Who is Chayav in Sukkah?

ByEphraim Klein

ויקרא כ״ג:מ״ב

(מב) בַּסֻּכֹּ֥ת תֵּשְׁב֖וּ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים כָּל־הָֽאֶזְרָח֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יֵשְׁב֖וּ בַּסֻּכֹּֽת׃

Leviticus 23:42

(42) You shall live in booths seven days; all citizens in Israel shall live in booths,

ספרא, אמור, פרק יז ט׳

(ט) [ט] "אזרח"-- זה אזרח. "האזרח"-- להוציא את הנשים. "כל האזרח"-- לרבות את הקטנים. "בישראל"-- לרבות גרים ועבדים משוחררים.

Sifra, Emor, Chapter 17 9

(9) 9) "citizen": as stated; "the citizen" — to exclude women; "every citizen" — to include minors (amenable to such training); "in Israel" — (I would think this) to include proselytes and freed bondsmen.

סוכה כ״ח א:ט׳-כ״ח ב:ז׳

נשים ועבדים וקטנים פטורין מן הסוכה קטן שאינו צריך לאמו חייב בסוכה מעשה וילדה כלתו של שמאי הזקן ופיחת את המעזיבה וסיכך על גבי המטה בשביל קטן: גמ׳ מה"מ דת"ר אזרח זה אזרח (ויקרא כג, מב) האזרח להוציא את הנשים כל לרבות את הקטנים אמר מר האזרח להוציא את הנשים למימרא דאזרח בין נשים בין גברי משמע והתניא האזרח לרבות את הנשים האזרחיות שחייבות בעינוי אלמא אזרח גברי משמע אמר רבה הלכתא נינהו ואסמכינהו רבנן אקראי הי קרא והי הלכתא ותו קרא למה לי הלכתא למה לי הא סוכה מצות עשה שהזמן גרמא וכל מצות עשה שהזמן גרמא נשים פטורות יום הכפורים מדרב יהודה אמר רב נפקא דאמר רב יהודה אמר רב וכן תנא דבי רבי ישמעאל אמר קרא (במדבר ה, ו) איש או אשה השוה הכתוב אשה לאיש לכל עונשין שבתורה אמר אביי לעולם סוכה הלכתא ואיצטריך ס"ד אמינא תשבו כעין תדורו מה דירה איש ואשתו אף סוכה איש ואשתו קמ"ל רבא אמר איצטריך ס"ד אמינא יליף חמשה עשר חמשה עשר מחג המצות מה להלן נשים חייבות אף כאן נשים חייבות קמ"ל והשתא דאמרת סוכה הלכתא קרא למה לי לרבות את הגרים סד"א (ויקרא כג, מב) האזרח בישראל אמר רחמנא ולא את הגרים קמ"ל יום הכפורים מדרב יהודה אמר רב נפקא לא נצרכא אלא לתוספת עינוי סד"א הואיל ומיעט רחמנא לתוספת עינוי מעונש ומאזהרה לא נתחייבו נשים כלל קמ"ל: אמר מר כל לרבות את הקטנים והתנן נשים ועבדים וקטנים פטורין מן הסוכה ל"ק כאן בקטן שהגיע לחינוך כאן בקטן שלא הגיע לחינוך קטן שהגיע לחינוך מדרבנן הוא מדרבנן וקרא אסמכתא בעלמא הוא: קטן שאינו צריך לאמו כו' היכי דמי קטן שאינו צריך לאמו אמרי דבי ר' ינאי כל שנפנה ואין אמו מקנחתו רבי (שמעון) אומר כל שנעור משנתו ואינו קורא אמא [אמא] גדולים נמי קרו אלא (אימא) כל שנעור ואינו קורא אמא אמא: מעשה וילדה כלתו כו': מעשה לסתור חסורי מחסר' והכי קתני ושמאי מחמיר ומעשה נמי וילדה כלתו של שמאי הזקן ופחת את המעזיבה וסיכך על המטה בשביל הקטן:

Sukkah 28a:9-28b:7

The mishna continues: Women, slaves, and minors are exempt from the mitzva of sukka. A minor who does not need his mother any longer is obligated in the mitzva. There was an incident where the daughter-in-law of Shammai the Elder gave birth just before Sukkot, and Shammai removed the coat of plaster from the roof, leaving the beams, and roofed with the beams over the bed for the newborn minor. GEMARA: With regard to the halakha that women, slaves, and minors are exempt from the mitzva of sukka, the Gemara asks: From where are these matters derived? The Gemara answers that it is as the Sages taught in a baraita that it is stated: “All the homeborn in Israel shall reside in sukkot” (Leviticus 23:42). Had the verse stated only: Homeborn, it would have been derived that any homeborn member of the Jewish people is obligated to observe this mitzva. However, the term with the addition of the definite article: “The homeborn,” indicates that only certain homeborn members are obligated, i.e., men, to the exclusion of the women. The word “all” in the phrase: “All the homeborn,” comes to include the minors capable of performing this mitzva. § The Gemara analyzes the baraita. The Master said: “The homeborn” is to the exclusion of women. Is that to say that the term homeborn without the definite article indicates both men and women? Isn’t it taught in a baraita with regard to Yom Kippur that it is stated: “And it shall be a statute forever unto you: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls and shall do no manner of work, the homeborn, or the stranger that sojourns among you” (Leviticus 16:29). And the term “the homeborn” in that verse comes to include homeborn women, who are obligated in the mitzva of affliction on Yom Kippur. In that case, the definite article comes to include women. Therefore, apparently, the term homeborn, without the definite article, indicates only men. Rabba said: They are each a halakha transmitted to Moses from Sinai, and the Sages merely supported them with verses as a mnemonic device. Therefore, it is not surprising that the derivations are contradictory. The Gemara asks: Which of them is derived from the verse and which is a halakha transmitted to Moses from Sinai and merely supported by a verse? And furthermore, why do I need the verse and why do I need the halakha? Isn’t sukka a positive, time-bound mitzva, and the principle is that women are exempt from all positive, time-bound mitzvot? There is no need for a special derivation to exempt women from the mitzva of sukka. And there is no need for a derivation with regard to their obligation to fast on Yom Kippur, as that can be derived from that which Rabbi Yehuda said that Rav said, as Rabbi Yehuda said that Rav said, and it was likewise taught in the school of Rabbi Yishmael: The verse says: “When a man or woman shall commit any sin that a person commits, to commit a trespass against the Lord, and that soul be guilty” (Numbers 5:6). The verse equated a woman to a man with regard to all punishments and prohibitions in the Torah. The mitzvot of Yom Kippur include prohibitions, as well as the punishment of karet. Why, then, was this additional derivation necessary? Abaye said: Actually, sukka is a halakha transmitted to Moses from Sinai. Nevertheless, it was necessary to teach that a woman is exempt from the mitzva of sukka, as it might enter your mind to say: “Shall you reside” (Leviticus 23:42) indicates that you reside in the sukka as you dwell; just as dwelling is typically performed by a man and his wife, so too, the mitzva of sukka is performed by both a man and his wife. Therefore, it teaches us that women are exempt. Rava said a different reason: A halakha transmitted to Moses from Sinai was necessary to teach that a woman is exempt from the mitzva of sukka, as it might enter your mind to say: Derive a verbal analogy with regard to Sukkot, about which it is written: “On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the festival of Sukkot” (Leviticus 23:34), from Passover, about which it is written: “And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the festival of matzot” (Leviticus 23:6). Just as there, women are obligated to eat matza on Passover even though it is a time-bound mitzva, so too here, with regard to the mitzva of sukka, women are obligated. Therefore, the halakha transmitted to Moses from Sinai teaches us that they are exempt. The Gemara asks: And now that you said that women’s exemption from the mitzva of sukka is a halakha transmitted to Moses from Sinai, why do I need the definite article stated in the verse in the term “the homeborn”? The Gemara answers: This verse comes to include converts, as it might enter your mind to say that the Merciful One says: “The homeborn in Israel,” indicating that only homeborn Jews are included and not the converts. Therefore, the verse teaches us that converts are also obligated. The Gemara asks: The obligation of women to fast on Yom Kippur is derived from the statement that Rabbi Yehuda said that Rav said. In that case, why do I need the definite article in the term: The homeborn? The Gemara answers: That phrase was needed only to include women in the extension of the period of affliction on Yom Kippur eve, as it might enter your mind to say: Since the Merciful One excludes one who violates the obligation to afflict himself during the extension of the period of affliction from the punishment of karet and from the Torah prohibition, women should not be obligated to observe that period at all. Their obligation to observe Yom Kippur is based on the principle: The verse equated a woman to a man with regard to all punishments and prohibitions in the Torah. Since there is neither punishment nor Torah prohibition during that period, women should be exempt. Therefore, the verse teaches us that since they are obligated to observe Yom Kippur, they are obligated to observe the extension of Yom Kippur as well. The Master said in the baraita: “All the homeborn” comes to include the minors capable of performing this mitzva. The Gemara asks: Didn’t we learn in the mishna: Women and slaves and minors are exempt from the mitzva of sukka? The Gemara answers: This is not difficult. Here, in the baraita where it is taught that minors are included, it is referring to a minor who reached the age of training, whose parents are commanded to train him in the performance of mitzvot and to accustom him to fulfill them. Here, in the mishna where it stated that the minor is exempt, it is referring to a minor who did not yet reach the age of training. The Gemara asks: The obligation of a minor who reached the age of training to perform mitzvot is by rabbinic law, and therefore it is not derived from a verse. The Gemara answers: Indeed, the obligation of the minor is by rabbinic law as part of his training, and the verse is a mere support alluding to that obligation. The mishna continues: A minor who does not need his mother any longer is obligated in the mitzva of sukka. The Gemara asks: What are the circumstances of a minor who does not need his mother? In the school of Rabbi Yannai they said: This is referring to any child who defecates and his mother does not need to wipe him. Rabbi Shimon says: It is any child who awakens from his sleep and does not call: Mother, mother. The Gemara asks: Older children also call for their mother when they arise; what, then, is the criterion? The Gemara answers: Rather, say that any child who awakens and does not call: Mother, mother, repeatedly until his mother comes is characterized as one who does not need his mother. An older child will cry once. However, if his mother does not come, he will tend to himself. The mishna relates: There was an incident where the daughter-in-law of Shammai the Elder gave birth and he removed part of the roof so the baby would be in a sukka. The Gemara asks: Does the mishna cite an incident to contradict the preceding halakha that minors that are not independent are exempt from the mitzva of sukka? The Gemara answers: The mishna is incomplete, and it teaches the following: And Shammai is stringent even with very small children; and there was also an incident and the daughter-in-law of Shammai the Elder gave birth and Shammai removed the coat of plaster from the roof and left the beams and roofed with the beams over the bed for the newborn minor.

קידושין ל״ד א:ט׳-ל״ד ב:א׳

והרי סוכה דמצות עשה שהזמן גרמא דכתיב (ויקרא כג, מב) בסוכות תשבו שבעת ימים טעמא דכתב רחמנא האזרח להוציא את הנשים הא לאו הכי נשים חייבות אמר אביי איצטריך סלקא דעתך אמינא הואיל דכתיב בסוכות תשבו תשבו כעין תדורו מה דירה איש ואשתו אף סוכה איש ואשתו ורבא אמר איצטריך סד"א נילף חמשה עשר חמשה עשר מחג המצות מה להלן נשים חייבות אף כאן נשים חייבות צריכא

Kiddushin 34a:9-34b:1

The Gemara further asks: But there is the mitzva of residing in a sukka, which is a positive, time-bound mitzva, as it is written: “In sukkot you shall reside seven days” (Leviticus 23:42), referring to seven specific days of the year. Nevertheless, the reason women are exempt from this mitzva is that the Merciful One writes in the continuation of the verse: “All the homeborn in Israel shall reside in sukkot.” The definite article “the” is an exclusion, and serves to exclude the women from the obligation to reside in a sukka. It may be derived from here that if that was not so, women would be obligated. This indicates that women do not receive a blanket exemption from every positive, time-bound mitzva. Abaye said: In the case of residing in a sukka a special verse was necessary to exempt women, as otherwise it might enter your mind to say that since it is written: “In sukkot you shall reside,” this means that you should reside as you dwell in your permanent home: Just as a man and his wife live together in a residence, so too, a man and his wife are obligated to reside together in a sukka. And Rava said: It is necessary to state this verse for another reason, as it might enter your mind to say: Derive a verbal analogy with regard to Sukkot, where the verse states: “On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the festival of Sukkot” (Leviticus 23:34), from Passover, where the verse states: “And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the festival of Passover” (Leviticus 23:6). One would then say that just as there women are obligated to eat matza on the first night of Passover, despite the fact that it is a time-bound mitzva, so too here, with regard to the mitzva of residing in the sukka, women are obligated. Therefore it was necessary for the verse to use the term “the homeborn” to exclude women from the obligation to reside in a sukka.

ספר החינוך שכ״ה:ה׳

(ה) ונוהגת בכל מקום ובכל זמן בזכרים אבל לא בנקבות...ולילה הראשון חיב כל אדם מדאוריתא לאכל בה כזית פח לכל הפחות שאר הימים רשות, שאם רצה לאכל חוץ מן הסכה אוכל, ובלבד שלא יאכל אכילת קבע של פת אלא בסכה, וחסידים הראשונים לא היו אוכלין שום דבר כי אם בסכה (סוכה כו ב).

Sefer HaChinukh 325:5

(5) The mitvah applies in all places and all times to men, but not to women...On the first night every man is biblically obligated to eat at least an olive's worth of bread, and on the other days it is voluntary; if a man wished to eat outside of the Sukkah he may do so, so long as he eats his bread meals in the Sukkah. The pious ones of old would not eat anything unless they were in the Sukkah. (Sukkah 26b)

אורח חיים תר״מ

(א) נָשִׁים, וַעֲבָדִים, וּקְטַנִּים פְּטוּרִים מִן הַסֻכָּה; טֻמְטוּם וְאַנְדְּרוֹגִינוּס, חַיָּבִים מִסָפֵק; וְכֵן מִי שֶׁחֶצְיוֹ עֶבֶד וְחֶצְיוֹ בֶּן חוֹרִין, חַיָּב.

(ב) קָטָן שֶׁאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לְאִמּוֹ, שֶׁהוּא כְּבֶן חָמֵשׁ, כְּבֶן שֵׁשׁ, חַיָּב בְּסֻכָּה מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים, כְּדֵי לְחַנְּכוֹ בְּמִצְוֹת.

(ג) חוֹלִים וּמְשַׁמְּשֵׁיהֶן פְּטוּרִים מִן הַסֻכָּה; וְלֹא חוֹלֶה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ סַכָּנָה, אֶלָּא אֲפִלּוּ חָשׁ בְּרֹאשׁוֹ, (אוֹ) חָשׁ בְּעֵינָיו; וְיֵשׁ מִי שֶׁאוֹמֵר שֶׁאֵין הַמְשַׁמְּשִׁים פְּטוּרִים אֶלָּא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהַחוֹלֶה צָרִיךְ לָהֶם וּמִי שֶׁמַּקִּיז דָּם חַיָּב בְּסֻכָּה (אוֹר זָרוּעַ וְהַגָּהוֹת אֲשֵׁרִ''י פ' הַיָּשֵׁן).

(ד) מִצְטַעֵר פָּטוּר מִן הַסֻכָּה, הוּא וְלֹא מְשַׁמְּשָׁיו אֲבָל בַּלַּיְלָה רִאשׁוֹנָה אֲפִלּוּ מִצְטַעֵר חַיָּב לֶאֱכֹל שָׁם כַּזַּיִת (כָּל בּוֹ); אֵיזֶהוּ מִצְטַעֵר, זֶה שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִישַׁן בַּסֻכָּה מִפְּנֵי הָרוּחַ, אוֹ מִפְּנֵי הַזְּבוּבִים וְהַפַּרְעוֹשִׁים וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶם, אוֹ מִפְּנֵי הָרֵיחַ; וְדַוְקָא שֶׁבָּא לוֹ הַצַּעַר בְּמִקְרֶה, אַחַר שֶׁעָשָׂה שָׁם הַסֻכָּה, אֲבָל אֵין לוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת סֻכָּתוֹ לְכַתְּחִלָּה בִּמְקוֹם הָרֵיחַ אוֹ הָרוּחַ וְלוֹמַר: מִצְטַעֵר אֲנִי. הַגָּה: וְאִם עֲשָׂאָהּ מִתְּחִלָּה בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁמִּצְטַעֵר בַּאֲכִילָה אוֹ בִּשְׁתִיָּה אוֹ בְּשֵׁנָה, אוֹ שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶחָד מֵהֶם בַּסֻּכָּה מֵחֲמַת דְּמִתְיָרֵא מִלִּסְטִים אוֹ גַּנָּבִים כְּשֶׁהוּא בַּסֻּכָּה, אֵינוֹ יוֹצֵא בְּאוֹתָהּ סֻכָּה כְּלָל, אֲפִלּוּ בִּדְבָרִים שֶׁלֹּא מִצְטַעֵר בָּהֶם, דְּלֹא הַוְיָא כְּעֵין דִּירָה שֶׁיּוּכַל לַעֲשׂוֹת שָׁם כָּל צְרָכָיו (מָרְדְּכַי פֶּרֶק הַיָּשֵׁן). מִי שֶׁכָּבוּ לוֹ הַנֵּרוֹת בַּסֻּכָּה, בְּשַׁבָּת, וְיֵשׁ לוֹ נֵר בְּבֵיתוֹ, מֻתָּר לָצֵאת מִן הַסֻּכָּה כְּדֵי לֶאֱכֹל בִּמְקוֹם נֵר, וְאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לֵילֵךְ לְסֻכַּת חֲבֵרוֹ שֶׁיֵּשׁ שָׁם נֵר, אִם יֵשׁ טֹרַח גָּדוֹל בַּדָּבָר (ת''ה סי' צ''ג וּפְסָקָיו סי' קנ''ח); וְאִם בָּא רוּחַ לְכַבּוֹת הַנֵּרוֹת בַּסֻּכָּה, מֻתָּר לִפְרֹס סָדִין אוֹ בֶּגֶד מִן הַצַּד, אֲבָל לֹא תַּחַת הַסְּכָךְ (אוֹר זָרוּעַ). מִי שֶׁלֹּא יוּכַל לִישַׁן בַּסֻּכָּה מֵחֲמַת שֶׁצַּר לוֹ בְּפִשּׁוּט יָדָיו וְרַגְלָיו, לֹא מִקְרֵי מִצְטַעֵר, וְחַיָּב לִישַׁן שָׁם אַף עַל גַּב דְּצָרִיךְ לִכְפֹּף יָדָיו וְרַגְלָיו (ת''ה סִימָן צ''ב), וְלֹא יוּכַל אָדָם לוֹמַר: מִצְטַעֵר אֲנִי, אֶלָּא בְּדָבָר שֶׁדֶּרֶךְ בְּנֵי אָדָם לְהִצְטַעֵר בּוֹ (טוּר); וְאֵין הַמִּצְטַעֵר פָּטוּר אֶלָּא אִם יִנָּצֵל עַצְמוֹ מִן הַצַּעַר, אֲבָל בְּלָאו הָכֵי חַיָּב לִישֵׁב בְּסֻכָּה אַף עַל גַּב דְּמִצְטַעֵר. (מָרְדְּכַי פֶּרֶק הַיָּשֵׁן).

(ה) אָבֵל חַיָּב בְּסֻכָּה.

(ו) חָתָן וְשׁוֹשְׁבִינִים וְכָל בְּנֵי הַחֻפָּה פְּטוּרִים מִן הַסֻכָּה כָּל ז' יְמֵי הַמִּשְׁתֶּה. וּסְעֻדַּת בְּרִית מִילָה וְכֵן הַסְּעֻדָּה שֶׁאוֹכְלִין אֵצֶל הַיּוֹלֶדֶת חַיָּבִין בְּסֻכָּה (מַהֲרִי''ק שֹׁרֶשׁ קע''ח).

(ז) שְׁלוּחֵי מִצְוָה פְּטוּרִים מִן הַסֻכָּה, בֵּין בַּיּוֹם וּבֵין בַּלַּיְלָה. וְעַיֵּן לְעֵיל סי' ל''ח.

(ח) הוֹלְכֵי דְּרָכִים בַּיּוֹם, פְּטוּרִים מִן הַסֻכָּה בַּיּוֹם, וְחַיָּבִים בַּלַּיְלָה; הוֹלְכֵי דְּרָכִים בַּלַּיְלָה, פְּטוּרִים בַּלַּיְלָה, וְחַיָּבִים בַּיּוֹם. הַגָּה: וְדַוְקָא כְּשֶׁיּוּכְלוּ לִמְצֹא סֻכָּה, אֲבָל אִם אֵינָם מוֹצְאִים סֻכָּה יוּכְלוּ לֵילֵךְ לְדַרְכָּם, אַף שֶׁלֹּא יָשְׁבוּ בָּהּ לֹא יוֹם וְלֹא לַיְלָה, כִּשְׁאָר יְמוֹת הַשָּׁנָה שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַנִּיחַ דַּרְכּוֹ מִשּׁוּם בֵּיתוֹ (רַ''ן פֶּרֶק הַיָּשֵׁן); וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ הוֹלֵךְ רַק בַּיּוֹם, פָּטוּר אַף בַּלַּיְלָה, דְּאֵין לַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ שָׁם דִּירָה. וְהַהוֹלְכִים לַכְּפָרִים לִתְבֹּעַ חוֹבוֹתֵיהֶם, וְאֵין לָהֶם סֻכָּה בְּאוֹתָן הַכְּפָרִים, יַחְמִירוּ עַל עַצְמָן לָשׁוּב לְבָתֵּיהֶם בְּכָל לַיְלָה לֶאֱכֹל בַּסֻּכָּה, וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּיֵשׁ לְהָקֵל מִכָּל מָקוֹם הַמַּחְמִיר תָּבֹא עָלָיו בְּרָכָה. (בֵּית יוֹסֵף בְּשֵׁם אָרְחוֹת חַיִּים).

(ט) שׁוֹמְרֵי הָעִיר בַּיּוֹם, פְּטוּרִים בַּיּוֹם וְחַיָּבִים בַּלַּיְלָה; שׁוֹמְרֵי הָעִיר בַּלַּיְלָה, פְּטוּרִים בַּלַּיְלָה וְחַיָּבִים בַּיּוֹם.

(י) שׁוֹמְרֵי גִּנּוֹת וּפַרְדֵּסִים, פְּטוּרִים בֵּין בַּיּוֹם וּבֵין בַּלַּיְלָה, שֶׁאִם יַעֲשֶׂה הַשּׁוֹמֵר סֻכָּה יֵדַע הַגַּנָּב שֶׁיֵּשׁ לַשּׁוֹמֵר מָקוֹם קָבוּעַ וְיָבֹא וְיִגְנֹב מִמָּקוֹם אַחֵר; לְפִיכָךְ אִם הָיָה שׁוֹמֵר כֶּרִי שֶׁל תְּבוּאָה, שֶׁיָּכוֹל לִשְׁמֹר כֻּלָּהּ מִמָּקוֹם אֶחָד, חַיָּב לַעֲשׂוֹת סֻכָּה בַּמָּקוֹם שֶׁשּׁוֹמְרוֹ. הַגָּה: וְהָעוֹשִׂין יַיִן אֵצֶל הָעוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים בְּסֻכּוֹת, פְּטוּרִים בֵּין בַּיּוֹם בֵּין בַּלַּיְלָה, דִּצְרִיכִים לִשְׁמֹר שֶׁלֹּא יִגְּעוּ הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים (הג''מ פ''ז בְּשֵׁם סְמַ''ק וְכָל בּוֹ); וְאִם הוּא בְּעִנְיָן שֶׁאֵין צְרִיכִים שִׁמּוּר, חַיָּבִין.

Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim 640

(4) One who is discomforted is exempt from the Sukkah, he, and not his attendants. But on the first night even the discomforted one must eat an olive-portion there (Kol Bo). Who is discomforted? He who cannot sleep in the Sukkah because of the wind; or because of the flies, fleas, and their ilk; or because of the smell. But this is only when the discomfort occurred by chance, after he built the Sukkah there, but he shouldn't build his Sukkah a priori in a smelly or windy place, and say, "I am discomforted ". Rem"a: And if he built it, at the beginning, in a place where he is discomforted while eating, or drinking, or sleeping, or he cannot do one of them in the Sukkah since he fears bandits or thieves while he is in the Sukkah, he does not fulfill his obligation in the Sukkah at all, even in the activities in which he is not discomforted , for it is not like a dwelling which one can do all his functions within (Mordekhai, chapter 'HaYashen'). He whose candles in the Sukkah were extinguished, on the Sabbath, and has a candle in his house, it is permitted for him to leave the Sukkah to eat where the candle is, and he does not need to go to his friend's Sukkah which has a candle, if there is great effort involved (Terumat HaDeshen, Part I 5, Terumat HaDeshen, Part II 158). And if the wind is threatening to extinguish the candle, it is permitted to hang a sheet or garment from the side, but not under the skhakh (Or Zarua). He who cannot sleep in the Sukkah, because it is too small for him to extend his hands and legs, is not considered discomforted, and must sleep there, even though he needs to curl up (Terumat HaDeshen, Part I 92), and he cannot say: "I am discomforted", unless it is something from which it is normal for one to be discomforted (Tur). And the discomforted is not exempt unless he will save himself from the discomfort, but otherwise, he must sleep in the Sukkah, even if he is discomforted (Mordekhai, chapter 'HaYashen').

משנה סוכה ב׳:ד׳

(ד) חוֹלִין וּמְשַׁמְּשֵׁיהֶן פְּטוּרִין מִן הַסֻּכָּה.

Mishnah Sukkah 2:4

(4) Individuals who are sick, and those who attend to them, are exempt from the sukkah.

סוכה כ״ו א:ז׳-ט׳

חולים ומשמשיהם: תנו רבנן חולה שאמרו לא חולה שיש בו סכנה אלא אפילו חולה שאין בו סכנה אפי' חש בעיניו ואפילו חש בראשו ארשב"ג פעם אחת חשתי בעיני בקיסרי והתיר ר' יוסי בריבי לישן אני ומשמשי חוץ לסוכה רב שרא לרב אחא ברדלא למגנא בכילתא בסוכה משום בקי רבא שרא ליה לרבי אחא בר אדא למגנא בר ממטללתא משום סירחא דגרגישתא רבא לטעמיה דאמר רבא מצטער פטור מן הסוכה והא אנן תנן חולין ומשמשיהם פטורים מן הסוכה חולה אין מצטער לא אמרי חולה הוא ומשמשיו פטורים מצטער הוא פטור משמשיו לא:

Sukkah 26a:7-9

§ It is stated in the mishna: The ill and their caretakers are exempt from the mitzva of sukka. The Sages taught in a baraita: The ill person that they said is exempt from sukka is not only an ill person whose condition is critical, but even an ill person whose condition is not critical, and even one who feels pain in his eyes, and even one who feels pain in his head. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: One time I felt pain in my eyes in Caesarea, and the esteemed Rabbi Yosei ben Ḥalafta permitted me and my attendant to sleep outside the sukka. The Gemara relates a similar tale: Rav permitted Rav Aḥa Bardela to sleep beneath a canopy in the sukka due to the biting flies [baki]. He permitted this although the canopy was more than ten handbreadths high and in sleeping beneath it he did not fulfill his obligation. Rava permitted Rabbi Aḥa bar Adda to sleep outside the sukka due to the foul odor of the earth [gargishta] floor of the sukka. The Gemara comments: Rava conforms to his line of reasoning, as Rava said: One who suffers in the sukka is exempt from the mitzva of sukka. The Gemara asks: But didn’t we learn in the mishna that the ill and their caretakers are exempt from the mitzva of sukka? By inference, with regard to an ill person, yes, he is exempt; with regard to one who suffers, no, he is not exempt. The Sages say: With regard to an ill person, he and his caretakers are exempt; however, with regard to one who merely suffers in the sukka, he is exempt but his caretakers are not.