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Sunday, October 4, 2009

Are We Even Going to Use It?

Want to hang out on Succot -- Join us Monday and Wednesday!! See here!
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For the first time EVER, Moshe agreed to put our succah up early. So early, in fact, that even when he had to delay it by a week, he was STILL early!!

Now, for those who do not know us well, we are normally still putting up our succah just minutes before Yom Tov! (The succah must be completed before the holiday begins) There was even one year when we were so close to the last minute that, if I remember correctly, we did not have time left to put up decorations!

So, when Moshe and my son put up the frame on Friday afternoon, 3 days before Yom Kippur, I was so happy!! That same motzei Shabbat (Saturday night), they put on the s'chach!

Now, in our neighborhood, putting on the s'chach is a big deal! The winds here are extremely strong. If you don't fasten your succah well, you might not find it there in the morning! So, it took them plenty of time, and LOTS of azikonim (plastic 'zip ties', that are used in Israel for everything)!! But they did it!! Did I mention that it made me SO HAPPY!!

Technically, once the s'chach is up, our succah is kosher. It is built on our mirpeset (balcony), which has 3 walls and a ma'akeh (railing) that is high enough to count as a fourth wall (you only need 2 1/2 walls, so we have more than enough!). I suggested we leave the succah open, but Moshe wanted the walls, so he put those up with our son this Friday, erev Chag (before the Holiday). Then the girls hung our pine cone decorations and -- done!

Though clearly proud of his handiwork, Moshe asked me (not for the first time), "Will we even use it?"

I understood his query, after all, we spent Yom Tov with my sister in law in Hareisha (my in-laws were there too). And we are going all over the place, during the week.

"Of course we will use it!" I reassured Moshe. When we have a succah, we eat everything in the succah! And we will be home for several meals and at least some snack times!

Last night, when we returned home after Shabbat/Yom Tov, I planned to go straight to bed. My youngest had other plans. Cheerily, she starting schlepping sheets and a mattress out to the succah.

It was after 10:00 pm and she had a tiyul the next day! But she was determined to sleep in the succah. So, I offered to join her and she made a bed for me too!

I was a bit worried about sleeping on the floor, but she assured me that if I could camp out on a mizron shetach (field mat), I would be ok with a mattress on the floor! Who can argue with that? (Though, you might recall that I was not so comfortable, even on two mizronei shetach! remember?)

She was correct. My daughter, who gets her internal thermometer from Moshe, slept soundly next to me, in her summer nightgown, covered in a light sheet. Tucked under a blanket, wearing my comfy knitted hat and thermal PJs, I was snug as a bug in a rug!

This morning, my son noticed the mattresses in the succah. "Hey," he protested, "I also want to sleep in the succah!"

We are certainly using out succah!



Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

5 comments:

rutimizrachi said...

According to Rav Aviner (Moadim LeSimcha: Explorations Into the Jewish Holidays, p. 33), "Halacha considers it more important to sleep in a sukka than to eat in it."

So you and the kids are doing GREAT!

(My captcha for this comment was "maliggly." Is that defined as "malignant wiggling"? I merely ask for information...)

A Soldier's Mother said...

My youngest daughter and our adopted daughter (who I am about to give up because her mother is coming on aliyah this summer!!!! YEAH!!!!) slept in the Sukkah the first night. We'll see about more than that. For now, my youngest son and I are both sitting in the sukkah on laptop computers. We usually try to get the sukkah done early-ish - this year was down to the last minutes...it was miserable, though the sukkah is beautiful and we are enjoying it very much.

Have a great, great chag.

Paula

lewdmilla said...

Due to travel obligations and general craziness, this year we are being forced to settle for a tent in our yard. But it is a nice change ...

Enjoy your succah!

Shevy said...

It's our minhag *not* to sleep in the sukkah, but we don't eat or drink anything other than water outside the sukkah.

In fact, I'm very machmir about it because I was a single parent for so many years and felt the need to set an example for my boys. Most women go inside to eat if the weather is bad. Not me. There are often days that pour rain here during Sukkot, but I'm in there bundled up just to have a cookie and a cup of coffee!

Luckily, so far, the weather has cooperated beautifully, although it is going down to 2 and 4 degrees Celsius at night. Let me just say I'm *glad* we don't have to sleep in it when it's that chilly!

Enjoy your sukkah! I hope you get to eat and learn (and sleep) in it many times during the holiday.

Anonymous said...

This sounds like you had some great time in the sukkah.