Sefer HaChinuch ספר החינוך

The commandment of sitting in a sukkah (booth): The commandment of a sukkah, since we were commanded to sit in a sukkah for seven days - as it is stated (Leviticus 23:42), “In huts shall you sit for seven days.” The first day [of these seven] is the fifteenth day of Tishrei.

What is explained in the verse is from the roots of the commandment — so that we recall the great miracles that God, blessed be He, performed for our forefathers in the wilderness as they left Egypt. As He covered them with the clouds of glory, so that the sun would not harm them during the day nor the frost at night. And there are some that explained (Sukkah 11b) that the Children of Israel made actual huts in the wilderness. And through recalling His wonders that He did with us and our forefathers, we will be careful with His commandments, blessed be He, and we will be fitting for the receiving of good from Him. And that is His desire, blessed be He, as He desires to do good.

From the laws of the commandment is that which they said (Sukkah 2a) that a sukkah that is higher than twenty ells is disqualified, and so [too,] if it is lower than ten handbreadths. Its area must be at least 7x7 handbreadths; less than that is disqualified. It needs three walls and the shape of an opening (tsurat hapetach) that is formed by two vertical posts and one on top of them. And the law that if it has more shade than sun, it is fit — but if not, it is disqualified; one who makes a thick house-style roof, it is fit. The law of one that makes his sukkah between trees, and the trees are its walls; the law of one who builds a sukkah on the top of a wagon or on the top of a boat. And the law of one who covered over a porch that has posts, whether they are inside or outside, that it is fit. The law of the covering (skhakh), that the obligation is to make it from something that does not contract impurity, such as the refuse of the threshing floor and the vineyard; but not from something that does contract impurity. And the law of disqualified covering in the middle or on the side; and the law of three [handbreadths] of airspace that disqualifies the covering, whether it is in the middle or on the side in a small sukkah. And the law of one that covers a sheet over [the sukkah] because of the sun or below [the cover] because of the shedding, that it is disqualified. [But] if they covered them to beautify them, it is fit — as anything that is to beautify [the sukkah] is fit.

And the law of a sukkah above [another] sukkah, the law of one who sleeps in a canopy in the sukkah, such that if it has a roof that is even one handbreadth wide, it is forbidden; but if not, it is permissible. And one who sleeps under a bed in the sukkah, such that if the bed is higher than ten handbreadths, it is forbidden; but if not, it is permissible. And even though [sleeping under a canopy held up by four posts] is forbidden even though it is less than ten handbreadths — the bed is different because it is made for (to sleep on) its top. If one placed a sheet on [two] poles, it is permissible to sleep underneath it, as it has no roof; and behold, it is like making a space [by supporting it] with his two forearms, which is certainly permitted. And the law of a stolen sukkah, that it is fit — as land cannot be stolen; and even if one stole wood and made a sukkah out of them, it is fit due to an ordinance of the Sages — as they ordained [that he is only responsible] to pay for the value of the wood. And the law [that] one who is suffering is exempted from the sukkah — for the Torah stated, “you shall sit” [which is understood to mean,] as you [normally] reside — and all the more so an ill person, who is also exempted for this reason; and even those that serve the ill person are exempted. And all emissaries of a commandment; and so [too,] the bridegroom and all of his entourage — as they are performing a commandment. And the law of sojourners and watchmen for gardens and orchards, and city watchmen; the law of rain falling; the law of sukkot of ganba”kh ([a Hebrew acronym for] gentiles, women, animals and Cuthites) and rakba”sh ([a Hebrew acronym for] a shepherd, a summer field watchman, an outpost guardian, and a guardian of fruit), that they are fit; the law that the wood [used to build] the sukkah is forbidden from Torah writ [for any other use for] all seven days — and on the eighth and ninth day in the Diaspora, they are forbidden because they are [considered] set aside (muktseh) — and the decorations of the sukkah are forbidden because it is a degradation of the commandment; [so is it said] in the name of Ramban, may his memory be blessed, (Milchamot Hashem on Beitzah 45a, Chapter 4); and the rest of its many details are [all] elucidated in the tractate built on this, which is Tractate Sukkah. (See Tur, Orach Chaim 625.)

And [it] is practiced in every place and at all times by males, but not by females. And one who transgressed it and did not eat [a meal] of bread in the sukkah or did not sleep in it, even if it was a nap — and it was not that he was sick or suffering or exempt due to the reasons we have said — has violated this positive commandment. And I have already written above (Sefer HaChinukh 6) that the court coerces [for the fulfillment of] a positive commandment. On the first night every man is obligated from Torah writ to eat at least a kazayit of bread; on the remaining days, it is optional — such that if a man wished to eat outside of the sukkah, he [may do so], so long as he eats his fixed meals of bread only in the sukkah. And the pious ones of old would not eat anything except in the sukkah (Sukkah 26b).