Does anyone have a sukkah?

MoFree · October 2009

Even though we don't have one this year, I love the idea of a sukkah. We have a large rooftop deck which would be the perfect place to put it, but I'm not sure my husband is onboard with the idea. A few questions: Do people generally eat all their meals in the sukkah. What happens if it rains? Are snacks also eaten there? How do apartment dwellers make accommodations?

Rachiemoo · October 2009

My in laws have one, and since we live below them (separate apartment though) we get to share it

Yes, acording to Halacha all meals must be eaten in the sukkah. As for snacks - you should probably ask a Rabbi as to what constitues a snack/meal as I am not sure about this, though I believe that for observant Jews, the sukkah is basically supposed to become your "home" for the holiday of sukkot, you're supposed to live in it like it is your house, so observant Jews would probably eat, sleep, etc in the sukkah. There are a few options for apartment dwellers: construct a sukkah on the roof or in the alleyway next to the apartment buliding. Also, synagogues, Jewish community centers, etc often have sukkahs that they are more than willing to let people use for the holiday. Also, there is a lot of outreach in the Jewish community so often you can get placed with a family who has a sukkah if you don't have one. My friend who lives in an apartment in Manhattan stayed with a Chabad family in Brooklyn for Yom Tov. I'm not sure what happens if it rains - maybe a tarp? I've never observed the holiday to the fullest extent. I eat meals in there when I can but I haven't personally slept in one. HTH!

MoFree · October 2009

I didn't know that more traditional Jews sleep in the sukkah. Since that is not my level of observance, I can't imagine doing so.

slbriz34 · October 2009

We don't have one but hope to next year. We'll wind up eating a few times at our shul's community succah and perhaps a friends. All meals are supposed to be eaten inside; not sure snacks count, but you should ask your rabbi. The prevailing view is that you eat in the succah unless the weather is so unpleasant that it cannot be done (ie: raining very hard, snowing, etc.). Orthodox tend to be more strict and will stay unless it's really pouring rain but would stick it out if it's cold; most others might be inclined to go indoors if it's too cold. The Torah says that you must "dwell" in the sukkah for the entire time of Sukkot; this was taken to mean sleep as well. Most communities don't require this anymore, though some will sleep in it still, so whether or not you want to is up to you. We live in an apartment with a small balcony, so it's possible to have a small succah, we just didn't have time to get one since we just moved in. If you don't have one, I think the view is that you should go to someone else's for dining there (or your shul).

masteraleph · October 2009

A few additional notes: You'd need to ask your rabbi, but there are a number of opinions about what needs to be eaten in the sukkah. In particular, there are opinions that only grain based foods need to be eaten in there, so apartment dwellers would probably end up eating a lot of meat, fish, potatoes, soup, greens, etc this week (and thereby not end up in the sukkah). There are definitely some people who sleep in there, but it's not a widespread thing in the US- very different in Israel, where the weather is generally sunny and warm. As far as rain goes- if it's a significant amount of rain, you'd go inside (I believe that the halachic amount is "enough to ruin your pea soup.") Check with people who know about construction in terms of the rooftop deck idea- it may not be safe up there, since such areas tend to get more wind.

RedZee · October 2009

My orthodox rabbi's family didn't eat in the sukkah when it started raining even when it wasn't very hard. Usually, you make the blessing in the sukkah and then go inside if there's bad weather.We don't have a sukkah and the community that we are joining has been incredible. We got 7 invitations for a holiday where there are 4 meals.I've never slept in the sukkah and we always tease my BIL and now my H who always want to sleep there. (It's usually too cold for it.) Turns out, the rabbi's family let him sleep there on his own too.

vlevitt · October 2009

this is our second year with a sukkah in our back yard. weère lucky enough to have enough space for a large 10x10 structure. its built out of pvc piping and the walls are made of a tarp and fabric, and decorated with flowers from our garden. i am in LOVE. we have been trying to eat in it as much as possible, but sometimes life just gets in the way. i think that spending as much time as you can in a sukkah over the holiday is all you can really expect of yourself. things just get busy!

lachlom · October 2009

We have a sukkah every year. When it rains, like it did during the first day of Sukkot this year in New Jersey, we ate inside. According to Orthodoxy, you absolutely should have bread in the sukkah, as bread constitutes a 'meal' in regard to washing your hands, making hamotzi, and saying your blessings after the meal. By Orthodoxy, only men are obligated to eat in the sukkah, but a lot of women will as well. Apartment dwellers will use a community sukkah if there is a conjoining courtyard, a deck if it is viable, or use the sukkah at their shul.The sukkah is an awesome thing. All the kids get to decorate the sukkah and all of their handmade thigns in school go in the sukkah. You can string lights, hang fake fruit or pomanders, all sorts of things. It's just a really fun holiday!

2dBride · October 2009

We didn't have our own sukkah this year--there were rather too many other things going on for us to focus on that. However, we did have ha-motzi after the ceremony in the synagogue's sukkah.

Does anyone have a sukkah?

Re: Does anyone have a sukkah?

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