DECORATION OF SUKKA WITH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Question: Are there any specific requirements about de- corating a sukka? Need it be decorated with iresh anil
perishable fruits and vegetables? It seems that this is an in- appropriate waste in a period when many individuals go hungry and the food had better be given to the poor. Would it be equally appropriate to celebrate the festival by insist- ing the fruit and vegetables, normally used in this fashion, simply be donated to the poor? (Rabbi Myra Soifer, New Orleans, LA)
Answer: The decoration of sukkot with fruit and vegetables goes back to talmudic discussions. There is, for example, a statement whether “branches of fig trees on which there are figs, vines with grapes palm branches with dates, and wheat with ears on it, may be used for a sukka covering.” Though there is some discussion, they are consid- ered valid (Suk. 13b). More directly, it is simply stated that a wide va- riety of fruit and vegetables were used to decorate the sukka. This eluded pomegranates, grapes, and ears of corn, wine, oil, fine flaxen, and embroidered work (Suk. 10a, also 31b). I another place in the same tractate, there is a discussion of using ot decorations (Suk. 28b). Some later authorities mention nuts used for beautification. It is clear, therefore, that there is some warrant for de- corating the sukka in this fashion, using fruit and vegetables as well as nuts, from talmudic times onward. We find this mentioned, inciden- tally in prescriptions for the sukka given by Maimonides, Caro, and other codifiers, as well as an occasional reference in the responses
There is, however, no requirement that the sukka be decorated in this fashion. For that matter, any type of decoration seems to have been acceptable. Some sukkot of wealthy European families in the past century contained painted walls. Few of those survived, and one is exhibited in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. Still others commonly were decorated by pictures made by various younger members of the family. There are no stipulations about this in the legal halachic litera ture; we are dealing with minhag in this matter.
As there are no stipulations for the decoration of the sukka, it would be a mitzvah in time of need to use the funds normally ex- pended upon such items of food for the direct alleviation of poverty. In place of the fruit and vegetables usually hung, inedible items could be hung as decoration, such as gourds, acorns, or chestnuts, along with pictures made by children in the religious schools.
Walter Jacob, Chairman CCAR Responsa Committee