6
votes
Accepted
Must the top of a sukkah be level?
This is addressed in Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 631,10:
סוכה שאין לה גג כגון שהיו ראשי הדפנות דבוקות זו בזו כמין צריף או שסמך ראש הדופן של סוכה לכותל פסולה ואם היה לה גג אפילו טפח או שהגביה הדופן ...
- 11.5k
5
votes
Does schach have to lie completely flat on top of the succah?
The Mishnah and Gemarah (Succah 19b) discuss a case of a succah that doesn't have a flat roof:
מתני׳ העושה סוכתו כמין צריף או שסמכה לכותל ר' אליעזר פוסל מפני שאין לה גג וחכמים מכשירין
MISHNA: ...
- 6,515
5
votes
Accepted
Putting up scach before walls of sukkah
The Dirshu Mishna Berura quotes R' Elyashiv ZT"L that even if the tefach is on the ground the Succah is kosher. (mishna Berura 635 s"k 11 #8)
- 66
3
votes
Pergola - Kosher scach?
The amount of shade is likely sufficient. The amount of shade is measured at the schach level: if the schach is more than the empty space the schach is kosher. It certainly appears from your picture ...
- 354
3
votes
Why do we use bamboo as סכך?
It's a matter of practicality. See the Wikipedia entry on bamboo.
Bamboos include some of the fastest-growing plants in the world...
Certain species of bamboo can grow 91 cm (3 ft) within a 24-...
- 34k
2
votes
Put schah up between Yom Kippur and sukkot
I assume that the reason you heard not to put up skhakh before Yom Kippur is that Rama writes that it is proper to work on the sukkah after Yom Kippur.
A preexisting Sukkah is kosher if it's skhakh ...
- 35.9k
2
votes
Accepted
Can Schach that fell be restored on Shabbat/Chag?
Schach is muktzeh therefore cannot be fixed by a Jew during chag or Shabbat, but can be fixed during hol hamoed.
See for instance this digest of Sukkot laws
If Schach blows out of place on Yom Tov,...
- 53.7k
2
votes
Is fishing line mekabel-tumah? Can it be used in schach?
So Star-K brings a good breakdown based on a psak of Rav Moshe Heineman:
In Hilchos Sukkah (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 629:1) it is written that schach can not consist of something that is “mekabel ...
- 33.9k
2
votes
Accepted
Can you use jute twine to hold down the schach of a sukka
From Star K
In addition, l’chatchila, kosher schach may not be supported by anything which is mekabel tumah (see Rama O.C. 629:7). According to the opinion of Rashi (as brought in Shaar Hatziyun 629:...
- 13.3k
1
vote
Can I sit under sukkah rafters made of metal
If I understand the question correctly this article provides the answer and tells you what works. See in particular the following passage:
My understanding is, that you are concerned about the metal ...
- 2,256
1
vote
Accepted
Maximum width of schach "planks?"
As stated in the answer which you linked to:
[I]t is true that the Shulhan Arukh was mahmir and brought the shittah of the Semag that since roofs in his time were made out of such planed boards, one ...
- 45.2k
1
vote
Looking for Schach Ideas
I use bamboo poles to hold up the main schach. They are lightweight, but very sturdy. In addition, they are kosher for schach, so no problem of maamid.
- 9,364
1
vote
Why is bamboo kosher for schach?
Mishna Succa1, 4:
זה הכלל, כל שהוא מקבל טמאה ואין גדולו מן הארץ, אין מסככין בו. וכל דבר שאינו מקבל טמאה וגדולו מן הארץ, מסככין בו.
That is the rule, everything which can become uncleaned ...
- 23k
1
vote
Accepted
Why can't you buy water for ma'aser sheni?
I am not sure I understood the deepness of the question. But the Rash quotes the Gemara Eruvin 27b in which the exclusion of water and salt for maaser sheni is learned from drashot. One of them is ...
- 23k
1
vote
Supporting schach on a sukkah
Mishnah Brurah 629 s.k. 26: says indirect support is not a problem:
(כו) לחבר וכו' במסמרות של ברזל - זה מותר לכו"ע אפילו למאן דאוסר להעמיד הסכך בדבר המקבל טומאה כיון שאין סומך הסכך על המסמורים אלא ...
- 6,515
1
vote
Put schah up between Yom Kippur and sukkot
See O.C. 524:5
והמדקדקים מתחיליס מיד במוצאי יו"כ בעשיית הסוכה כדי לצאת ממצוה אל מצוה
My translation:
Those who are precise begin immediately after Yom Kippur (at night) to
make the Succah, so ...
- 71.2k
1
vote
Why do we use bamboo as סכך?
Mishna Succa1, 4:
זה הכלל, כל שהוא מקבל טמאה ואין גדולו מן הארץ, אין מסככין בו. וכל דבר שאינו מקבל טמאה וגדולו מן הארץ, מסככין בו.
That is the rule, everything which can become uncleaned and didn't ...
- 23k
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