Hilchot Sukkah

6 [In the case of] one who makes his sukkah at the top of a cart or the top of a boat: It is fit and he may go up to it on the holiday. [If he did so] on top of a tree or on top of a camel, it is [also] fit, but he may not go up to it on the holiday - since it is forbidden to go up on a tree or on top of an animal on a holiday. If part of the panels were made by human hands and part of them were trees: We look at it all, such that if the trees were removed and [the sukkah] would [continue] standing from the human panels - we may go up to it on the holiday.

7 A sukkah that does not have a roof is disqualified. How is that? For example, [if] the two tops of the panels connected one to another, like a type of [wigwam] or one leaned the panel of the sukkah on the wall. If it had a roof, even a handbreadth; or he raised the panel adjacent to the wall a handbreadth from the ground - it is surely fit. [In a case of] a round sukkah: If there is enough in its circumference to square its interior to seven handbreadths on seven handbreadths, it is surely fit - even though it does not have corners.

The covering of the sukkah is not kosher from all materials. One may cover only with materials that grew from the earth, that was uprooted from the earth and that is not susceptible to ritual impurity (tumah) and does not have a bad smell nor has fallen or is wilted.

4 [If] one roofed with stalks of flax which he did not crush nor comb - it is fit, as it is still [just like] wood. But if he did crush and comb them, we may not roof with it - since their form has changed, and it is as if they are not from that which grows from the ground. We may roof with ropes of palm bast and of beet shoots and that which is similar to them. For their form surely remains; and ropes are not vessels (utensils).

22 [In a case of] a sukkah on top of a sukkah: The bottom one is disqualified - like one who made a sukkah inside a house - but the upper one is fit. To what are these words - that the bottom one is disqualified - applicable? When the height of the space of the higher one is ten handbreadths or more, and the roof of the bottom one is capable of holding pillows and bed covers from the top one - even if [only] with strain. But if the height of the higher one is [less than] ten, or the bottom one is not capable of holding pillows and bed covers from the top one - even if [only] with strain - (even) the bottom one is fit. And that is when the height of both of them (together) is not more than twenty ells. For the bottom one is made permissible by the skhakh of the top one.

25 A borrowed sukkah - as well a stolen sukkah - is fit. How is that? If one assaulted his fellow and expelled him from his sukkah, stole it and sat in it - he has fulfilled [his obligation]. For land cannot be stolen (such that he is ultimately only borrowing the sukkah). And [even] if he stole wood and made a sukkah from it, he has fulfilled [his obligation]. For it is an ordinance of the Sages that the owner of the wood is only [entitled to] the worth of the wood alone. And even if he stole boards and placed them there - and did not connect them and did not change anything about them - he has fulfilled [his obligation. In a case of] one who makes his sukkah in the public domain: It is fit.

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.

1 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].

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 sukkah. And [this is so] even in a large sukkah.

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.

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.

12 Every time one enters to dwell in the sukkah all seven [days], 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.

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.