Torah from Rabbanim w Yirat Shamaym

Rav Reuven on Sukkot Dos and Don'ts

Published on

אִם יִרְצֶה הַשֵּׁם

Based on Rabbi Yaron Reuven’s shiur, Mitzvot of Sukkot: The Dos and Don'ts.

Every year, people wait until two days before the Chag, rush around trying to get deals on mitzvot, throw together a flimsy shack that invalidates their blessings, and then spend the week arguing with their family.

Torah is not a discount hobby. If you don't sweat, toil, and break your head for a mitzvah, do not expect to feel the sweetness of Judaism.

1. The Biggest Mitzvah: Simcha (Happiness)

  • DO expect the Yetzer Hara to push your buttons. The Arizal z"l teaches that whoever remains genuinely happy throughout Sukkot brings a massive blessing upon themselves for the entire year. Because this mitzvah is so powerful, the Satan works overtime to ruin it. Family will irritate you, the soup will spill on your shoes, guests will show up late, and the heat will test your patience. Expect it.
  • DON'T lose your temper. Bite your lip, staple your lip, walk away, or bang your head against the wall if you have to; just do not blow up. If you start screaming or flip a table, your entire holiday is ruined.
  • DO hit "Ctrl+Alt+Delete" if you slip. If an argument happens, don't stay bitter for the rest of the Chag. Make peace with your spouse or family immediately, reboot, and start over right then and there.

2. The Sukkah Structure: Valid Walls vs. Sheet Traps

  • DO build solid walls. Halacha states that the walls of a Sukkah must be stable and cannot sway in a regular wind. Go to Home Depot or Lowe's, buy 2x4s, solid plywood, or sturdy 3-foot wooden fencing around the perimeter (utilizing lavud).
  • DON'T rely on flapping fabric pop-ups. The vast majority of cheap pop-up Sukkahs wrapped in loose canvas or nylon flap in the slightest breeze. If the wall moves when you push it or when the wind blows, it is not a halachic wall. If the wall is invalid, your blessing over the Sukkah is a beracha l’vatala (in vain). Don't trust loose strings or straps that stretch out after twenty minutes.

3. Living in the Sukkah: Make It Your Home

  • DO make the Sukkah your primary residence. Men are obligated to sleep in the Sukkah and eat all established meals (anything with bread/mezonot) inside. If you live in a luxury house, your Sukkah shouldn't look like a dump. Furnish it nicely, hang good lighting, bring in comfortable seating, and make it a place you actually want to be. Remember: the Clouds of Glory in the desert weren't suffering; they were Gan Eden.
  • DON'T make a 3-minute Kiddush and bolt back to the AC. The mitzvah is Taishvu k'teadru—dwell in it just as you dwell in your home.
  • DON'T pray for rain. If it pours on the first night, halacha permits eating inside after waiting, but Chazal compare rain on Sukkot to a master pouring a pitcher of water in the servant's face. Never cheer because bad weather lets you retreat into your living room.

4. The Arba Minim (Four Species): Quality Over "Bargains"

  • DO invest serious money and effort. Men are obligated to shake the Lulav and Etrog each morning of the holiday (except Shabbat). Order your Arba Minim well in advance from verified, reliable sources (such as certified Moroccan or Yemenite varieties) to ensure your Etrog isn't a grafted lemon.
  • DON'T have a cheap mentality. People gladly spend thousands of dollars on cars, vacations, and electronics, but suddenly want a $50 "bargain special" for an eternal mitzvah. If you buy bottom-of-the-barrel leftovers, don't be shocked when your Lulav is miniature and your Etrog is questionable.

5. Chol HaMoed: Melacha and Parnassa

  • DO stop working unless strictly permitted. Working on Chol HaMoed like it’s an ordinary Tuesday is a severe transgression. Chazal warn that someone who degrades the intermediate days risks losing their share in the World to Come (Olam HaBa).

Permitted categories include: 1. Tzorech HaMoed (work directly required for the holiday, like food supply). 2. Mitzvah work (teaching Torah, kiruv). 3. Davar Ha'Aved (preventing a direct, irreversible financial loss, like losing your job).

  • DON'T confuse "preventing a loss" with "making a profit." Not making extra money is not a financial loss. Your income for the year was already sealed on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Hashem already set your ledger violating Chol HaMoed will not add a single penny to your bank account, and honoring it will never cost you what was destined for you. Put your trust in Hashem and take the time off to learn Torah with your family.