Congregational Succah

It has long been the custom in our congregation to build a succah on the platform between the Ark and the pulpit. Some have objected to this, on the ground that our succah should be in the open air, namely, in the patio of the synagogue.

This subject really involves two questions: First, may a succah be built anywhere in the synagogue premises as a sort of congregational succah; second, if such a congregational succah is proper, may it be built within the synagogue auditorium, as is the custom in many of our congregations?

The law requires that a man must eat and sleep in the succah, his house becoming a temporary dwelling during the festival and the succah his actual dwelling place. Thus it is necessary that each build his own succah. Not only must each succah be built by each householder, but it seems that it was by implication forbidden to build one in the Temple. The verse in Deuteronomy 16 : 21, “Thou shalt not plant any tree by the altar of God,” is commented on by Sifre to the effect that its meaning is that no structure—neither house nor succah—may be built by the altar of God (cf. also Yalkut Shimoni to the verse).

Yet this prohibition cannot be absolute, because in Nehemiah 8 : 16, where a celebration of Succoth is described, we are told that the people built succos by their homes and also in the courts of the Lord, that is, in the Temple. Besides, the Talmud declares that priests serving in the Temple are also obligated to eat in the succah (b. Arakin 3b). The Tosfos on the passage says that a succah was therefore built in the Azarah for the use of the priests. The scholars dealing with these various statements arrive at the conclusion that there were two succos in the Temple premises, one in the Azarah for the use of the priests and one in the Court of Women for use of the Israelites (cf. Chavazeleth Hasharon, David Babad, Orah Hayyim #33).

If, then, succos were built in the Temple, are they therefore permitted in the premises of the synagogue? This very question was asked of the Geonim Natronai and Hai (cf. Levin Teshuvas Ha-Geonim, Succah, pp. 33 ff.). The answer of the Geonim is that building a succah must be done by each individual, but if it is a market town and there are strangers, or if it is a large city and many do not find room for individual succos, the succah may be built by the synagogue. Mention is made that the synagogues of Bagdad have the custom of building succos, and the Gaon admits that this is an established custom. These Geonic responsa are repeated in the twelfth century by the French scholar Abraham Ibn Yarchi (Ha-Manhig). In our days, Simon Sofer (in Hisor’rot Teshuva I, 14) says it is permissible in a big city to build a succah in the synagogue courtyard. It is clear, then, that by custom and considerable law it is unobjectionable for a congregation to have a succah in its courtyard.

As to the second question, whether a succah may be built indoors on the platform of the synagogue: a succah must have sun and shade and so must be in the open air. However, it may be built under a removable roof or skylight (see Isserles to Orah Hayyim 626 : 3). If the temple auditorium has a skylight, the platform succah could be according to law. But few auditoriums are so constructed. Therefore the succah on the platform is not to be regarded as a legal succah in which a man could be said to fulfill his obligations on “dwelling in the succah.” While the courtyard succah is, of course, technically proper, the inside succah is merely a decoration, beautifying the synagogue in the spirit of the festival.