Mishneh Torah, Shofar, Sukkah and Lulav Chapter 6

Chapter 6

א נָּשִׁים וַעֲבָדִים וּקְטַנִּים פְּטוּרִים מִן הַסֻּכָּה. טֻמְטוּם וְאַנְדְּרוֹגִינוּס חַיָּבִים מִסָּפֵק. וְכֵן מִי שֶׁחֶצְיוֹ עֶבֶד וְחֶצְיוֹ בֶּן חוֹרִין חַיָּב. קָטָן שֶׁאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לְאִמּוֹ שֶׁהוּא [כְּבֶן חָמֵשׁ] כְּבֶן שֵׁשׁ חַיָּב בְּסֻכָּה מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים כְּדֵי לְחַנְּכוֹ בְּמִצְוֹת:

1 Women, slaves and minors are exempt from the [commandment of dwelling in a] sukkah. One whose genitalia are covered by a layer of skin (and, so, undetermined) and one who has genitalia of both sexes are obligated based on the doubt [about their sex]. And likewise is one who is half a slave and half a free person obligated. A minor who does not [still] require his mother — which is [like a five-year old] like a six-year old — is obligated in the [commandment of dwelling in a] sukkah by the words of the Scribes (rabbinically), in order to educate them in the commandments.

ב חוֹלִים וּמְשַׁמְּשֵׁיהֶן פְּטוּרִים מִן הַסֻּכָּה. וְלֹא חוֹלֶה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ סַכָּנָה אֶלָּא אֲפִלּוּ חָשׁ בְּרֹאשׁוֹ וַאֲפִלּוּ חָשׁ בְּעֵינָיו. מִצְטַעֵר פָּטוּר מִן הַסֻּכָּה הוּא וְלֹא מְשַׁמְּשָׁיו. וְאֵיזֶהוּ מִצְטַעֵר זֶה שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִישֹׁן בַּסֻּכָּה מִפְּנֵי הָרוּחַ אוֹ מִפְּנֵי הַזְּבוּבִים וְהַפַּרְעוֹשִׁים וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן אוֹ מִפְּנֵי הָרֵיחַ:

2 Sick people and those serving them are exempt from the sukkah — and not just a sick person in danger, but even one whose head feels unwell or his eye feels unwell. One who is indisposed is exempt from the sukkah — he, but not those serving him. And what is [the criteria by which one is determined to be] indisposed? That is one who is not able to sleep in the sukkah because of the wind, or because of the flies and the fleas and that which is similar to them or because of the smell.

ג הָאָבֵל חַיָּב בְּסֻכָּה. וְחָתָן וְכָל הַשּׁוֹשְׁבִינִין וְכָל בְּנֵי חֻפָּה פְּטוּרִים מִן הַסֻּכָּה כָּל שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי הַמִּשְׁתֶּה:

3 A mourner is obligated [to dwell] in the sukkah. But a groom, the groomsmen and all the members of the [wedding party] are exempt from the sukkah all seven days of the feast [connected to the wedding].

ד שְׁלוּחֵי מִצְוָה פְּטוּרִים מִן הַסֻּכָּה בֵּין בַּיּוֹם וּבֵין בַּלַּיְלָה. הוֹלְכֵי דְּרָכִים בַּיּוֹם פְּטוּרִים מִן הַסֻּכָּה בַּיּוֹם וְחַיָּבִין בַּלַּיְלָה. הוֹלְכֵי דְּרָכִים בַּלַּיְלָה פְּטוּרִים מִן הַסֻּכָּה בַּלַּיְלָה וְחַיָּבִים בַּיּוֹם. שׁוֹמְרֵי הָעִיר בַּיּוֹם פְּטוּרִים מִן הַסֻּכָּה בַּיּוֹם וְחַיָּבִים בַּלַּיְלָה. שׁוֹמְרֵי הָעִיר בַּלַּיְלָה פְּטוּרִים מִן הַסֻּכָּה בַּלַּיְלָה וְחַיָּבִים בַּיּוֹם. שׁוֹמְרֵי גִּנּוֹת וּפַרְדֵּסִין פְּטוּרִין בֵּין בַּיּוֹם וּבֵין בַּלַּיְלָה שֶׁאִם יַעֲשֶׂה הַשּׁוֹמֵר סֻכָּה יֵדַע הַגַּנָּב שֶׁיֵּשׁ לַשּׁוֹמֵר מָקוֹם קָבוּעַ וְיָבוֹא וְיִגְנֹב מִן מָקוֹם אַחֵר:

4 Agents [designated to fulfill] a commandment are exempt from the sukkah — whether during the day or during the night. Those walking on a journey during the day are exempt from the sukkah during the day, but obligated during the night. Those walking on a journey during the night are exempt from the sukkah during the night, but obligated during the day. Guardians of a city during the day are exempt from the sukkah during the day, but obligated during the night. Guardians of a city during the night are exempt from the sukkah during the night, but obligated during the day. Guardians of gardens and orchards are exempt during the day and during the night. For if [such a] guardian makes a sukkah, the thief will know that the guardian has a set place and will come and steal from another place.

ה כֵּיצַד הִיא מִצְוַת הַיְשִׁיבָה בַּסֻּכָּה. שֶׁיִּהְיֶה אוֹכֵל וְשׁוֹתֶה וְדָר בַּסֻּכָּה כָּל שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים בֵּין בַּיּוֹם וּבֵין בַּלַּיְלָה כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁהוּא דָּר בְּבֵיתוֹ בִּשְׁאָר יְמוֹת הַשָּׁנָה. וְכָל שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים עוֹשֶׂה אָדָם אֶת בֵּיתוֹ עַרְאַי וְאֶת סֻכָּתוֹ קֶבַע שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כג מב) "בַּסֻּכֹּת תֵּשְׁבוּ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים". כֵּיצַד. כֵּלִים הַנָּאִים וּמַצָּעוֹת הַנָּאוֹת בַּסֻּכָּה. וּכְלֵי שְׁתִיָּה כְּגוֹן אֲשִׁישׁוֹת וְכוֹסוֹת בַּסֻּכָּה. אֲבָל כְּלֵי אֲכִילָה כְּגוֹן קְדֵרוֹת וּקְעָרוֹת חוּץ לַסֻכָּה. הַמְּנוֹרָה בַּסֻּכָּה. וְאִם הָיְתָה סֻכָּה קְטַנָּה מַנִּיחָהּ חוּץ לַסֻּכָּה:

5 How is the commandment of dwelling in the sukkah? That one eat, drink and live in in the sukkah all of the seven days — both during the day and during the night — in the same way that he lives at home during the other days of the year. And all seven days of Sukkot, one renders his house temporary, and his sukkah permanent; as it is stated (Leviticus 23:42), "In huts shall you dwell seven days." How is that? [If he has] beautiful vessels and beautiful bedding, [they are brought] into the sukkah. And drinking vessels, such as jugs and cups, [are also brought] into the sukkah. But eating vessels, such as pot and pans are [kept] out of the sukkah. And a candelabra [is brought] into the sukkah. But if the sukkah was small, he places it out of the sukkah.

ו אוֹכְלִין וְשׁוֹתִין וִישֵׁנִים בַּסֻּכָּה כָּל שִׁבְעָה בֵּין בַּיּוֹם וּבֵין בַּלַּיְלָה. וְאָסוּר לֶאֱכל סְעֻדָּה חוּץ לַסֻכָּה כָּל שִׁבְעָה אֶלָּא אִם אָכַל אֲכִילַת עֲרַאי כְּבֵיצָה אוֹ פָּחוֹת אוֹ יֶתֶר מְעַט. וְאֵין יְשֵׁנִים חוּץ לַסֻכָּה אֲפִלּוּ שְׁנַת עֲרַאי. וּמֻתָּר לִשְׁתּוֹת מַיִם וְלֶאֱכל פֵּרוֹת חוּץ לַסֻּכָּה. וּמִי שֶׁיַּחֲמִיר עַל עַצְמוֹ וְלֹא יִשְׁתֶּה חוּץ לַסֻכָּה אֲפִלּוּ מַיִם הֲרֵי זֶה מְשֻׁבָּח:

6 We eat, drink and sleep in a sukkah all seven [days] — whether during the day or during the night. And it forbidden to eat a meal outside the sukkah all seven [days], unless it is a casual meal — a kabeitsah or less or a bit more (of bread). One may not sleep outside the sukkah, even [for] a brief nap. But it is permissible to drink water and to eat fruits outside the sukkah. However one who is stringent upon himself and does not drink even water outside the sukkah is surely praiseworthy.

ז אֲכִילָה בְּלֵילֵי יוֹם טוֹב הָרִאשׁוֹן בַּסֻּכָּה חוֹבָה. אֲפִלּוּ אָכַל כְּזַיִת פַּת יָצָא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ. מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ רְשׁוּת. רָצָה לֶאֱכל סְעֻדָּה סוֹעֵד בַּסֻּכָּה. רָצָה אֵינוֹ אוֹכֵל כָּל שִׁבְעָה אֶלָּא פֵּרוֹת אוֹ קְלָיוֹת חוּץ לַסֻּכָּה אוֹכֵל כְּדִין אֲכִילַת מַצָּה בְּפֶסַח:

7 Eating on the night of the first holiday in the sukkah is an obligation. Even if one ate a kazayit of bread, he has fulfilled his obligation. From then on, it is optional: [If] he wants to a eat a meal, he must dine in the sukkah; [but if] he wants to just eat fruits or parched grain all seven [days] outside the sukkah, he may eat [like that. It is] like the law of eating matsa on Passover.

ח מִי שֶׁהָיָה רֹאשׁוֹ וְרֻבּוֹ בַּסֻּכָּה וְשֻׁלְחָנוֹ בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ אוֹ חוּץ לַסֻּכָּה וְאוֹכֵל הֲרֵי זֶה אָסוּר וּכְאִלּוּ לֹא אָכַל בַּסֻּכָּה עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה שֻׁלְחָנוֹ בְּתוֹךְ הַסֻּכָּה. גְּזֵרָה שֶׁמָּא יִמָּשֵׁךְ אַחַר שֻׁלְחָנוֹ. וַאֲפִלּוּ בְּסֻכָּה גְּדוֹלָה:

8 [In a case of] one who had his head and the majority [of his body] in the sukkah, but his table was inside his house or outside the sukkah, and he eats: It is surely forbidden, and it is as if his table was inside the sukkah. [This is] a decree lest one be pulled after his table. And [this is so] even in a large sukkah.

ט כָּל שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים קוֹרֵא בְּתוֹךְ הַסֻּכָּה. וּכְשֶׁמֵּבִין וּמְדַקְדֵּק בְּמַה שֶּׁיִּקְרָא יָבִין חוּץ לַסֻכָּה כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּהְיֶה דַּעְתּוֹ מְיֻשֶּׁבֶת עָלָיו. הַמִּתְפַּלֵּל רָצָה מִתְפַּלֵּל בַּסֻּכָּה אוֹ חוּץ לַסֻּכָּה:

9 One reads inside the sukkah all seven [days]. But when he [seeks to] comprehend and be exacting [upon the text], he may comprehend [it] outside the sukkah so that his mind will be settled. One who prays [does whatever] he wants — he prays in the sukkah or outside of the sukkah.

י יָרְדוּ גְּשָׁמִים הֲרֵי זֶה נִכְנָס לְתוֹךְ הַבַּיִת. מֵאֵימָתַי מֻתָּר לִפָּנוֹת, מִשֶּׁיָּרְדוּ לְתוֹךְ הַסֻּכָּה טִפּוֹת שֶׁאִם יִפְּלוּ לְתוֹךְ הַתַּבְשִׁיל יִפָּסֵל, אֲפִלּוּ תַּבְשִׁיל שֶׁל פּוֹל. הָיָה אוֹכֵל בַּסֻּכָּה וְיָרְדוּ גְּשָׁמִים וְנִכְנַס לְבֵיתוֹ וּפָסְקוּ הַגְּשָׁמִים אֵין מְחַיְּבִים אוֹתוֹ לַחֲזֹר לַסֻּכָּה (כָּל אוֹתוֹ הַלַּיְלָה) עַד שֶׁיִּגְמֹר סְעֻדָּתוֹ. הָיָה יָשֵׁן וְיָרְדוּ גְּשָׁמִים בַּלַּיְלָה וְנִכְנַס לְתוֹךְ הַבַּיִת וּפָסְקוּ הַגְּשָׁמִים אֵין מַטְרִיחִין אוֹתוֹ לַחֲזֹר לַסֻכָּה כָּל אוֹתוֹ הַלַּיְלָה אֶלָּא יָשֵׁן בְּבֵיתוֹ עַד שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה עַמּוּד הַשַּׁחַר:

10 [If] rain fell — [someone in the sukkah] may surely enter the house. From when is it permissible to evacuate [it]? From when [enough] drops fell into the sukkah, that were they to fall inside a cooked food, it would no longer be fit [to eat] — even a cooked food of beans (which goes bad quickly). [If] one was eating in the sukkah and rain fell, so he entered his house; and [then] the rain stopped — we do not obligate him to return to the sukkah (that whole night) until he finishes his meal. [If] one was sleeping [in the sukkah] and rain fell, so he entered his house; and [then] the rain stopped — we do not burden him to return to the sukkah that whole night; but he may rather sleep in his house until the dawn arises.

יא גָּמַר מִלֶּאֱכל בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי בְּשַׁחֲרִית לֹא יַתִּיר סֻכָּתוֹ. אֲבָל מוֹרִיד הוּא אֶת כֵּלָיו וּמְפַנֶּה אוֹתָן מִן הַמִּנְחָה וּלְמַעְלָה. אֵין לוֹ מָקוֹם לְפַנּוֹת פּוֹחֵת בָּהּ אַרְבָּעָה עַל אַרְבָּעָה. וְאִם הֻצְרַךְ לִסְעֹד בִּשְׁאָר הַיּוֹם צָרִיךְ לֶאֱכל בַּסֻּכָּה, שֶׁמִּצְוָתָהּ כָּל שִׁבְעָה:

11 [When] one finished eating on the seventh day in the morning — he may not undo his sukkah. But he may bring down his vessels and evacuate them from the time of the afternoon prayer and onward. [If] he does not have a place to evacuate [his vessels] (like when the sukkah is in his house), he should reduce it four [handbreadths] by four. And if he needs to dine during the rest of the day, he needs to eat in the sukkah — since its commandment is for all seven [days].

יב כָּל זְמַן שֶׁיִּכָּנֵס לֵישֵׁב בַּסֻּכָּה כָּל שִׁבְעָה מְבָרֵךְ קֹדֶם שֶׁיֵּשֵׁב אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לֵישֵׁב בַּסֻּכָּה. וּבְלֵילֵי יוֹם טוֹב הָרִאשׁוֹן מְבָרֵךְ עַל הַסֻּכָּה וְאַחַר כָּךְ עַל הַזְּמַן. וּמְסַדֵּר כָּל הַבְּרָכוֹת עַל הַכּוֹס. נִמְצָא מְקַדֵּשׁ מְעֻמָּד וּמְבָרֵךְ לֵישֵׁב בַּסֻּכָּה וְיוֹשֵׁב וְאַחַר כָּךְ מְבָרֵךְ עַל הַזְּמַן. וְכָזֶה הָיָה מִנְהַג רַבּוֹתַי וְרַבָּנֵי סְפָרַד לְקַדֵּשׁ מְעֵמָּד בְּלַיִל רִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל חַג הַסֻּכּוֹת כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ:

12 Every time one enters to dwell in the sukkah all seven [days], before he sits down he recites the blessing, "Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to dwell in the sukkah." And on the night of the first holiday, he recites a blessing over the sukkah and afterwards [a blessing] over the time; and he arranges all of the blessings over a cup [of wine]. It comes out that he recites Kiddush standing up, and recites the blessing, "to dwell (or sit) in the sukkah" and sits; and afterwards recites the blessing over the time. And the custom of my teachers and the rabbis of Spain was like this, to recite Kiddush on the night of the first holiday of the festival of Sukkot standing up, as we have explained.

יג בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה שֶׁאָנוּ עוֹשִׂין שְׁנֵי יָמִים טוֹבִים. יוֹשְׁבִין בַּסֻּכָּה שְׁמוֹנָה יָמִים. וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי שֶׁהוּא יוֹם טוֹב רִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל שְׁמִינִי עֲצֶרֶת יוֹשְׁבִין בָּהּ וְאֵין מְבָרְכִין לֵישֵׁב בַּסֻּכָּה. וְכֵן טֻמְטוּם וְאַנְדְּרוֹגִינוּס לְעוֹלָם אֵין מְבָרְכִין לֵישֵׁב בַּסֻּכָּה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵן חַיָּבִים מִסָּפֵק וְאֵין מְבָרְכִין מִסָּפֵק:

13 At this time — when we make two holidays — we must sit in the sukkah eight days. And on the eighth day — which is [also] the first holiday of Shemini Atseret (the eighth day festival) — we sit in it, but we do not recite the blessing, "to dwell in the sukkah." And likewise, one whose genitalia are covered by a layer of skin (and, so, undetermined) and one who has genitalia of both sexes never recite the blessing, "to dwell in the sukkah" — since they are obligated based on the doubt [about their sex]. And we do not recite a blessing [when performance of a commandment is based on] a doubt.

יד גָּמַר מִלֶּאֱכל בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי מוֹרִיד כֵּלָיו וּמְפַנֶּה אוֹתָהּ. אֵין לוֹ מָקוֹם לְהוֹרִיד אֶת כֵּלָיו אִם הָיְתָה קְטַנָּה מַכְנִיס בָּהּ מְנוֹרָה. וְאִם הָיְתָה גְּדוֹלָה מַכְנִיס בָּהּ קְדֵרוֹת וּקְעָרוֹת וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן כְּדֵי לְהַזְכִּיר שֶׁהִיא פְּסוּלָה וְשֶׁכְּבָר נִגְמְרָה מִצְוָתָהּ וּמִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא יוֹם טוֹב אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִפְחֹת בָּהּ וּלְפָסְלָהּ:

14 [When] one finished eating on the eighth day, he brings down his vessels and evacuates [the sukkah]. [In a case in which] one does not have room to bring down his vessels: If it was a small sukkah, he brings a candelabra into it; and if it was a big sukkah, he brings pots and pans and that which is similar to them into it — in order to take note that it is disqualified, and that its commandment has already finished. But since it is a holiday, he may not reduce it and disqualify it [in that way].

טו מִי שֶׁלֹּא עָשָׂה סֻכָּה בֵּין בְּשׁוֹגֵג בֵּין בְּמֵזִיד עוֹשֶׂה סֻכָּה בְּחֻלּוֹ שֶׁל מוֹעֵד. אֲפִלּוּ בְּסוֹף יוֹם שְׁבִיעִי עוֹשֶׂה סֻכָּה, שֶׁמִּצְוָתָהּ כָּל שִׁבְעָה. עֲצֵי סֻכָּה אֲסוּרִין כָּל שְׁמוֹנַת יְמֵי הֶחָג בֵּין עֲצֵי דְּפָנוֹת בֵּין עֲצֵי סְכָךְ אֵין נֵאוֹתִין מֵהֶן לְדָבָר אַחֵר כָּל שְׁמוֹנַת הַיָּמִים מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי כֻּלּוֹ הַסֻּכָּה מֻקְצָה עַד בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת וְהוֹאִיל וְהֻקְצַת לְבֵין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת שֶׁל שְׁמִינִי הֻקְצַת לְכָל הַיּוֹם:

15 [In a case of] one who did not make a sukkah (before the festival) — whether inadvertently or volitionally — he must make a sukkah during the intermediate days of the festival. He may even make a sukkah at the end of the seventh day — for its commandment is all seven [days]. The wood of the sukkah — whether the wood of the panels or whether the wood of the skhakh — is forbidden all eight days of the festival. We may not benefit from them for something else all eight days, because the sukkah is designated ( muktseh) all of the seventh day until twilight — and since it is [also] designated at twilight of the eighth day (the twilight being the transition from the seventh day to the eighth day), it is designated for the whole day.

טז וְכֵן אֳכָלִין וּמַשְׁקִין שֶׁתּוֹלִין בַּסֻּכָּה כְּדֵי לְנָאוֹתָהּ אָסוּר לְהִסְתַּפֵּק מֵהֶן כָּל שְׁמוֹנָה. וְאִם הִתְנָה עֲלֵיהֶן בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁתְּלָאָן וְאָמַר אֵינִי בּוֹדֵל מֵהֶן כָּל בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת הֲרֵי זֶה מִסְתַּפֵּק מֵהֶן בְּכָל עֵת שֶׁיִּרְצֶה. שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא הִקְצָה אוֹתָם וְלֹא חָלָה עֲלֵיהֶן קְדֻשַּׁת הַסֻּכָּה וְלֹא נֶחְשְׁבוּ כְּמוֹתָהּ:

16 And it is likewise forbidden all eight [days] to supply from foods and drinks suspended in the sukkah in order to beautify it. But if one stipulated about them at the time that he suspended them and said, "I am not separating from them the entire twilight (of the first night)," he may surely supply from them at any time that he wants. For he surely did not designate them; so the sanctity of the sukkah did not rest upon them and they were not considered [to be] like it.

Previous Chapter Next Chapter