Page 252 - Chayei Adam LAYOUT sivan 5782

Chayei Adam - K’lal 146 - Laws of the Succah

is never used to make a roof, even nowadays, we are accustomed to forbid using
as s'chach lest one come to cover his succah with so much so that the rain won’t
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be able to enter, in which case including it in the ban of houses. Nevertheless, in
extenuating circumstances, or if one has no other s'chach, one may use even
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boards wider than four tefachim for s'chach, as is true of anything which is
forbidden by rabbinic enactment. 84

]18[ Since it is called s'chach because it shields against the sun, one must put
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enough s'chach on so that it provides more shade than sunlight. If there is more
sunlight than shade, it is not valid by Torah law, because it is [considered as if]
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there is no s'chach. Ideally, the s'chach should be thin enough so that one can
see the large stars through it at night; however if it was thick like the roof of a

םדו רשב
82. The S’mak writes that the custom is to another option however, they didn’t prevent
avoid using smoothly sanded planks of wood one from fulfilling his obligation of sitting in a
even if they are narrower than 4 tefachim, lest succah which is valid by Torah law. It goes
he cover his succah in a way which keeps the without saying, however, that if one is able to
rain out, which would be invalid (see below, fix it before yom tov or on chol ha’moed, he
next siman). As such, these boards should must. Regarding reciting a beracha in such a
also be included under the general ban of case, many authorities are of the opinion that
‘gezeiras tikra’. By extension, the Bach (quoted one should indeed recite one, and one should
by the Magen Avraham, implying that he consult a reliable halachic authority for
concurs) bans using the lattice supports for guidance.
ע
s’chach since they are generally used to
support a solid roof. 85. The mishna (Succah 22a) teaches that
a succah with more shade than sun is kosher,
83. Magen Avraham. One may also make
a beracha when he sits in such a succah under implying that if the amount of shade and sun
extenuating circumstances. (Rashba, Bikurei are equal, it is not valid. Yet, the mishna
Yaakov. Mishna Berura ) elsewhere (Succah 2a) says that a succah with
טס
more sunlight than shade is not valid, implying
84. For Chazal only made these that one with exactly equal amount is kosher.
enactments as a safeguard to ensure that The gemara there resolves the implied
people don’t construct their succah in a way contradiction by explaining that it depends on
which is posul by Torah law. In the absence of whether one determines this ratio from above

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