×
Friend,    With Purim right around the corner, Sefaria is busy preparing for the “Purim bump” — the increase in users who visit Sefaria to celebrate the holiday. Last year, more than 100,000 people visited the library or used the app to connect with the holiday or read along with Megillat Esther. This year we’re expecting even more.    To help with our text and tech preparations ahead of this busy time, a generous Jewish foundation is matching all gifts to the library up to $36,000.    Please give today to help us meet your learning needs!     
Save "Sukkot ~ The support of the fallen
"
Sukkot ~ The support of the fallen

תניא ר' אליעזר אומר כשם שאין אדם יוצא ידי חובתו ביום טוב הראשון של חג בלולבו של חבירו דכתיב (ויקרא כג, מ) ולקחתם לכם ביום הראשון פרי עץ הדר כפות תמרים משלכם כך אין אדם יוצא ידי חובתו בסוכתו של חבירו דכתיב חג הסוכות תעשה לך שבעת ימים משלך וחכמים אומרים אע"פ שאמרו אין אדם יוצא ידי חובתו ביום טוב הראשון בלולבו של חבירו אבל יוצא ידי חובתו בסוכתו של חבירו דכתיב (ויקרא כג, מב) כל האזרח בישראל ישבו בסוכות מלמד שכל ישראל ראוים לישב בסוכה אחת

It is taught in another baraita that Rabbi Eliezer says: Just as a person does not fulfill his obligation on the first day of the Festival with the lulav of another, as it is written: “And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of a beautiful tree, branches of a date palm” (Leviticus 23:40), and the Sages derive from the phrase: Shall take for yourselves, that it must be taken from your own and not from that of someone else, so too, a person does not fulfill his obligation with the sukka of another, as it is written: “You shall prepare for yourself the festival of Sukkot for seven days” (Deuteronomy 16:13), and the Sages derive from the term “for yourself” that it must be taken from your own. And the Rabbis say: Although they said that a person does not fulfill his obligation on the first day of the Festival with the lulav of another, he fulfills his obligation with the sukka of another, as it is written: “All the homeborn in Israel shall reside in sukkot (Leviticus 23:42). This teaches that all of the Jewish people are fit to reside in one sukka. If the value of one sukka were divided among all the Jewish people, no individual would have a peruta stake in it; therefore, no individual could be considered even a part-owner of the sukka. The only way the entire Jewish people could fulfill the mitzva in one sukka is by residing in a communal sukka that does not belong to any of them. Apparently, there is no obligation to reside specifically in one’s own sukka.
  • What can we learn from the idea that the Sukkah should be open to everyone, and the four species need to be individually owned, at least on the first day?

למען ידעו דורותיכם כי בסוכות הושבתי את בני ישראל בהוציאי אותם מארץ מצרים” – רבי אליעזר אומר: “סוכות ממש היו.” רבי עקיבא אומר: “בסוכות ענני כבוד היו.

Sifra 17:11

In order that future generations may know that I made the Israelite people live in sukkot (Lev 23:43). R. Eliezer says: “They were real sukkot.” R Akiba says: “They were the clouds of glory.”

The walls: Somewhat surprisingly, a sukka requires only a minimum of two walls, plus the beginning of the third. It would be hard to call such a structure a house. The minimum size is 7 tefachim square - about 65 cm. (26 inches) on each side. This is sufficient for most of one's body and a small platform to eat from. The minimum height is 10 tefachim (95 cm. - 40 inches), which is enough to sit on the floor (but please do not stand up).

(יב) יָכוֹל לַעֲשׂוֹת מֵחֲבֵרוֹ דֹּפֶן לַסֻכָּה, לְהַכְשִׁירָהּ; וַאֲפִלּוּ בְּיוֹם טוֹב, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יֵדַע אוֹתוֹ שֶׁהָעֳמַד שָׁם שֶׁבִּשְׁבִיל מְחִצָּה הָעֳמַד שָׁם; אֲבָל בַּחֹל, אֲפִלּוּ אִם הוּא יוֹדֵעַ, שַׁפִּיר דָּמִי. הַגָּה: וַאֲפִלּוּ בְּיוֹם טוֹב אֵינוֹ אָסוּר אֶלָּא בְּאוֹתָן ג' דְּפָנוֹת הַמַּתִּירִים הַסֻּכָּה; אֲבָל בְּדֹפֶן רְבִיעִית, שָׁרֵי (הַשָּׂגַת הָרַאֲבָ''ד וְהַמַּגִּיד פ''ד דְּסֻכָּה) וְעַיֵּן לְעֵיל סִימָן שס''ב (סָעִיף ה').

One can use a friend to be a wall of the sukkah and it will be a kosher sukkah. Even on Yom Tov, so long as that person that is standing there doesn't know they are standing there as a sukkah wall (which would violate the prohibition of building on festivals). On the intermediate days, one can know they are the wall, and it is fine. [Haga/Isserles: But if the friend is the fourth wall, it is fine even during the festival]

R. Aaron Alexander:

Pretty much anything can be used as a wall.

Take a moment to imagine what this would feel like if ever employed. To have a person physically be the structure, the scaffolding, that is necessary for another to experience God's protective shade.

There's no way to read this halakhah without imagining a friend, or stranger--right next to you, looking at you--and holding up your roof.

And then consider that this is precisely how it is meant to be. And ought to be. And must be--for so much right now.

We use cookies to give you the best experience possible on our site. Click OK to continue using Sefaria. Learn More.OKאנחנו משתמשים ב"עוגיות" כדי לתת למשתמשים את חוויית השימוש הטובה ביותר.קראו עוד בנושאלחצו כאן לאישור