Page 260 - Chayei Adam LAYOUT sivan 5782

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

and the succah has three walls, then, if the posul s’chach stretches across its
length, then the entire succah is posul, because each side only has one and a half
walls. If the posul s’chach stretches along the succah’s width, and there is a
minimum sized succah in the inner section, that inner section is a kosher succah,
while the outer portion is posul. 107 [Yet] if there is less than four amos from the
middle wall until the outer edge of the posul s’chah, then the outer section of the
succah is also kosher because for the one sitting in the inner section, it is
considered s’chach; [while] for the one sitting in the outer section, it is [an
extension of] the wall. 108 When does this all apply? In a large succah which

measures more than seven by seven tefachim. However, in a small succah which
measures just seven by seven, or even nine and a half tefachim, if you subtract the
posul s’chach, there is less than the minimum size of a kosher succah. Therefore,
whether it is in the middle or at the side, it is posul [if there is] three tefachim. If
there is less than three tefachim it is kosher and one may sleep under it, and it
[also] counts towards the minimum size of a succah. 109

]22[ Therefore, [if one wants to take] the roof of a house which is covered with
planks of wood and [remove the planks and] convert it into a succah, and he
leaves some planks around [the perimeter near] the walls, or if one wants to make
his succah under a [removed] roof and leaves shingles around the [perimeter of

םדו רשב
the s’chach, he may sit under a three tefachim under 3 tefachim of posul s’chach is like sitting
area of posul s’chach. The reason for this is (as in a succah which is not kosher. The Shulchan
explained above siman 19) that while a gap is Aruch follows our reading of the gemara, and
a break in the succah, a small amount of posul the Gra offers support from a different gemara
s’chach is batul to the other kosher (that one may sit under planks of wood
s’chach. Some however, had a different measuring less than 4 tefachim although they
reading of the gemara, where the halachos are are posul according to one opinion).
reversed. See Ritva who explains that Nevertheless, the Chayei Adam here writes to
according to that version, one may sit under a be machmir like the alternate reading, and the
gap since it is considered closed, while sitting Mishna Berura rules that one should try to

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