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Book Excerpt from Guidelines to Succos

Guidelines to Succos: Over Four Hundred of the Most Commonly Asked Questions about Succos By Rabbi Elozor Barclay and Rabbi Yitzchok Jaeger The Jewish holiday of Succot: Celebrate this joyous Jewish Holiday with this popular, user-friendly Yom Tov guidebook of 400 Q&A on Succos. Buy Guidelines to Succos at a special online price at www.targum.com

Building the Succah

1. When should one begin building the succah?
According to most opinions, one should begin on motzai Yom Kippur in order to go immediately from one mitzvah to another. If this is not possible, he should begin the following morning. If this will not leave him sufficient time to complete the succah, he may begin to build before Yom Kippur, but he should not place the s'chach until after Yom Kippur. According to some opinions, one should begin to build the succah before Yom Kippur, as an added merit.

2. When should one finish the construction?
Ideally, the succah should be completed on the day after Yom Kippur. However, if by doing so, the succah will not be built properly and sturdily, he should devote more time to erect a better and more beautiful succah.

3. May one build the succah on erev Shabbos or erev Yom Tov?
Yes, but one must stop building at halachic midday. According to some opinions, one may continue to build until mincha ketanah (two-and-a-half halachic hours before sunset).

4. May one build a succah on chol hamoed?
If a person did not build a succah before Yom Tov, or if he built one but it fell down, he may build one on chol hamoed. If necessary, even skilled work (which is usually forbidden on chol hamoed) is permitted in order to fulfill the mitzvah, but if possible this type of work should be avoided and the succah should be a simple construction.

5. Is anyone allowed to build a succah?
Any person may build a succah, including women and children. However, it is a mitzvah for every man to participate personally in the building, and whoever toils and sweats with this task receives atonement for serious sins. It is preferable not to ask a gentile to build a succah.

6. Is everyone qualified to put on the s'chach?
Ideally, the s'chach should be put on by a Jewish man. If the s'chach was put on by a woman, child or gentile, the succah is kosher. According to some opinions, such s'chach should be raised and lowered by a Jewish man.

7. May one build a succah anywhere?
A succah must be built under the sky, with nothing intervening between the s'chach and the sky. One must be careful not to build a succah under:

A roof (see also question 53).

An overhanging balcony.

A tree.

Protruding s'chach of another succah.

8. What if one part of the succah is under the sky and one part is not?
If the section under the sky has sufficient walls and the minimum dimensions (see chapter two), the succah is kosher. Nevertheless, a man may only eat in the part of the succah that is under the sky. Sometimes, the invalid section may be included in calculating the size of the succah and a rav should be consulted.

9. May the succah be built near a tree if the branches sway over the s'chach in the wind?
Ideally, one should chop off these branches. If one did not do so, the succah is still kosher even when the branches are swaying over the s'chach.

10. May one build a succah underneath washing lines?
Yes. Since the lines are very narrow and there is space between them, they do not invalidate the succah. This is true even when laundry is hanging from the lines. However, if the laundry becomes entangled in the lines, the area of the s'chach beneath is invalidated. In some situations, this may invalidate the entire succah.

11. May one build a succah in a public area?

In Eretz Yisrael, this is allowed since permission is automatically granted to use the street for this purpose.

In chutz la'aretz, one should ideally avoid doing this unless specific permission is obtained from the authorities. However, the custom is to be lenient in this matter if no other area is available, especially if the succah is built close to the house.

12. May one build a succah in a communal yard?
Since each person has a share in the yard, he is allowed to build a succah there. However, he should not build it in a place that will cause an obstruction or any other inconvenience to neighbors without prior permission.

13. May a person build a succah near garbage?
This is permitted if no foul smell reaches the succah.

14. May one build a succah near sewage pipes?
This is permitted if the pipes are closed and no foul smell is emitted.

15. May one build a succah on soil?
This is permitted, but it is forbidden to sweep the floors on Shabbos and Yom Tov. It is therefore advisable to cover the floor with some suitable flooring.

16. May one build a succah on grass?
This is not advisable since it is difficult to avoid spilling liquids on the grass on Shabbos and Yom Tov. The grass should be covered with suitable flooring.

17. May one build a succah in a place where he is afraid to sleep?
See question 90.

18. Does the succah require a mezuzah?
Since the succah is only a temporary dwelling, it does not require a mezuzah.

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