Ve'im ein lo ner beshabbat levarech al ner shehudlak miMotzei Yom HaKippurim (One must recite the blessing of Borei Me'orei HaEsh on the Shabbat candle, meaning a candle that burned from Erev Yom Kippur, or on a candle that was lit from another candle that was burning from Erev Yom Kippur. And if one does not have a candle on Shabbat, one recites the blessing on a candle that was lit from Motzei Yom Kippurim). If someone has lit a candle on the eve of Kippur to make Havdalah on it, he will not have the right to say the blessing Baruch atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech ha'olam Borei Me'orei HaEsh (Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, Who creates the lights of fire) on this candle that was not lit before Yom Kippur.

Then, on the other hand, if it was lit before Yom Kippur at my neighbor's, that I didn't light it, I can go to his house, take some light on my candle, bring it to my house to make the bracha (blessing). That is to say, miner le'ner (from candle to candle), from one candle to another lit candle. Aval im stam, ani madlik et ner shel Havdalah la'asot bracha al gavav (But if just because, I light the Havdalah candle to make a blessing on it), I do not have the right to say the blessing Borei Me'orei HaEsh (Who creates the lights of fire) on this candle, let that be very clear. Im chal Yom Kippur beshabbat, im yachol lehasig benekel ner dolek me'erev Yom HaKippurim yevarech alav ve'im la yevarech Borei Me'orei HaEsh al haner shehudlak miMotzei Yom HaKippurim (If Yom Kippur falls on Shabbat, if one can easily move a candle that was lit from Erev Yom Kippur, one recites the blessing on it, and if not, one recites the blessing of Borei Me'orei HaEsh on the candle that was lit from Motzei Yom Kippurim). One second.

Tzari'ach levarech Borei Me'orei HaEsh al ner Shabbat ha'eino ner shedolek me'erev Yom HaKippurim. Ve'im ein lo ner shel Shabbat ve'yevarech al ner shehudlak miMotzei Yom HaKippurim. Im chal Yom Kippur beshabbat, im yachol lehasig benekel ner shedolek me'erev Yom HaKippurim yevarech alav ve'im la yevarech (One must recite the blessing of Borei Me'orei HaEsh on the Shabbat candle, meaning a candle that burned from Erev Yom Kippur. And if one does not have a candle on Shabbat, one recites the blessing on a candle that was lit from Motzei Yom Kippurim. If Yom Kippur falls on Shabbat, if one can easily move a candle that was lit from Erev Yom Kippur, one recites the blessing on it, and if not, one recites the blessing). Aval… zeh davka (But… this is specifically) as here, davka (specifically), it falls on Yom Kippur with Shabbat. If he forgot… The difference is that everything we said was for a Yom Chol (weekday). But if Kippur falls with Shabbat and you forgot, I say even if you forgot to light it, then you can light it and make the bracha (blessing) on it since mi'meileh (from above), it's Yom Kippur and Shabbat, shavad le'hachazir et zeh (you must make up for this) if you didn't light it. So there’s a difference between Shabbat and Chol. No, no, thank you, I have. Todah Rabbah (Thank you very much). That’s enough for others.

Ein nohagim levarech Birkat HaLevanah shel chodesh Tishrei beMotzei Yom HaKippurim velo kadem lachein lifnei sheanu tluyim ve'omdim bedin u'virkat halevanah tzricha lihyot besimcha (There is no custom to recite the Birkat HaLevanah of the month of Tishrei on Motzei Yom HaKippurim and not before, therefore before we are suspended and stand in judgment, and the blessing of the moon must be with joy). Why don't we generally do Birkat HaLevanah before Yom Kippur? Because as we are in a situation of din (judgment), of rachmana litzlan (G-d forbid), and we must do Birkat HaLevanah in joy, we generally wait to pass the judgment, to see if we will survive Kippur, to be able to then do Birkat HaLevanah besimcha (Blessing of the Moon with joy). Something that is quite obvious.

Yesh nohagim shemagdim Birkat HaLevanah kodem Yom HaKippurim kedei shetavo mitzvah zo lechag (There are those who advance Birkat HaLevanah before Yom Kippur so that this mitzvah will come to the holiday). There are some who do the opposite, who do it on Thursday, like this evening, for example. They do Birkat HaLevanah. Why, in your opinion? One more mitzvah on the… on the scale. So, some do it, some don’t.

HaMedakdek bemitzvot matri'ach miMotzei Yom HaKippurim veneya et Succah (The one who is meticulous in mitzvot starts from Motzei Yom HaKippur and builds the Succah). The one who wants to do things well, he starts, he will start already building his Succah from the evening of Motzei Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur ends, he eats, he gets up, he starts already placing his bars zelim (metal bars). These… s'bars, yes, thank you for helping me. Kedei latzet miMitzvah leMitzvah ve'al kegon zeh ne'emar yehi roke'ach mi'chayil el chayil (In order to go from mitzvah to mitzvah, and regarding this it is said, "Let him pursue from strength to strength"). To fulfill the verse, from one mitzvah to another mitzvah.

So, there are some who do that, there are some who go get their lulav (palm branch). And in the case where this person, well, doesn't have the strength or then it's late, he doesn't want to disturb the neighbors, because we don't do a mitzvah on the back of an aveirah (transgression). Pay attention to our surroundings. Well, at least he does some laws on the Succah on Motzei Yom Kippur, at least two laws, to show miKippur ad Succot (from Kippur to Sukkot), he takes two laws of Succot, to show, look, I'm not building it, but I'm already starting to study the laws, how to build the Succah. It's a way to go from one mitzvah to a mitzvah, ve'ein noheg la'avod be'erev (and there is no custom to work on the eve). For the people who don’t have time, because of work, can they start the mitzvah of the Succah before?

We can absolutely, machloket (dispute) between Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai from when a Succah is kasher (valid) for Succot. Ve'ki sh'na k'dei dibbur eino chozer (And as we said, a word does not return). Afilu sham yechol la'asot shloshim yom (Even there one can do it 30 days). We’re not going to go into all of that. What is important today is to know that on the eve of Kippur, if you have done it before, it must be done with the intention of being done for this Succot. There you go. And if it’s this case, you build it before, there’s no problem. But in any case… As long as there is no s'chach (roofing), there is no Succah. But we don’t build the s'chach, we don’t put the roof before the walls, otherwise the Succah is not kasher at all. Okay? So, we have every right, for example, to build the frame of our Succah now, on Erev Yom Kippur. But once Kippur has passed, you come, you put your, your fabric and, of course, your fabric surrounded by three bandages around to prevent it from floating, because otherwise your Succah is no longer kasher from a tefach (handbreadth) onwards. Okay? On each side. We will get there slowly, slowly, be'ezrat Hashem (with G'd's help).

Mitzvah leharbot ba'achilah u'veshtiyah (It is a mitzvah to increase in eating and drinking). It is a particular mitzvah to eat a lot on the eve of, at the, at the exit of Kippur, and to drink a lot. But on that, looking at all of you, I have the impression that we can count on you. Yes, a little whiskey on top of that. Well, drink well, eat well. Before or after Kippur? Well, before Kippur, I advise you to eat well and drink well. You know, Kippur is not complicated. I had also given a segulah (good omen/remedy) that works very well, since every time people put it into practice, it works well. You take a glass of water, uh, before the Birkat Hamazon (Grace After Meals) of the seudah (meal) that precedes the fast of Kippur, and then you go to the mezuzah, and then you drink a sip, you kiss the mezuzah, a sip, the mezuzah. Seven times in a row. You will have an extraordinary Kippur in terms of thirst and hunger. Shema we do before, is that right? The Shema of what? Ah no, it’s not that. Okay. On the mezuzah, no, we don’t need to do Shema, it’s just the glass of water. Do Shema on the mezuzah? No, there’s no need to do Shema on the mezuzah, you just drink, you don’t say anything. There’s no bracha? No. No. If you start talking to the mezuzah, we’re in trouble. Good. Huh? No, but there you are in the, you are in the meal, you have done Motzi lechem (blessing on bread), it’s seudah mafseket (concluding meal). You are in the seudah that immediately precedes the fast. Okay? No, but the father and the son go talk to the mezuzah, so we’re in trouble in that case.

Ne'emar baTorah, Chag HaSuccot ta'aseh lecha shivat yamim (It is said in the Torah, "The Festival of Sukkot you shall make for yourself seven days"). So, you are certain that, be'ezrat Hashem (with G'd's help), we will do classes on Succot. We are not going to do a shiur (lesson) on Succot, we are in the halachot (laws) of Succot, how to build a Succah. Be'osefcha mi'gornecha u'mi'yit'echa u'samachta bechagecha ve'atah u'vincha u'vitecha shivat yamim tachog laHashem Elokeicha ki y'varechecha Hashem Elokeicha bechol tevu'ateicha uvchol ma'aseh yadeicha ve'hayita ach same'ach (When you gather from your threshing floor and your winepress, you shall rejoice in your festival, you and your son and your daughter, seven days you shall celebrate for the L-rd your G-d, for the L-rd your G-d will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, and you shall be only joyful). The mitzvah, be'ezrat Hashem (with G'd's help), to build one's Succah for us, for our children, for all those who are concerned by this mitzvah.

You know, I often have the habit of calling it, after having studied certain years on the value of the Succah, if I had to define what the Succah is, it's the Misrad HaPnim (Ministry of the Interior). When we go in there, why do we go get our ezrachut, our te'udat zehut (identity card) as Jews? We go get it in the Succah. Kol Ha'ezrach beYisrael yeshev baSuccah (Everyone who is a citizen in Israel shall dwell in the Succah). All ezrach beYisrael (citizen of Israel), everyone who is, who is from the country, who belongs to this people, must go sit in the Succah. Just for that, be'ezrat Hashem (with G'd's help), you absolutely must find your Succah closest to the house to be able to stay there as long as possible and not do, unfortunately, in France, it's very complicated. In the United States, people have gardens where they have communities that allow much more easily to have Succot. Today in France it's complicated. There is the synagogue of the Succah, and people go there, they sit a quarter of an hour a day, they eat a little bread and then they leave, they go to work, they go right and left. It's not at all like that, Succot, unfortunately. And, no, it's not obvious. There are those who work, there are those who go eat bread and then afterwards they go home. Do we have the right or not to do that? It is all these subjects, be'ezrat Hashem (with G'd's help), that we will try to see together, little by little. Whatever happens, let's start at the beginning.

Halacha alef (First law). Can we build a Succah under a tree? Ein osim Succah tachat bayit o ilan (One does not make a Succah under a house or a tree). We cannot build our Succah neither under a tree, nor under a house, nor under a mirpeset (balcony). So, help me translate mirpeset – a balcony. Okay? A terrace. A terrace.

Ve'osah bebayit tachat gag shehesir mimenu hare'afim af al pi shenish'aru ha'etzim vehare'afim munachim aleihem kasher (And if one makes it in a house under a roof from which one removed the tiles, even though the beams remain and the tiles rest upon them, it is kosher). Good. Kedei ein metna elav (so that there is no height to it). There is no height. For example, if on the eleventh floor there is a terrace just below me, so I raise my head, I see the sky perfectly because there is an eleventh floor above, above my Succah, I have a mirpeset, okay? Even if it is 10 million kilometers away, my Succah is not kasher. Even if we see the sky, it’s not… Even if we see… Okay. But it must be the sky above? Above. That is to say, above the Succah, there must be no intermediary. The only thing that we will see bli neder (without a vow), if we have time, is the one who builds his Succah under a pergola. A pergola, given that it has the possibility of being a Succah in a certain way, but just, we must do it, we must do it because iron is a conductor of… Yes, there are some who build it kasher. They build it, they make a she'elah (question) to a rav and then it’s kasher. You can even make a Succah under the pergola, be'ezrat Hashem (with G'd's help). You can even make a Succah under the pergola, but under certain conditions. Is it obligatory? No, it’s not obligatory. Mi'nadin zeh, zeh temui al ha'govah (From now on this, this depends on the height). How much? We’ll get there. Just, we’re talking first, let's take the… the seder (order) of the laws so as not to scatter a little bit right and left, be'ezrat Hashem (with G'd's help).

Ein osim Succah… (One does not make a Succah…) So, osah einam, mi'nu ve'aref'im af al pi shenish'aru ha'etzim ve'aref'im munachim aleihem, kasher (if one makes it, mi'nu ve'aref'im, even though the beams remain and the tiles rest upon them, it is kosher). So if now I make it under a tree and I cut the branches of the tree, okay? And I leave them on the side, is my Succah kasher? Yes, it’s under a tree, since there are no more re'afim (tiles). Osah Succah bekotzet terah ma zi kotzet terah? (If one makes a Succah on the edge of a roof, what is the edge of a roof?) It’s a mirpeset (balcony), a balcony. So… Lo ki heim et hamitzvah u'bilvad chato mishev baSuccah ve'batala (Not as if one fulfills the mitzvah and only his sin remains from dwelling in the Succah and it is nullified). Of course, if I made, I saw, moreover, recently here in the street next door last year, a man who lives on the third floor, so he has, on his balcony, he made, on his balcony, you see, a balcony. He made the Succah there. Of course, every time this man made the bracha (blessing) of le'shev baSuccah (to dwell in the Succah), he made a bracha levatala (blessing in vain). Okay? I also remind you that it is a mitzvah, quickly, for women, where women are exempt from the mitzvah of the Succah. Women have no obligation to go into the Succah.

HaSuccah tzricha lehiyot shlosha tfachot u'shtei tfachot o serech (The Succah must be three tfachot and two tfachot or a length). So what do we call a Succah that is kasher? The minimum is three sides, three walls, and above, the s'chach. The s'chach means the roof of the Succah. We’ll talk about it because there’s a lot to say about it. Et has'chach mutar la'asot mikol davar ma'ametz bifrat shehu (The s'chach is permitted to be made from any non-leavened thing, especially…). What material could we use to make the Succah? Any, it doesn't matter whether it’s made of tol (canvas), I don't advise you, of fabric. From the moment that it resists the wind, there's no problem, not that it starts to do like a sailboat, yes? Le'met tziddim ve'chadomei met, izeh, met tziddim, met tziddim, eviter et toil (For metal walls and similar, meaning, metal walls, avoid canvas). But here it says met tziddim (metal walls), avoid canvas. Ve'afilu im asah mechitzah achat shel sadin u'sh'ar mechitzot kahogain Succah psullah (And even if one made one partition of sheet and other partitions are similarly, the Succah is invalid). But if, for example, baruch Abba (blessed is the Father), but if, for example… But if, for example, this person made a Succah, so two sides in wood and the rest would be mechitzah (partition), be'ezrat Hashem (with G'd's help), todah rabbah (thank you very much). And the rest would be in canvas, vadai she'ein zeh kasher (certainly it is not kosher). Govah dofen tzari'ach lihyot lifachot asarah tfachim (The height of a wall must be less than ten tfachim). So… That’s why the seder (order) is very well done here, I don’t want to jump from one place to another. We explained that we must take materials that are solid, hard. If I took fabric, like at my house, fabric, you noticed that I put four strips very tightly tied at a height of 15 centimeters, 20 centimeters, to be able to create what we call a side. Now, the height of my Succah. If I want to make a Succah on my car, as it says there, if I want to make one on my car roof. The minimum height of the walls, from the ground upwards, must be composed of how much height? 80 centimeters. 80 centimeters, exactly. That means a Succah that is kasher minimum… Let's imagine what we are talking about. Imagine that I have a very small mirpeset (balcony). When I was in Jerusalem, on Rechov Kashani (Kashani Street), I really had a very, very small mirpeset, in the kitchen. But there was nothing above it, so a kasher place. I didn’t make my Succah there, I went elsewhere at the time, it doesn’t matter. But if I had wanted to make my Succah there, could I have fit myself, bekochi (please), in a small place? But I would have made a Succah, for example, that is 80 centimeters high, with the width that we will study now. I put my head inside, it’s as if I’m in the Succah. My whole body is outside the Succah, I have my head inside because the neck is considered in the Gemara (Talmud) as being the whole body. So if I can put my neck and my head inside, zeh ke'ilu yeshan sham betoch haSuccah (it is as if I slept there inside the Succah). It’s as if I really slept in the Succah. So, we sometimes see Chabad, may G'd bless them, when they pass, they have a car, they have… Also, they made a small Succah, like a small cabin, a little doll’s house. But it’s kasher. It’s kasher, you can eat there, you can… lots of things. So 80 centimeters. Ve'yesh omerim latzari'ach meter (And there are those who say that one needs a meter). There are some who say 80 is not enough, one meter is better. But the minimum of a Succah, the height, you take it now, it’s one meter.

Halacha bet (Second law). Yachol la'asot dofen mi'nesarim shel etz ad govah meter (One can make a wall from wooden boards up to a height of a meter). So we could make the dofanim (walls), that is to say the walls, similarly, I don’t know why it says that, bein kol echad ve'echad ve'yihyeh pachot mishlosha tfachim ach shemisof hanesech ma'alah ad has'chach patu'ach leg mareh (between each one and the other, and it should be less than three tfachim, but that from the top of the board upwards to the s'chach is open to the sky). So here, what is he talking about? He’s talking about making the walls with boards. Okay? Curiously, he tells us like this. I don’t advise doing this shitah (opinion), but in any case it’s there. Yachol la'asot dofen mi'nesarim shel etz… ad govah meter… shebein kol echad ve'echad yihyeh pachot mishlosha tfachim (One can make a wall from wooden boards… up to a height of a meter… that between each one and the other will be less than three tfachim). So we take wooden boards, ad govah meter (up to a height of a meter), up to a meter, shebein kol echad ve'echad yihyeh pachot mishlosha tfachim (that between each one and the other will be less than three tfachim), on the condition that, between, we’re talking about the walls, my wooden board, my wooden board, I have less than 24 centimeters. So it would be like a barrier, in other words. Like a barrier. It says that a barrier… It’s wooden boards, after it’s connected at the top and bottom, okay? For my walls to be kasher, there must be no more than shlosha tfachim (three handbreadths). One tefach, two tfachim… a tefach is a handbreadth. One tefach, two tfachim, three tfachim. In total, it’s 24 centimeters. This means that if my… I built a Succah with walls that would be, so, like a barrier with boards that I will join afterwards by hammering, uh, at the top and bottom to hold them, if I exceeded 24 centimeters, it’s not kasher. But if I haven’t exceeded 24 centimeters, zeh ke'ein kasher (it is as if it is kasher). So I can absolutely have walls that let… three handbreadths inside, okay? We, we talked about canvas, so it must not catch the wind, and for that, so, in all the Succot that are sold commercially, there are, so, the, the ropes… In Israel, thank G'd, it’s very well made. We have, or ropes, we have, we have bars (bars). What do you want to say? In the extreme, even if there was no… this canvas there, thanks to the ropes, we have, we have, we have the, we have the walls? No. Because concretely, when there is wind, it can happen that the canvas goes beyond, beyond three, three, three, three, of a tefach. But yet there is the rope, so the rope acts as if it’s a… Absolutely, yes. So that means even if we didn’t have, we didn’t have the… It’s… it’s necessary anyway. It’s not a ring. A ring can’t work like that. Because the rope is like this. The rope must hold the fabric. Here, we’re talking about like this. No, I understand, but there we’re not in the, there’s no, you can repeat? The rope, the rope alone will not suffice. It won’t suffice. It’s necessary, it’s necessary that the… Why? Because how can you measure from one point… because we said 24, 24. But there, the rope, it’s not there, it does the whole thing, so it’s mar'eh (visible). No, but… No, it’s not that. When, when it, when it catches the wind, when it catches the wind, it catches the wind on the inside or the outside. So, compared to… Ah, I don’t do it like that. I, when I build it at home, I put two on the inside, two on the outside. I hold it. Ah, okay. I attach it. Ah! But generally, generally they are all on the inside. It must be on the inside. The dofen (wall) can move, but… On the inside. Yes. It’s not obvious, that. No. Okay. In absolute terms, if you take wooden bars, for ex… the, the bars, the iron bars that give… Today they make beautiful Succot, really, with the distance that is needed. In absolute terms, that could suffice. More than 80 centimeters from the ground. Halacha, we talked about women who are not obligated to enter the Succah, even the first and second day? Neither the first nor the last day. Ishah pturah miMitzvot aseh she'zman grama (A woman is exempt from positive, time-bound commandments). Women are exempt from time-bound mitzvot, and the mitzvah of the Succah is a time-bound mitzvah. Therefore, the woman is exempt, negedah (opposite). Tov* (good).

Halacha gimel (Third law). Ah, just a moment, no, we haven’t finished. Lifachot shlosha tfachim af misof hanesech vema'alah ad has'chach patu'ach legamrei (Less than three tfachim even from the top of the board and upwards to the s'chach is completely open). Even if at the top it’s a little open. Ve'chein ma'akeh shel kotzet terah sheyesh bam amudim shel barzel s'mukim zeh lazeh ve'hein lifachot shlosha tfachim ve'avuy amud al chavero kasher lifanim (And similarly, a railing of the edge of a roof that has metal bars close to one another and they are less than three tfachim and a bar rests upon another bar, it is kosher for a wall). Like for example, someone who lives on his mirpeset (balcony) there, he has bars like we see on balconies, right? It’s kasher. If it’s less than 24 centimeters, it can absolutely work as a wall. Ve'ein tzari'ach mi'mechitzah shel shti ve'erev (And one does not need a partition of two and a woof). No need to add anything. Ela shtei o erev levad kasher (Rather two or a woof alone is kosher). No problem with that. Ha'im tfanim g'vohot min ha'aretz shlosha tfachim (Are the walls higher than three tfachim from the ground)? Af im orchan asarah tfachim psullah she'einach choshav kemechitzah (Even if their length is ten tfachim, it is invalid, since it is not considered a partition). It must be even with the ground and not… Ha'im tfanim g'vohot min ha'aretz shlosha tfachim (Are the walls higher than three tfachim from the ground)? Above the ground, at three, uh, at 24 centimeters. So imagine that I plant an amud (pillar), uh… a pole here, a pole here, a pole here, a pole here. And that now I make my wall, okay? But the wall that I’m going to make, it’s more than 24 centimeters from the ground, pasul (invalid). It must be less than 24 centimeters. So closer to the ground. Zeh kol ha'inyan (That is the whole matter). Po pasul she'einach choshav kemechitzah (Here it is invalid since it is not considered a partition). It’s not considered a mechitzah (partition). Succah shegavoah lema'alah me'esrim amah psullah (A Succah that is higher than twenty amot is invalid). A Succah that, in its way of being made, is more than 10 meters is pasul (invalid). Pasul means not kasher. And why, in your opinion? Because you no longer distinguish the light from the shadow. Even if we know that a Succah must be more shaded than sunny. But at 10 meters high, the sun cannot penetrate all the way down. So automatically, pasul (invalid). Ve'ikar halacha tzari'ach shetihyeh u'ya la'amod betoch shivat yemei chag (And the main halacha requires that it be and come to stand during the seven days of the festival). It’s a bit like the story of the animal that is taref (ritually unfit for consumption) or not. What do we call an animal taref? When you have done the shechitah (ritual slaughter), you check if it could have lived 12 months after the shechitah. Here it’s the same, your Succah, when you make it, it must be able to hold milechat'chilah (from the beginning), from the beginning, seven days. If it’s not solid for seven days, it’s pasul (invalid), even if it’s kasher. Ve'im lo psullah (And if not, it is invalid), as we just said.

Orech ve'rochav shel Succah tzricha lihyot lifachot shivah tfachim al shivah tfachim (The length and width of a Succah must be at least seven tfachim by seven tfachim). So, how much would that make us, shivah (seven), uh… shivah al shivah (seven by seven)? There are those who say 10 centimeters. So that would make how much, shivah al shivah (seven by seven)? 49 centimeters. 49 centimeters. So one amah (cubit). The, the Succah is… we’ll say… No, more than that. Seven times seven is 49. No. No, it makes approximately 80 centimeters. There are those who say amah al amah (cubit by cubit), there are those who say eight centimeters. Ah. So eight times seven. Do the calculation. 56. No, it’s a little more than an amah, you see. 56 centimeters, more than 56 centimeters. 56 centimeters. There are those who say eight centimeters, there are those who say 10 centimeters. If it’s 10 centimeters, it makes 70 centimeters, otherwise it’s 56 centimeters. So that’s the minimum distance to make a kasher Succah, so more than one amah (cubit), more than an arm.

HaS'chach kasher beshlosha ne'im (The s'chach is kosher in three things). This is very important to learn. We have seen here now the walls. With what can we make the roof? Once we have built the walls, it is imperative to make the roof. There are three conditions to know if the branches, the elements that I’m going to use can be used or not for the, what’s it called, to make a roof. Ne ayin rishon (First type). So listen carefully because they are important. First condition: mi'davar hatzome'ach min ha'aretz (from something that grows from the ground). It must be something that grows from the ground. So if it doesn’t come from the ground, it’s automatically not kasher. Kegon nesarim (for example, boards), like, for example, straw, boards, shel etz (of wood), anafim (branches), as we just said, branches, ilan (tree), planks of wood, of, of tree, be'ezrat Hashem (with G'd's help), and similar. Le'met amudei barzel ve'rov shel peimah chutz mi… (For metal poles and most of the opening, except…). Of course, there’s no need to talk about it, everything that is iron and everything that is animal skin cannot, at all, come onto the Succah. First condition. Second condition: talush min hakarka (detached from the ground). It must be, for it to be kasher, detached from the ground. That is to say, if now I make my Succah here, that I have a kind of large plant like that, like on Rabbi Tarfon’s tomb, there is a tree that is a little far away and that comes to shade the tomb, okay? So now, it’s trees, I made it underneath, I really have a super Succah. The problem is that it’s connected to the tree that is planted in the ground, it’s not kasher. So, it must come from the ground and it must be detached from the ground completely, separated from the ground, okay? Third condition… Davar she'eino mekabel tumah (Something that does not receive impurity). It must be something that is not, um… impur (impure), no, not impur (impure)… Impurity. Impure with impurity, no, simply that it doesn’t transmit impurity. Okay? She'eino mekabel (that does not receive), that cannot receive impurity, le'met ochalim (for food), it’s… Isn’t it redundant… Pardon? Isn’t it redundant with the fact that we don’t use metal? No? What does it mean? Well, precisely, metal, yes, but it doesn’t have the conditions either. Metal doesn’t come from a tree. No, zero. O keli etz kegon argaz (Or a wooden utensil, for example, a chest). Like, for example… The guy, what does he do? He has, he has… You know what we call pallets? So he’s going to take his pallets, he’s going to put them there. No, no, no, asur (forbidden). Why? It comes from the ground, it’s detached from the ground, but it receives tumah (impurity), it’s a utensil. Okay? Well yes, it’s a utensil. Like, for example, the guy has wooden crates. He wants to put them on top. It’s perfect, basically. He only has that. But no, you can’t, because it’s a, it’s a keli (utensil), so it receives tumah (impurity). However, it’s made of wood, it comes from the ground, asur (forbidden). You mustn’t think that it has a little Torat keli (laws of utensils) in a way. Af al pi she'erv davar eino keli, malgarto milechat'chilah hayah ra'uy lekabel et hatumah lachein… (Even though at present it is not a utensil, nevertheless, from the beginning it was fit to receive the impurity, therefore…). Even if you say now it’s not a keli (utensil), nevertheless, from the beginning it could receive this tumah (impurity). Lachein (therefore), that’s why we won’t use this kind of thing. So we repeat very briefly, three conditions: that it grows from the ground, that it be detached when you put it on the Succah, on the Succah, there must be no more connection with the ground at that moment, and that ein lahem Torat kelim mamaash (they do not have the law of utensils at all), that is to say that they cannot receive impurity. So nails, that’s why we mustn’t connect or with nails, sometimes plastic. Pay attention to this, attach with, be'ezrat Hashem (with G'd's help), things that are kasher. That’s why it’s sold with it. Ah, or in the k'ri'ach (beams) there is a small, there is a small, a small bit of barzel (iron). Yes, that’s it. No, to place the s'chach on the barzel (iron), there’s no problem. Ah, okay. It’s better not to do it. It’s better not to do it because nevertheless the barzel (iron) mekabel tumah (receives impurity). No, it’s not… But generally we put wood… There’s space. There you go, exactly, we put wood, we put it on top. K'ri'ach bli bed (beams without a base), to attach… But if it’s not attached, ein bezeh ba'ayah k'lal (there is no problem with this at all). If we use barzel (iron) to attach the s'chach to the metal part, we can’t, because in the k'ri'ach (beams) itself, sometimes there is a small, there is a small metal tab. Exactly. Can we… Pardon? But that’s why… Excuse me, just a moment. You want, you want, you want to avoid bothering yourself, you buy la corde (the rope)… Karka'erit, I think we say in France, a karka'erit, I don’t know what it’s called. In any case, in Israel there are some everywhere. You buy a ball of linen thread or cotton, 100% cotton, 100% linen, and you have solved all the problems of the Succah. I do it every year with that. I buy a small ball of, a small ball of linen or cotton thread, and I attach everything with it. Even my lulav, there’s no problem attaching it with, the arba'at haminim (Four Species), and it holds very well, and it’s great. Yesh (there is). Uh, I have a Succah in all the conditions that you described, and because in the country where I am, it rains a lot, and there, the Succah, I decorate it, it doesn’t rain. Can I momentarily put transparent plastic? Absolutely not. If you put transparent plastic on top of the Succah, your Succah is strictly taref (ritually unfit), pasul (invalid). In no case is it kasher. No plastic. What kind of plastic? As long as there is plastic on top, there’s a problem. But on the other hand… I, I remove the plastic. When the Succah comes back… But on the other hand, in absolute terms, in the laws, once again we’re skipping steps. If I make a Succah in the Iranian way, you know that Iranians certainly have, for me in any case, for 27 years, 28 years in Israel, the most beautiful Succot. Everything is covered with Persian carpets, they have crazy things. And more than that again, when you go to their house, you see, they even have a kind of roof. That is to say that you don’t see the s'chach at all. It’s kasher. Mi'nadin zeh kasher (From now on this is kasher). Even if we know that we can’t sleep under a bed. But at the height, for example, against the s'chach, they, you go to their house, they have, they really have a, a purple fabric like that, magnificent. It’s kasher al pi halacha (kosher according to Jewish law). It’s the Mishnah (Oral Torah) that tells us we can’t sleep under a bed in the Succah, it’s as if you are no longer under the Succah. But… But the dra (sheet) below the s'chach, mi'nadin zeh kein nuttah (from now on this is like a nut). The question is, we have it often in France, it’s, uh, someone who has made his Succah and who has a tarp above, above his Succah that is itself already open by a tefach. So already it is… We’ll get to that, regarding the one who sleeps in the bed, against the mosquitoes, does he have a net, is he considered underneath? I would just like… Or, or he protects it a little bit, and… When it rains, it’s already, it’s already 20 inside, he wants, but now it has started to rain, he must clear everything. Does he have, does he have… During, during, during the Yom Chol (weekday), during Shabbat or Yom Tov, vadai she'asur (certainly it is forbidden). But during Yom Chol, if he wants to put his tarp to protect it, there’s no problem. But it, but it’s not kasher. Okay, but after I, I take it off, then my… Ah yes, there’s no problem. It’s like the car. You want to protect your car with the thing, you put the same thing on the Succah, ein bezeh ba'ayah aval ein zeh kasher (there is no problem with this but it is not kosher), that’s all. Ein davar acher (There is nothing else). The best… is that it doesn’t rain. Is that it doesn’t rain. It’s better. The Gemara (Talmud) says when it rains during Succot, it’s not a good sign. But if you live in London… In London… it’s not a good sign all year round, apparently. Tov (good).

HaS'chach yihyeh kal kedei sheyihyu nire'im et hakochavim (The s'chach should be light so that the stars will be visible). A beautiful Succah that is well made is a Succah that is made with, of course, s'chach in such a way that when you raise your head you can see the stars. Ve'im haya arav aval shelo chayav af al pi she'ein nire'im et hakochavim kasher (And if it was thick but not so much so that even though the stars are not visible, it is kosher). Even if you made it too thick, in any case, al pi halacha (according to Jewish law), it’s kasher. Even if you don’t see the stars, it’s still kasher. Aval im gam geshamim einam chodrim mitachat hasSuccah, psul im lif'amim Hashem yishlach bracha (But if even rain does not enter from under the Succah, it is invalid. Sometimes, G-d sends a blessing). How can you know davka (specifically) if your Succah is kasher or not? It's very simple, when it rains. We said that when you are in the Succah, if you raise your head and you cannot see the stars, nevertheless it is kasher. But you don't know to what extent, we don't see the stars. Is it, is it completely atoum (blocked), we see nothing? So sometimes G-d, in His great mercy, even if we know that it's not a good sign when it rains in the Succah, He sends the rain, and the rain will tell you exactly if your Succah is kasher or not. In which case? If when it rains, it doesn't penetrate, it doesn't fall on your, on your, on your table, nothing gets through, G-d is telling you, chabibi (my dear), you know how much I love you, look, I just want to tell you that your Succah is not kasher. On the one hand, when you are inside, you can’t see the stars, it is considered kasher. But if when it rains, it doesn't penetrate your Succah, it means that it was not kasher at all. That is to say, it is too thick. It's the difference between one and the other, okay? Good.

Lechatchilah tzari'ach la'asot et hatfachot kodem sheyasim et has'chach (Initially, one must make the walls before placing the s'chach). First we make the walls and then we put the Succah, the, the roof. She'im shovrim she'im besha'at hanachat has'chach ein adayin tfanim, hare zeh kemo she'nistah beSuccah ma'aleha, psullah mishum she'ne'emar Chag HaSuccot ta'aseh lecha, ta'aseh velo min ha'asuy (If one breaks, meaning, at the time of placing the s'chach there are not yet walls, behold, this is like it was made into a Succah from above, it is invalid, because it is said, "The Festival of Sukkot you shall make for yourself," "you shall make" and not from what is made). As it is written, you will make the Succah. If you made the walls, you, you made the roof first, then you make the walls, it’s as if, it’s not as if it’s you who made it, keviachol (as if possible). So ta'aseh, meaning ta'aseh (you shall make), first you make the, the walls, and simply afterwards you will place the roof.

Ve'im heni'ach et has'chach ve'achar kach asah et hatfachot (And if one placed the s'chach and afterwards made the walls). So in which case could we really place and make the tfanim (walls)? I’ll explain, it’s very simple. If you take the Succot that are assembled and disassembled, made of iron, okay? So, I place my poles, I made my frame, but I haven’t yet put the walls. What do I do next? I place my wooden boards on top and I place my s'chach. You see that it’s completely possible to do it. This Succah is not pasul (invalid). We do not have the right to do it like that. You must first, with your frame, put all the fabric around, and only afterwards, you place your wooden boards and you will put your s'chach.

Ve'tik'nu, tik'natu shel yachid ve'anaf ve'yachzor ve'yena'ach lesham tzel Succah u'vazeh kasher lechol hade'ot u'bedi'avad shelo asah kein yatza yedei chovato (And they instituted, an institution of an individual and he erred, and he should return and place there Succah shade. And in this it is kosher according to all opinions, and bedi'avad (after the fact) if he did not do so, he has fulfilled his obligation). Now, if the person made a mistake, they have already done it, in this case they are not obligated to redo everything. They remove a part of the roof that they put back, be'ezrat Hashem (with G'd's help), to be able to fulfill the mitzvah of, first the tfanim (walls), the walls, and then the… We can put the canvas before the s'chach? As long as there is no s'chach, there is no roof. It's that. Okay? Ve'nah'gu kol Yisrael le'ay'pot et haSuccah bekishutim tziv'onim ve'na'im perot mi'shiv'at haminim (And all Israel have the custom to decorate the Succah with colorful decorations and beautiful fruits from the seven species). We have the habit, be'ezrat Hashem (with G'd's help), to put shiv'at haminim (seven species), the seven fruits of Eretz Yisrael (the Land of Israel), ve'yaldei Yisrael mech'inim shar'sharot shel neyar, kishutim tziv'onim lit'lot baSuccah ule'yapetah (and the children of Israel prepare chains of paper, colorful decorations to hang in the Succah and to beautify it). It's very important to let the children prepare themselves all sorts of kishutim (decorations), decorations for the Succah, kemo shekatuv beShulchan Aruch, Masechet Shabbat, daf 137, amud bet, ya'amarcha lecha, zeilim ve'anafim ve'anafei t'marim ve'etz avot ve'arvei nachal lifnei Hashem Elokeicha shivat yamim u'samachta lifnei Hashem Elokeicha (as it is written in the Shulchan Aruch, Tractate Shabbat, page 137, column 2, it says to you, "palm branches, and boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the L-rd your G-d seven days"). So it's very important, be'ezrat Hashem (with G'd's help), to decorate this Succah. There is a competition in Jerusalem that takes place every year, and they go in a group like that to visit, neighborhood by neighborhood, all the Succot, and the one who has the most beautiful Succah, uh, apparently, I lived at the time in Ramot Na'aleh, receives a pras (prize), a gift. So it's still very, very nice as a taharut (purification). And at the time I was in Kiryat Moshe, it was always the Persians who won. Really, you have to see what they do. You press on the ground, you press on the side. Very beautiful photos. There are those who put chandeliers, really, with lights. There are even those who put the mazgan (air conditioner) in their Succah. If someone puts the mazgan in his Succah, I am jealous. Very. Can we put a small kitchen with a small sink? Ah, excellent question. Can we put or not, in our Succah, a kitchen with a sink and the trash can while we're at it? Not at all. For the simple reason that we said earlier that it's the Kodesh HaKodashim (Holy of Holies). We don't wash the kelim (utensils) in the Succah, it's not nice. We don't put a trash can in the Succah, it's not nice. The Succah must be like the Kodesh HaKodashim, it's like a beit knesset (synagogue). Imagine now that we put here, Maurice installs a sink in the synagogue. We wash the kelim in front of, in front of the Heichal (Ark). You should know that the kedushah (holiness) of a Succah is no less than the kedushah of a beit knesset. There are those who say it's even more. So we must really have perfect conduct. It's not a place where we can allow ourselves to do what we want, right? How come we have the right to sleep inside? Because the halacha tells us… Because the halacha tells us that as you live at home, you must live in the Succah. But as you have cleansed yourself perfectly of your faults, you have asked for forgiveness for 30 days, you have been judged, you have come out of Kippur like a tzaddik gamur (completely righteous person), so you can enter the Succah since you no longer have a stain on you. So you can even sleep there because you have become kadosh (holy). Do you understand? Yes. Yashar koach (May you have strength). Zeh ha'inyan (That is the matter).

Yesh shivah baSuccah (There are seven in the Succah). So, we will come back to the inyan (matter). There are those who say to attach… Of course, we don’t attach it to the s'chach itself, we attach it to the poles. We must be careful not to let these decorations hang down below 24 centimeters, except on the side. If it’s on the, on the sides of the wall that you attach them, even if they go down a meter, ein bezeh ba'ayah (there is no problem with this), okay? Zeh tzari'ach po le'Israel (This is necessary here in Israel). When you have, even, kinds of garlands like that, it’s good to ensure that they don’t hang down below 24 centimeters from the s'chach. Okay? It’s better. Be'ezrat Hashem (with G'd's help). A mitzvah that I add from myself, which is a mitzvah for me, in any case, of the most important, you know that we have the ushpizin (guests), that is to say that… We will certainly explain it in the Midrashim, I’ll explain it now. The goal of the creation of man is to repair the seven sefirot (emanations of G-d) that have fallen into the world here below that we call the lower sefirot, which are chesed (loving-kindness) - Avraham (Abraham), gevurah (strength/judgment) - Yitzchak (Isaac), tiferet (beauty/harmony) - Ya'akov (Jacob), netzach (victory) and hod (glory) - Moshe (Moses) and Aharon (Aaron), yesod (foundation) - Yosef (Joseph), malchut (kingship) - David (King David). So, we receive these seven ushpizin. In reality, each evening, we come to repair one of the sefirot. The first sefirah in the world, as it is written in Tehillim (Psalms), chesed olam yibaneh (The world is built with loving-kindness). The world is built by chesed. So it is imperative to bring Avraham Avinu (Abraham our Father) in. How does Avraham enter the Succah? When you invite a poor person. So it’s good to organize oneself to have, each evening, a guest. A guest, whether you like them, whether you like them less, whether they are, whether they are rich, whether they are poor, it doesn’t matter, but it's very important to organize oneself to have these guests in the Succah, to inform them in advance. Like I have already done, boruch Hashem (thank G-d), in advance, Motzei Shabbat it’s generally the community that comes, uh, Sunday it’s my family that comes, Tuesday it’s… and so on. We have guests so that, be'ezrat Hashem (with G-d's help), we can say, in honor of the ushpizin, look, I invite you. So, the first guests, of course, are those who don’t have a Succah. You have to be intelligent, we don’t invite people who have Succot when they could do it at their place. Invite other people who don’t have a Succah. You have to think. Yes, but him, I don’t like him too much, him I like, but he has his Succah. Him you don’t like, but he doesn’t have a Succah. So, ensure in any case that everyone can celebrate in the Succah, be'ezrat Hashem (with G'd's help). Moreover, this is a subject, we, we talked about it with my wife to… to… She’ll give you an answer, she said. Is it because you no longer have the Succah this year, Aharon? No, I have, I have… Good, you’ll see. Whatever happens, the one who doesn’t have a Succah… Baruch Abba (Blessed is the Father), exactly. We’ll charge 1,000 euros entry. We’ll make a friend’s price. Be'ezrat Hashem (with G'd's help). So, don’t forget this detail. We also don’t enter the Succah, I’m taking this opportunity to say it now openly, kerev she… (almost…) It’s very important to make a stop when we enter a Succah. There’s a viduy (confession). There is… Good, I don’t want to go into that. I do it every year, every evening, but it’s long. Imagine you say it to someone whose name is near Hebrew, the guy commits suicide. Uh, what does it say? Is it a shin (letter) or a samech (letter)? Uh, he can’t take it anymore. No, bottom line, when you enter the Succah, the Succah doesn’t need a mezuzah, for the simple reason that the Succah itself is a mezuzah. It’s the entrance of HaKadosh Baruch Hu (the Holy One, Blessed be He). So when you enter the Succah, when you leave, it’s not a halacha, what I’m telling you, it’s advice. Do like me, every time I enter the Succah, I place my hand on the entrance, I kiss it, and when I leave, the same, every time I do that. Why? To show chibah (love). To show G-d that we love Him. The whole mitzvah of the Succah is absolute love. Yes? It's the absolute love of a man and a woman who would take each other in their arms to kiss. That's the Succah. The Succah is truly the arms of Hashem (G-d) that open and we who enter inside, and be'emet be'emet (truly truly), we embrace. There is a lot of chibah between us and the Succah. That's why we must avoid leaving the Succah as much as possible. Ve'ma davar domeh? (And what is it similar to?) It’s as if a man is with his wife in bed and every two minutes he gets up and goes to do something. He leaves, he comes back, he gets up, he goes to do something. What does his wife say to him at that moment? “Are you meeting someone?” “What are we doing?” “Are you with me or with someone else?” The Succah is shivat yamim (seven days) with G-d. Seven days you are with Hashem (G-d). So, if we have to go out, we go out. We have to do the shopping, we do the shopping. But… but, whether it’s your Succah or someone else's, you must go, as long as you are in a Succah, it doesn't matter which one, kasher of course, you do the mitzvah. Every second that passes in this mitzvah, in this Succah, is a white angel that is created. It’s a mitzvah where even… It’s very rare to find this in the Torah, I even think it doesn’t exist. It’s the only mitzvah where you do nothing, but being in the mitzvah is already the mitzvah. Do you see what I mean? So there are three mitzvot that are like that, I'm telling you now. In all of Judaism, according to the Gaon (genius) of Vilna, there are three mitzvot, in all of Judaism, where when you enter, it is she who takes you. It's the Succah, Eretz Yisrael (the Land of Israel), and Shabbat. When you are in Shabbat and you are shomer Shabbat (observant of Shabbat), even if you do nothing, it's a shame, because you are wasting time. You must be shomer Shabbat, okay? But you are in Shabbat, you don't get angry, you don't light a fire, you don't do the minimum. So Shabbat takes you, every second of your shmirat Shabbat (Shabbat observance) is a white angel. Eretz Yisrael, four paces, as it is written in Yevamot, yes? You create a white angel. Every time you live in Israel, you breathe in Israel, you do a mitzvah of yishuv Eretz Yisrael (settling the Land of Israel), zeh yofi (that's beautiful). But on top of that, the Succah is the same. So imagine if you are in the Succah in Eretz Yisrael during Shabbat! Nefesh ruach veneshama be'yachdav (Soul, spirit, and breath together). It's the most beautiful day of our lives. Ein davar gadol mi'zeh (There is nothing greater than this). There’s a question from… Atah? Yes. I can’t ask it directly? Atah, go ahead, please, you’re wasting time. Let’s imagine that we are all in the Succah during Succot… Uh-huh. …and there is a hazaka (alarm). What is the, the, the, the, the place, uh, the most secure, the safest place in the Succah? So, it’s a very dangerous question that you just asked as a question. It’s a very dangerous question, and what I am going to say, I ask you to turn off the device, gentlemen, if you are listening, or ladies. What I am going to say could be considered very dangerous. So, my answer is, al yivakesh kol adam levarech et hachitzim (that no one should ask to cook an omelet), because I take responsibility for my words, just as the Sages told us. I would like to remind you that since time immemorial, whether in Morocco, Algeria, or Tunisia, we have never heard of a Succah that exploded in history. Nor have we found it in books, nor have we found it in events, nor in newspapers. Never. At the time of Rabbi Yaakov Ades, zechuto yagen aleinu (may his merit protect us), during the Six-Day War in 1967, they were all in the Succah. Rabbi Yaakov Ades was with his students in the Succah. The azakot (sirens) sounded. The Jordanians were bombing and attacking. Rabbi Yaakov Ades said, “Above all, do not leave the Succah.” “Above all, do not leave the Succah.” There was a student who said, “We don’t have the right to count on a miracle.” He said to him, “But you don’t understand, it’s if you leave that you are counting on a miracle.” This student of Rabbi Yaakov Ades left the Succah. Before entering the shelter, the bomb exploded right next to him, he lost his leg. All those who stayed in the Succah had nothing to fear. There is no greater shelter than a kasher Succah in which you can stay. So, responsibly, if you hear anything, ein yoter tov mile'shev baSuccah (there is nothing better than sitting in the Succah). So I know that it’s illogical. It’s for this reason that in Zohar HaKadosh (the Holy Zohar), the word Succah, the word Succah has a nickname, we call it tzil dei' mehemnuta (the shadow of faith). The shadow of faith. There is no more secur… there is no more, no greater security in the world than being in the Succah. That’s why, every time, the Sages tell us that the war of Gog and Magog will break out during Succot. And why? Because there’s no better, there’s no more security in the world. I’ll give you an example, here’s an example. If there are azakot (sirens), there are bombs, who do you count on? Hashem (G-d). On Hashem (G-d). And if your father is Hashem and He takes you in His arms, saying, “Don’t worry, my son.” Are you going there or not? What did we say earlier, what is the Succah? It’s the arms of Hashem (G-d). It’s G-d who comes into my arms, my son. So if you are pachdan (fearful), that you don’t have faith, go! Go to the shelter. If you truly believe, in this specific case, it’s not like for masks. Ah no, I don’t wear masks. It has nothing to do with that. Man does not have the right to count on miracles. A man must, when he goes to war, take his rifle with him and not Tehillim (Psalms) and sing lama'alot esa einai (I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills). No. We’re not in a comic book. What I’m telling you, it’s important to know, there is no greater shelter than a Succah. There is nothing that protects a man more than a Succah. I told you during… uh… It wasn’t during the Six-Day War, excuse me. It wasn’t during the Six-Day War at all. There was a war, I don’t know which war with Rabbi Yaakov Ades, there were azakot (sirens), and… It wasn’t during that war. Lo mesha'neh (It doesn't matter). It was after Kippur. It was after Kippur. It wasn’t the Six-Day War, it was the Kippur War, after Kippur. Bechitzur kol ha'inyan (In short, the whole matter)… um… We mustn’t leave the Succah. We stay in the Succah. No, absolutely. Zeh einav (That's it). Now, if, if the person is afraid, if the person doesn’t have faith, then… let them go wherever they want.

Tishvu shivat yamim kol ha'ezrach beYisrael yeshvu baSuccot lema'an yed'u doroteichem ki baSuccot hoshavti et Bnei Yisrael behotzi'i otam me'Eretz Mitzrayim Ani Hashem Elokeichem (You shall dwell seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in Succot: That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in Suc Succot, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the L-rd your G-d). What? Of course, we don’t need to wear masks in the Succah. Yes, that, yes. Uh-huh. As long as you stay in the Succah, you can absolutely wear masks in the Succah, ein bezeh ba’ayah (there is no problem with this at all). It's true that you don't have questions, only rachmana litzlan (G-d forbid), you, other than masks, chemicals, and bombs. Yes, generally, if everything goes well there, why are you worried about bombs and things? At most, if you are in the Succah and it explodes, you will say, "I had a blast." Let's be serious. How was Succot* in Israel? Boom!

Keitzad mitzvat Succah? (How is the mitzvah of Succah performed?) So the woman will light the candles in the Succah, be'ezrat Hashem (with G-d's help), if she wants to, on the condition that she doesn't set it on fire, hadlak ner shel Yom Tov (lighting the festival candle). Keitzad mitzvat Succah? Ochel, shoteh, yoshen, metayel vedar baSuccah (How is the mitzvah of Succah performed? One eats, drinks, sleeps, strolls, and dwells in the Succah). How do we fulfill the mitzvah of Succah? We eat there, we drink there, we sleep there, we stroll there if you want, we live there. Bein beyom ubein balayla, kederech shehu dar beveito (Both by day and by night, in the way that one dwells in his house), as you live at home, you live there. Besha’ah sheMotzi Shabbat bechol shivat haYamim adam oseh et beito arei ve’et Succah tokevah (At the hour of Motzei Shabbat for all seven days, a person makes his house temporary and the Succah permanent). The goal of the Succah is to make one's apartment, where one usually lives all year round, as temporary, and the Succah as permanent. Ve’ikar ra’ayon zeh batTorah baSuccah ein lo la’asot davarim mezuim baSuccah (And the main idea of this in the Torah in the Succah is that one should not do bad things in the Succah). So to do nothing negative in the Succah. It’s not a place to play, it’s not a place to do silly things, right? And but to study Torah. Bevadai she’assur kol adam le’dabek mitzvot shel o la’asot davar she’assur milechat’chilah (Certainly, it is forbidden for any person to stick mitzvot of or to do something that is forbidden from the outset), like, for example, to talk about chol (profane/weekday matters) in a Succah. It’s absolutely not the appropriate place. At all, at all, at all. Shelo ya’avod le’dabek sroch bekedushat rosh (That he should not come to stick impurity to the holiness of the head). It’s not a place where we can allow ourselves to talk about football, politics, or other things. Even if… unless the politics, of course, talks about things that are for the benefit of the people of Israel and the Yishuv (settlement) of Israel, like aliyah (immigration to Israel), what can we do for aliyah? As long as these are things that are related, of course, to the world of the mitzvah of living in Eretz Yisrael for our Jewish brothers who should arrive soon, whether they want it or not. Be’erev… (On the eve…) Aman mamash (Truly, really), I, I don’t even need to say it. Be’erev Chag HaSuccot shivah asarim vema’alah (On the eve of the Festival of Succot, seventeen and above). Tov (good). Lo yochal pat yoter mi’kbeitzah be’erev Succot (One should not eat bread more than the size of an egg on Erev Succot). So, on the eve of Succot, we eat and we sleep there. The Gaon of Vilna has a machloket (dispute) with the Chassidim on this matter. You know that the Lubavitch don’t sleep in the Succah, whereas we, the Sephardim, we have a mitzvah, an imperative, to sleep in the Succah. So, if we can’t sleep, at least the first evening, which is the Yom Tov (festival day), we will make every effort to do everything, even on a chair if necessary, to sleep in the Succah. It is imperative to sleep at least the first evening. The best is to sleep every evening. The Gaon of Vilna, in his biography, it is said that just before the festival of Succot, he was arrested by the Cossacks, and they put him in prison. And… it lasted three days. And as he had already entered Succot, he couldn’t fulfill the mitzvah of the Succah. And for three days, at night, he kept running in, in, in his cell. So, when he was released, he arrived exhausted, and he fell asleep in the Succah. So, his student said to him, “But Rabbi, how did you manage for three days to sleep outside the Succah?” He replied, “I ran all night, I ran so as not to fall asleep.” Three nights in a row, he did that, so… so as not to sleep outside the Succah. So imagine that if the Gaon of Vilna tells us that it is so serious not to sleep in the Succah, to the point where he comes to run at night so as not to sleep, to close his eyes outside the Succah, how much more must we be careful. The Rebbe of Lubavitch, zechuto yagen aleinu (may his merit protect us), this great saint, comes to say that, on the contrary, we do not sleep in the Succah. And what does he base himself on? On a verse from the Torah. It says there, when Yaakov Avinu (Jacob our Father) fell asleep, in the parasha (Torah portion) of Vayetze Yaakov miBe’er Sheva (And Jacob went out from Beersheba), when he left Beersheba, he arrived at a place where the Shechinah (Divine Presence) was above him. When he woke up, he said, ma nora hamakom hazeh (how awesome is this place). “How terrible is this place! If I had known, be’avono (because of my sin), I wouldn’t have slept here.” He says, the Succah, it’s as if you are in the Kodesh HaKodashim (Holy of Holies). Do we have the right to sleep in a synagogue? Assur (forbidden)! Afilu shenat arayot assur (Even sleeping arayot (forbidden relations) is forbidden). We don’t have the right to sleep in a synagogue. So how can you sleep in the Succah? So he bases himself on this verse, saying, you eat there, you drink there, you do what you want there, aval lishon, lo lishon (but to sleep, not to sleep). This is the idea of the Rebbe of Lubavitch, completely contradicted by the Sephardic world. That’s why the one who is from Lubavitch, the city of Lubavitch, who is Ashkenazi, who wants to do this shitah (opinion), let him do it. Aval mi shehu Sefaradi, tzari’ach lishon baSuccah (But the one who is Sephardic must sleep in the Succah). He must absolutely sleep in the Succah, as all the poskim (Jewish legal decisors) say. All the poskim, the Yad Yosef, the Rav Ovadia Yosef, the Rav Yehuda Tzadka, all the Torah greats, the Rav Aviner, the Ben Ish Chai, everyone tells you, you must sleep in the Succah. It’s imperative. On the contrary. On the contrary. You must do everything to stay as much as possible in the Succah, day and night. And if you really are Lubavitch-Sephardic… Then you study all night, you are in the Succah and you are awake. That way you’ve solved all the problems. You’ve solved all the problems. Okay. What? Zehu, zeh ha’inyan (That's it, that's the matter). Huh? But what does the Gaon of Vilna hold? As if, on what… Halacha zeh halacha pshuta (This halacha is a simple halacha). Okay. The halacha of the Succah, it’s written there in black and white, we must sleep in the Succah. That’s it. And that’s what it says here. Ochel, yoshen, yoshen baSuccah (Eats, sleeps, sleeps in the Succah). We can even go with our wife in the Succah, on the condition that, of course, we are completely covered, kedat Moshe veYisrael (like Moses and Israel). It’s a mitzvah, his wife will bring him food, he sleeps with his wife in the Succah. I have friends who have, baruch Hashem (thank G-d), a very, very large mirpeset (balcony). They have a Succah that is, I think, 20 meters, 40 meters, 30 square meters. They made their bedroom, they made a closed fabric, things, crazy stuff, right? A bedroom in the Succah. And he sleeps there with his wife, thank G-d. On the other hand, to hit her in the Succah, no. At home, that’s debatable. That’s crazy. Chas veshalom (G-d forbid), a man who hits his wife, first of all, he’s a rasha (wicked person). You should know that. And what’s more, this man is niduy (excommunicated). That is to say, he can be certain that after his death, if he hasn’t done teshuvah (repentance), asked his wife for forgiveness with all his heart, he will be thrown, expelled between heaven and earth until his wife forgives him, okay? So now, he won’t hit his wife, chas vechalilah (G-d forbid). It has nothing to do with our subject today.

However, Be’erev Chag HaSuccot mi’sha’ah shishim vema’alah ein ochlim chutz laSuccah (On the eve of the Festival of Succot, from the sixtieth hour and above, one does not eat outside the Succah). On the eve of Succot, from sunset onwards, we do not eat outside the Succah. So of course, there’s a parenthesis, what could we eat outside the Succah? We will see that. Lo yochal pat k’beitzah kedei sheyochal k’dei ta’avon et kazayit pat shechayav bah balayla rishon shel Succot (One should not eat bread more than the size of an egg so that one can eat with an appetite a kazayit of bread that one is obligated in on the first night of Succot). We are obligated to eat bread on Succot, at least a kazayit, k’beitzah (like an egg) of bread. U’mish’haya minchah ve’hal’ah mechitzot hayom (And from when Minchah (afternoon prayer) passes and onwards, from midday), from the middle of the day, so Succot falls Wednesday evening, from Wednesday around 12:30 p.m. approximately, chatzot hayom (midday), a quarter of an hour before, well, already we don’t eat bread anymore. We can eat fruit to have ta’avon (appetite), appetite to eat in the evening in the Succah, because I remind you that there is a mitzvah which is the soul of all the mitzvot of the Jewish holidays, particularly Succot, it’s simchah (joy). We must be absolutely happy during these days. So even if you have bills to pay and the bank is on your back, whether you are happy or you cry, it won’t change the number on the bill. So at least be happy. Okay? As we say, pay happily. Pay the bills after. Huh? Pay the bills after. Or you give them to your father-in-law, you’re fine. Good. Balayla rishon shel Chag HaSuccot (On the first night of the Festival of Succot). Lechatchilah lifnei ta’avon mitkachim al yayin baSuccah (Initially, before the meal, one makes Kiddush over wine in the Succah). We do Kiddush (sanctification prayer), so we enter the Succah. Before entering, first we have the ushpizin rishon, Avraham Avinu (first guest, our father Abraham). And then we do Kiddush. Tzarich la’asot Kiddush al yayin, Kiddush hayom (One must make Kiddush over wine, the Kiddush of the day). Le’shev baSuccah (to dwell in the Succah). Then, once we have done Kiddush, we say Baruch atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech haolam leshev baSuccah (Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, to dwell in the Succah). Ve’achar kach habracha shel shehecheyanu, birkat shehecheyanu chozeret al Kiddush hayom ve’al mitzvat Succah kan ve’et la’amod (And afterwards, the blessing of shehecheyanu (Who has granted us life). The blessing of shehecheyanu returns to the Kiddush of the day and to the mitzvah of Succah here and now). So why do we say shehecheyanu? First, for the mitzvah of having arrived at Succot, and for the mitzvah of sitting in the Succah, okay? Balayla sheni shel galuyot (On the second night of the diaspora), the same, so those who are in France or elsewhere, habracha shel shehecheyanu ve’achar kach leshev baSuccah (the blessing of shehecheyanu and afterwards to dwell in the Succah). So there they will do, of course, as we just said. Birkat shehecheyanu einach chozeret al Kiddushat hayom bedi’avad ve’omer shehecheyanu al hayom bilvad (The blessing of shehecheyanu does not return to the sanctification of the day bedi'avad (after the fact), and one says shehecheyanu for the day alone). But not for the fact of sitting in the Succah, since he did it the day before. Lacharon chatanu shelo yagid al teit hakochavim (Lastly, we were taught that one should not say it until the exit of the stars). We do not start Kiddush until the stars have come out. Ve’kol mi she’ein sha’ah kazayit pat yochal baSuccot yehi achar tzeit hakochavim (And anyone who does not have a sha’ah kazayit (time to eat an olive's bulk) of bread to eat on Succot should do it after the exit of the stars). And if he couldn’t before because it gets dark too late, the children are tired, then at least he will be able to, once he’s done Arvit, of course, say, uh, to eat bread at least after the stars have come out. Tov la’azov ve’lechol shuv kedei avodah, ka’asher sha’ah choamesh mi’shekiat tzeit hakochavim la’avor be’ezrat Hashem (It is good to leave and to eat again for the purpose of a mitzvah, when the fifth hour passes from sunset, to pass with G-d's help), so to continue his seudah (meal), to eat bread after tzeit hakochavim (the exit of the stars), as we specified. Mitzvat aseh min haTorah le’echol baSuccah kazayit pat balayla rishon shel chag ve’tzari’ach le’chamen kodem (It is a positive commandment from the Torah to eat in the Succah a kazayit of bread on the first night of the festival, and one must intend beforehand). So, before eating bread, a kazayit of bread, 27 grams of bread in the Succah, one must fulfill the mitzvah with the intention of eating the seudah (meal) on the first day in the Succah. It’s a mitzvah to eat bread, like the mitzvah to eat matzah (unleavened bread), yes?

Zeh yoshev baSuccah zecher la’ananey kavod. Zecher le’yetzi’at Mitzrayim. Mitzvat aseh ba’achilah d’Oraita. V’di’avad im kol shelo kavvan mekayeim mitzvat aseh be’achilato yatza yedei chovato (One who sits in the Succah: It is a remembrance of the clouds of glory. It is a remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt. It is a positive commandment to eat from the Torah. And after the fact, anyone who did not intend to fulfill a positive commandment in his eating has fulfilled his obligation). So, what are the mitzvot that we must remember when we sit in the Succah, al pi halacha (according to Jewish law)? Alef (One): that the Succah comes to remind us of the ananey kavod (clouds of glory), that is to say, the clouds of glory that accompanied us in the desert when we left Egypt. Bet (Two): the Exodus from Egypt itself. Okay? Gimel (Three): the mitzvah la’asot (to do), ba’achilah (in eating), to fulfill the mitzvah of the Torah to make the seudah (meal) in the Succah. Bedi’avad (after the fact)… kol shelo… shekavan mekayeim mitzvat aseh be’achilato yatza yedei chovato (anyone who did not intend to fulfill a positive commandment in his eating has fulfilled his obligation). Good. Tzari’ach le’echol et kazayit pat toch shi’ur kedei achilat peras (One must eat a kazayit of bread within a time of eating half a loaf). To eat one’s bread in four and a half minutes or seven and a half minutes maximum. Ve’ein yotzim yedei chovato be’achilat kazayit ugah (And one does not fulfill one's obligation by eating a kazayit of cake). But on the other hand, we cannot fulfill the mitzvah through 27 grams of mezonot (a food category). Besha’ar yemei hachag im ratzah le’echol patzicha yotzei bekbeitzah bli kedei ta’avon, de’ha’einu me’at yoter mi’esrim veshiv’ah tzari’ach le’echol baSuccah ulevarech leshev baSuccah (On the other days of the festival, if one wants to eat bread, one fulfills the obligation with an egg's bulk without the need for an appetite, meaning, that which is a little more than twenty-seven, one must eat in the Succah and recite the blessing to sit in the Succah). From the moment that you eat, uh, bread during the six days that remain, of course, you will also make the bracha (blessing) of le’shev baSuccah (to dwell in the Succah). Aval pachot mi’yerakot basar, dagim, beitzim, orez (But less than vegetables, meat, fish, eggs, rice), as long as it’s not that, you cannot say the bracha (blessing) of le’shev baSuccah (to dwell in the Succah). You’re eating, for example, fish, eggs, having your breakfast, it’s obvious that you won’t say le’shev baSuccah (to dwell in the Succah). Yachol le’echol chutz laSuccah (One can eat outside the Succah). Mi’nadin (from now on), you can even eat it outside the Succah, because only bread and mezonot, to a certain extent, can be eaten only in the Succah. Ve’afilu keva se’udato le’echol minah chutz laSuccah im misayeim le’echol baSuccah ta’avor habracha (And even if one establishes his meal to eat some of it outside the Succah, if one concludes eating in the Succah, the blessing is nullified). If you eat in the Succah, ta’avor habracha (the blessing is nullified), bilvad shelo yevarech leshev baSuccah (provided that he does not recite the blessing to sit in the Succah). He just won’t say the blessing le’shev baSuccah (to dwell in the Succah). Generally, people who are yerei Shamayim machmirim (G-d-fearing and stringent) do nothing outside the Succah, not even drink outside the Succah, even if it’s completely permitted mi’nadin (from now on).

I’ll finish with this halacha for today, we’ll continue later. Ugah o terumah mish’ur k’beitzah chayav le’echol baSuccah (And cake or terumah (a priestly offering) more than the size of an egg, one is obligated to eat in the Succah). Now, if I eat cakes more than 54 grams, chayav le’echol baSuccah (one is obligated to eat in the Succah). So if I eat, now, two pains au chocolat, I’m obligated to eat them in the Succah. Ve’lo yevarech leshev baSuccah (And one should not recite the blessing to sit in the Succah). I won’t say the blessing. Ve’im koven se’udato le’echol chutz laSuccah arba beitzim (And if one establishes his meal to eat outside the Succah, four eggs). So if I eat 215 grams of mezonot, but be careful, ani koven liksov se’udati al zeh (I intend to establish my meal on this), that is to say, I’m going to eat this, this is my seudah (meal), chalav benei teitayim (milk of a two-year-old), of course, vegam ke’ilan ve’et Birkat Hamazon ve’et leshev baSuccah (and also like grain, and the Grace After Meals, and to dwell in the Succah). Even if it’s mezonot, from 215 grams of bread, if ani koven liksov se’udati (I intend to establish my meal) on it, my meal on it, oshim bli se’udat shiv’ah mekab’shim she’ein zeh davar (those who make without a meal of seven gather that it is not a thing). It’s the same for the five grains, itriyot (legumes), ke’yotzei bazeh chayav baSuccot (like those who go out with this, are obligated on Succot). If I start to eat a big plate of pasta, okay? For example, 215 grams, ve’achar kedama achilah de’leshev baSuccah ve’amar mezonot bilvad (and after the aforementioned eating of sitting in the Succah, one says mezonot alone). So here he says… No, he doesn't even give the measurement, it's strange. He says im (if), he wants to eat a plate of pasta. Good, a plate of pasta comes from the five grains, we agree. But you intend to eat only that, okay? And you will establish your meal on it, he says you make the bracha (blessing) of borei minei mezonot (Who creates various kinds of sustenance), le’shev baSuccah (to dwell in the Succah). First, borei minei mezonot (Who creates various kinds of sustenance), and… Al hake’chilah (on the beginning). I will double-check this halacha because here it is not complete. Ma’im, te, chalav ve’she’ar mashke’ot ein tzrichim Succah (Water, tea, milk, and other drinks do not require a Succah). Tea, coffee, all kinds of drinks don’t need a Succah. Aval machmir al atzmo gam bazeh ta’avor habracha (But one who is stringent upon himself, even in this the blessing is nullified). The one who can avoid… Aval zeh she’bo ba’achilah ve’amar birkat leshev baSuccah, bedi’avad ein tzari’ach le’echol chutz laSuccah (But this, that he came with eating and recited the blessing to sit in the Succah, after the fact one does not need to eat outside the Succah). Of course, if you don’t make the bracha (blessing) of le’shev baSuccah (to dwell in the Succah). Mamash she’asur le’echol kol muchal chutz laSuccah (It is truly forbidden to eat any food outside the Succah). Now, in the middle of the seudah (meal), you cannot taste anything outside the Succah because you started there, you cannot finish outside the Succah, whatever it is, even if it’s things that are permitted outside the Succah during the seven days. Afilu mayim shebishvil se’udat chol ein tzrichim Succah (Even water that is for a weekday meal does not require a Succah). De’Motzi Shabbat mi’nadin (From Motzei Shabbat onwards). Now, you want to drink a glass of water, you go out to smoke a cigarette, you cannot drink your glass of water outside because you have started your seudah. So, do not drink outside the Succah. Ve’afilu ya’ashon ochalim be’fiv lo yivla’em ela baSuccah (And even if one has food in his mouth, he should not swallow it except in the Succah). Now, the guy goes out, he has eaten something, fish. He goes out, but it’s already in his mouth, he put it in his mouth before leaving the Succah. He must not swallow it outside the Succah. To that extent.

Uh… we’ll finish just with this if you don’t mind, one last halacha? Okay. Yesh nohagim levarech leshev baSuccah ve’achar kach hamotzi lechem ve’yesh omrim d’var achar (There are those who have the custom to recite the blessing to sit in the Succah and afterwards hamotzi (blessing on bread), and there are those who say the opposite). There are those who do first le’shev baSuccah (to dwell in the Succah) and then they say hamotzi lechem me’aretz (blessing on bread from the earth). Le’chatchilah tov sheyevarech al yayin bein birkat netilat yadayim u’vein Birkat Hamazon kodem she’yeshev al yedei shulchan (Initially, it is good that one recites the blessing over wine between the blessing of handwashing and the Grace After Meals before one sits at the table). Zehu (That's it). So, it’s, it’s like that that we do it generally. Leshev baSuccah ve’achar kach hamotzi lechem me’aretz (To dwell in the Succah and afterwards hamotzi lechem me’aretz). First you do le’shev baSuccah (to dwell in the Succah), you are yoshvei se’udah ein (sitting at the meal), then you say the bracha (blessing) of le’shev baSuccah (to dwell in the Succah), and then you say hamotzi lechem me’aretz (blessing on bread from the earth). There are some who do the opposite. Huh? There is no hefsek (interruption) if you have wiped your hands, wiped your hands le’davar she’eino tzari’ach te’udah ein hefsek (for something that does not require intention, there is no interruption). No hefsek (interruption), no hefsek (interruption) at all. Lif’amim (sometimes), okay? This is the best seder (order). There are those who do the opposite, but the best seder is the one we have just defined now. Baruch Adonai le’olam amen ve’amen. Tiskul le’davar mitzvah tovim (Blessed be the L-rd forever and ever. You shall be elevated for good deeds). The first day we do shehecheyanu? Yes. Shehecheyanu after leshev baSuccah (to dwell in the Succah) or…? Chozeret al zeh (It returns to this), yes. Okay.

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