The Sukkah

“Between Yom Kippur and Sukkot, all Jews are immersed in mitzvah activities. Some are busy building a sukkah while others are preparing the four kinds.”

Midrash, Vayikra Rabah 30:7

Jewish law sets forth specific guidelines for how to fulfill the mitzvah of sukkah properly. Some of the more notable building specifications are:

SECHACH The most important feature of the sukkah is the roof covering, called sechach, which consists of nonedible plant matter, that has been detached from its source, and that is still in its raw state (not having been made into a vessel of sorts). Common examples of sechach are bamboo poles, evergreen branches, or palm leaves. There needs to be sufficient sechach so that there is more shade than sun in the sukkah.

POSITION The sukkah should be directly under the sky. It should be not be built under a tree or overhang.

WALLS The walls of the sukkah can be made of any material, as long as they are sturdy enough to withstand a common wind. A sukkah must have at least three walls. THE BLESSING During the Sukkot festival, when in the sukkah, about to eat a meal (a meal is defined by eating a grain or drinking wine), we recite the blessing specific to that food followed by the following blessing:

ּבָ רּוְך אַ ּתָ ה אַ דֹ־נָי, אֶ ֹל־הֵינּו מֶ לְֶך הָ עֹולָם, אַ ׁשֶ ר קִ דְ שָׁ נּו ּבְ מִ צְ ֹותָ יו, וְצִ וָנּו לֵישֵׁ ב בַּסּוּכָה.

Baruch atah Ado-nai, Elo-heinu melech ha’olam, asher kidshanu bemitsvotav, vetsivanu leishev basukkah.

Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the Universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to dwell in the sukkah.