Friday, September 22, 2006

Daf Yomi - Sukkah 22 - "Take a chill" out of the Sukkah

The Mishna states that if the s’chach that one placed on his Sukkah is thick like a house and the stars cannot be seen from inside, the Sukkah is still valid. Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 631 rules that it is preferable that one should place the s’chach in a manner that the stars should be seen. Mishna Berura states that if the stars can be seen in one section of the Sukkah, that is sufficient. Rabbi Braun in his sefer Shearim Hametzuyanim B’Halacha writes that many Gedolim did not construct their Sukkahs in a manner that the stars would be seen from inside. The reason for this was that these Gedolim resided in extremely harsh climates and they preferred to be able to sleep in the Sukkah without having to leave the Sukkah because of the harsh elements. For this reason they covered their Sukkahs with thick s’chach to keep out the cold and precipitation, even though this did not allow them to sleep under the stars.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

It would seem that this is a contradiction of sorts to the above post. Which is more preferred? Using a thick layer or letting cold or rain enter?

Anonymous said...

I'm not familiar with Rabbi Braun. What's the name of his sefer?
Thanks
Jeff K

Avromi said...

Sheorim Mitzuyanim B'halacha

and Moish, I'll have to think about that one - thanks

Anonymous said...

It may be that it is preferable to build the s'chach to be able to let rain or cold in, but if they did, these gedolim may have felt they wouldn't be able to properly keep the mitzvah of succah due to their inability to sleep in the succah, they felt it was already a b'dieved type situation and therefore preferred the prevention of the cold as their b'dieved.

Avromi said...

but wouldn't that be a bdieved the entire time?

Anonymous said...

Avromi, you are right. Having checked in the mishna berurah in O.C.539 AND 540 it appears that in cold countries the inability to sleep ion the succah doesn't constitute a b'dieved situation.