sukkah

Basic Requirements for the Sukkah

The sukkah (plural: sukkot) gives the holiday its name, and one of its defining commandments is for Jews to dwell in the sukkah. A sukkah may take a variety of forms—from a relatively elaborate wooden structure, to a simple hut or a prefab of aluminum poles and canvas walls—as long as it satisfies a few basic requirements. A sukkah must have at least three walls and be constructed of materials that can withstand an average wind, like heavy blankets, canvas, or wood. It must be temporary- put up and taken down each year. The roof must be covered with s’chach—a product of the earth that is no longer attached to the earth, for example, wood, bamboo poles, tree branches, but not a tree (it’s still connected to the earth). The s’chach should provide more shade than sunlight in the daytime, yet allow the brightest stars to be visible at night.

If you can get into this mitzvah you will probably find great joy in it. Start building as soon after Yom Kippur as possible. One of the good things about a sukkah is that you should build your own. There are websites out there selling fancy prefab Sukkot for hundreds of dollars. Even if you buy the prefab variety, you should erect it yourself. Most of us live in houses or apartments built by others. Most of us eat bread baked by professionals. Like challah-baking, sukkah-building gives us the chance to enjoy the fruits of our own labor. The sukkah should not be an elegant structure. A rough shack built by hand is the ideal.

Decorating is the fun part. Here you can do as you please. Everything’s possible, from traditional fruit hanging to ushpizin posters and printed murals to strung macaroni, gourds, origami, paper chains, etc. Have fun! Anything goes!

Simple Sukkah Directions

• A sample sukkah might be a 7-foot cube, for which the following materials would be necessary:
• 12 cement blocks
• 4 pieces of 2″ x 2″ x 7-1/2′
• 7 pieces of 1″ x 2″ x 7-1/2′
• 8 pieces of 1″ x 1″ x 8′ (crosspieces)
• enough cloth or plywood to cover 3 walls
• cloth drape for entrance wall
• nails
• binding twine
• greens for roofing

You might want the challenge of not using nails, and binding with rope all joints. It can be done. If you can use the back wall of a house or garage as one of the walls, do so. Stack 3 cement blocks in each corner and insert 7-foot 2 x 4’s into the air holes of the blocks. Connect the 2 x 4’s with 1x 2’s across the middle and the top. Stretch cloth or nail l/4-inch plywood over the frame and one wall is complete. One wall can serve as the entrance if covered with cloth on a wire track. Place some 1 x l’s running in both directions on the roof and cover that with rushes or pine boughs. The entire roof must be made of organic material. Remember to let the stars shine through!

Another variation is an amazing free-standing PVC Sukkah which you can build for around $40, store, and reuse every year. 

Click here for diagram and details on how to build a reusable sukkah.