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The title of this question may have you puzzled. But, I'm combining ideas from this question about using a palapa ("tikki hut") and this question regarding using a hut built by a Gentile.

OK, let's say you find an existing palapa built by a Gentile. The roof is already there and the thatch is valid schach material. The palapa is open. Can you take a piece of canvas and create walls with a "doorway" and construct your succah that way? Or is there anything that requires that the walls must be built first?

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  • You will only need to wobble the Schach to make it as new. (Succah Chadasha)
    – Al Berko
    Commented Sep 25, 2018 at 14:05

1 Answer 1

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The Rama (OC 635) rules that at least 1 Tefach (height) of the walls must precede the Sekhakh. Otherwise it would invalid because of "Taaseh veLo Min heAsui" (having the item come into being, not being made directly) like the case of digging in a haystack (Sukkah 16a).

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  • Good answer. I think the palapa has "poles" to support the top of the hut. Do the poles count as "walls"? Technically, it has a "doorway" as I think there is a "fence" around all sides except for one.
    – DanF
    Commented Oct 2, 2017 at 18:10
  • @DanF They definitely count as walls for the 2 inches they inhabit. Are there continuous poles the whole way around? I'll be honest I have no idea what a palapa is and am hesitant to comment on its specifics.
    – Double AA
    Commented Oct 2, 2017 at 18:11

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