Chapter 6

אנָּשִׁים 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:

1Women, slaves, and minors are freed from [fulfilling the mitzvah of] sukkah.¹ A tumtum and an androgynous are obligated because of the doubt [concerning their status].² Similarly, a person who is half slave and half free is obligated.³
A minor who does not require his mother's [presence]⁴ - i.e., a child of five or six⁵ - is obligated [to fulfill the mitzvah] of sukkah according to Rabbinic decree, to train him in [the performance of] mitzvot.⁶

בחוֹלִים 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:

2The sick and their attendants⁷ are freed from [fulfilling the mitzvah] of sukkah. This applies not only to a person who is dangerously ill,⁸ but also to one with a headache⁹ or a sore eye.¹⁰
A person who is uncomfortable [when dwelling in the sukkah] is freed from the obligation [to fulfill the mitzvah] of sukkah.¹¹ This applies to the person himself, but not to his attendants.¹²
Who is "a person who is uncomfortable [when dwelling in the sukkah]"? A person who cannot sleep in the sukkah because of the wind or because of the flies, mites, or the like, or because of the smell.¹³

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

3A mourner¹⁴ is obligated [to fulfill the mitzvah] of sukkah.¹⁵
A groom,¹⁶ his attendants,¹⁷ and all the members of the wedding party¹⁸ are freed from [fulfilling the mitzvah] of sukkah throughout the seven days of [the wedding] festivities.¹⁹

דשְׁלוּחֵי 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:

4Emissaries charged with a mission involving a mitzvah²⁰ are freed from [fulfilling the mitzvah] of sukkah²¹ both during the day and at night.²² People who journey during the day are freed from [fulfilling the mitzvah] of sukkah during the day²³ and are obligated at night.²⁴ People who journey during the night are freed from [fulfilling the mitzvah] of sukkah at night²⁵ and are obligated during the day.²⁶
A city's day watchmen are freed from [fulfilling the mitzvah] of sukkah during the day²⁷ and are obligated at night.²⁸ Its night watchmen are freed from [fulfilling the mitzvah] of sukkah at night and are obligated during the day. The watchmen of gardens and orchards²⁹ are freed from [fulfilling the mitzvah] during the day and the night, because if the watchman constructs a sukkah, a thief will realize that the watchman has a fixed place and will go to steal from another place.³⁰

הכֵּיצַד 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:

5How must the mitzvah of dwelling in the sukkah be fulfilled? A person must eat, drink, and live³¹ in the sukkah throughout all seven days [of the festival],³² both during the day and at night,³³ in the same manner as he dwells in his home throughout the year.³⁴
During these seven days, he must consider his house as a temporary dwelling and the sukkah as his permanent home,³⁵ as [Leviticus 23:42] states: "You shall dwell in sukkot for seven days."
What does this imply? His attractive utensils and attractive bedding [should be brought] to the sukkah. His drinking utensils - i.e., his cups and crystal pitchers - [should be brought] to the sukkah.³⁶ However, utensils used for food - i.e., pans and plates - [may be left] outside the sukkah.³⁷ A candelabra³⁸ [should be brought] to the sukkah.³⁹ However, if the sukkah is small, it should be left outside the sukkah.⁴⁰

ואוֹכְלִין 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:

6We should eat, drink, and sleep in the sukkah through the entire seven days [of the festival], both during the day and at night. It is forbidden to eat a meal⁴¹ outside the sukkah for the entire seven [day period].⁴² However, [there is no prohibition] if one eats a snack⁴³ the measure of a k'beitzah or less,⁴⁴ or even slightly more.⁴⁵
One may not sleep outside the sukkah at all, even a brief nap.⁴⁶ It is permissible to drink water⁴⁷ and eat fruit outside the sukkah.⁴⁸ However, a person who follows the stringency of not drinking even water outside the sukkah is worthy of praise.⁴⁹

זאֲכִילָה 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:

7Eating in the sukkah on the first night of the festival is an obligation.⁵⁰ If a person eats merely a k'zayit of bread,⁵¹ he fulfills his obligation. Afterwards, [the matter is left to one's] volition.⁵² If one desires to eat a meal,⁵³ one must eat it in the sukkah. If one desires, throughout the seven [days of the festival], one may eat only fruit or roasted grain⁵⁴ outside of the sukkah.⁵⁵ The same laws apply as those regarding the eating of matzah on Pesach.⁵⁶

חמִי 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:

8It is forbidden for a person to sit and eat with his head and the majority of his body inside a sukkah while his table is in his home or outside the sukkah.⁵⁷ It is considered as if he did not eat inside the sukkah.⁵⁸ [Rather,] the table must also be inside the sukkah. This was decreed lest one be drawn after one's table. This law applies even in a large sukkah.

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

9Throughout the seven days [of the festival], a person should read in the sukkah.⁵⁹ However, when he attempts to comprehend what he reads in depth and appreciate its details, he should do so outside the sukkah,⁶⁰ so that his mind will be settled.⁶¹
When a person prays,⁶² he may pray inside the sukkah or outside the sukkah, as he desires.⁶³

ייָרְדוּ 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:

10If rain descends, a person may enter his home.⁶⁴ When is one permitted to leave [the sukkah]?⁶⁵ When enough raindrops descend into the sukkah so that they would spoil a cooked dish⁶⁶ - even a dish of beans⁶⁷ - were they to fall into it.⁶⁸
If a person was eating in the sukkah and rain descended, and hence, he entered his home, if the rains stop we do not obligate him to return to his sukkah⁶⁹ {that entire night}⁷⁰ until he is finished eating.⁷¹
If he was sleeping and rain descended,⁷² and hence, he entered his home, we do not obligate him to return to his sukkah that entire night should the rains cease.⁷³ Rather, he may remain sleeping in his house that entire night⁷⁴ until dawn.⁷⁵

יאגָּמַר 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:

11A person should not take apart his sukkah after he finishes eating on the seventh day [of Sukkot].⁷⁶ However, from the afternoon on, he may take down his utensils and remove them.⁷⁷
If he has no place to put the utensils,⁷⁸ he should reduce its space⁷⁹ by at least four handbreadths by four handbreadths.⁸⁰
If he has to eat later that day,⁸¹ he must eat in the sukkah, because the mitzvah extends throughout the seven days.

יבכָּל 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:

12Whenever a person enters a sukkah with the intention of sitting down throughout the seven [days of Sukkot], he should recite the following blessing⁸² before sitting:
[Blessed⁸³ are You...] who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to dwell in the sukkah.⁸⁴
On the first night of the festival, one should first recite the blessing on the sukkah, and then the blessing for the occasion.⁸⁵
One should recite all the blessings over a cup of wine.⁸⁶ Thus, one should recite kiddush⁸⁷ while standing,⁸⁸ recite the blessing leishev basukkah,⁸⁹ sit, and then recite the blessing shehecheyanu.⁹⁰
This was the custom of my teachers and the Rabbis⁹¹ of Spain:⁹² to recite kiddush while standing on the first night of the Sukkot festival, as explained.

יגבַּזְּמַן 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:

13At present,⁹³ when we celebrate holidays for two days,⁹⁴ we dwell in the sukkah for eight days.⁹⁵ On the eighth day, which is the first day of the holiday of Shemini Atzeret,⁹⁶ we dwell in the sukkah, but do not recite the blessing leishev basukkah.⁹⁷
Similarly, a tumtum and an androgynous⁹⁸ never recite the blessing leishev basukkah, because their obligation [to perform the mitzvah is based] on doubt,⁹⁹ and a blessing is never recited when one is doubtful [of one's obligation].¹⁰⁰

ידגָּמַר 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:

14After a person finishes eating on the eighth day [of Sukkot], he should take down his utensils and remove them.¹⁰¹
When a person has no place to put the utensils,¹⁰² [the following rules¹⁰³ apply]: If it is a small [sukkah], he should bring his candelabra into it;¹⁰⁴ if it is a large sukkah, he should bring in his pots, plates, and the like,¹⁰⁵ to bring to mind that it¹⁰⁶ is no longer acceptable and that its mitzvah is completed. Since the day is a holiday, one may not reduce its space and nullify it.¹⁰⁷

טומִי 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:

15A person who did not construct a sukkah [before the holiday]¹⁰⁸ - whether intentionally or unintentionally - should construct a sukkah on Chol Hamo'ed.¹⁰⁹ One should even construct a sukkah on the final moments of the seventh day, because its mitzvah lasts throughout the seventh day.¹¹⁰
The wood with which the sukkah was constructed is forbidden [to be used for other purposes]¹¹¹ on all eight days of the festival.¹¹² This applies to both the wood used for the walls and the wood used for the s'chach.¹¹³ Throughout [these] eight days,¹¹⁴ no benefit may be derived from it for other purposes.¹¹⁵
[They are prohibited on the eighth day] because the sukkah is muktzeh¹¹⁶ the entire seventh day, including the period beyn hash'mashot.¹¹⁷ Since it was muktzeh during the period beyn hash'mashot, it is muktzeh on the entire day [that follows].¹¹⁸

טזוְכֵן 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:

16Similarly, it is forbidden to take from the food and beverages that were hung in the sukkah as decorations¹¹⁹ for all eight days [of the festival].¹²⁰ However, if at the time one hung [the decorations],¹²¹ he made the condition: "I will not refrain from using them during the entire period of beyn hash'mashot,"¹²² he is entitled to use them whenever he desires,¹²³ because he did not set them aside, nor did the sanctity of the sukkah encompass them, nor are they considered part of it.

Sefaria: Torat Emet 363 · Public domain · sefaria.org

Sefaria: Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007 · CC BY-NC · sefaria.org