Agudath Israel of the Five Towns

"Leishev baSukkah"

by Rabbi Yitzchok D. Frankel

Here are a few items concerning the bracha for sitting in a sukkah. These are issues that, I have found, are relatively unknown, yet fundamental to the correct performance of the mitzvah of sitting in the sukkah.

As a preface it is important to know that not saying the bracha (blessing) before the performance of a mitzvah in no way hinders or obviates the fulfillment of that mitzvah. That is the reason that we make the bracha on the lulav and esrog (the four species) with the esrog upside down. One cannot fulfill the mitzvah of lulav if any of the four species is upside down. In this way we insure that the bracha is said first. If the mitzvah would not be done this way it is conceivable that one might take the lulav and esrog with the intention to fulfill the mitzvah and thereby lose the opportunity to make the bracha. (A bracha may not be said after the fulfillment of a mitzvah only before. The exceptions are immersion in a mikvah, lighting Shabbos and Yom Tov candles and washing before eating bread.)

Another factor to be known is that when there is a question, in law, as to the need to say a bracha (a blessing) one is NOT said.

The Torah requires all males over thirteen years old to leave their permanent dwelling and take up a temporary dwelling for seven days beginning with the fifteenth day of the Jewish month of Tishrei. In the case of sukkah, a biblical requirement prevents the eating of a minimum volume of certain foods outside the sukkah. There is unanimity concerning some items but there are differing opinions concerning others.

The following are some of the practical rulings that result for making the bracha of "leishev baSukkah":

Even if one is sleeping or doing other activities in the sukkah the bracha of “leishev baSukkah”(the blessing for sitting in the sukkah) is NOT said. It is only said before (or during) eating. [Shulchan Aruch (code of Jewish law) O.Ch. 639:8.]
For one to be permitted to say the bracha of "leishev baSukkah" a minimum of a kibeitza (the volume of an egg calculated by the displacement of water. This volume equals to double that of a kizayis; the volume of an olive) must be eaten in the sukkah. [O.Ch. 639:2]
The bracha of “leishev baSukkah" would be said, according to all opinions, when one is eating a kibeitza of bread.
This bracha would also be said when one is eating a minimum of a kibeitza of food of the five grains (wheat, barley, rye oats, spelt) according to Aruch haShulchan 639:27 and according to an oral ruling of Harav Dovid Feinstein. According to Mishnah Brura 639:13,15-16 and kaf haChaim 639:33 the following applies for the five grains:

The bracha is said only if
1. one establishes his meal on these items by eating an amount three or four times the normal kibeitza
2. one normally eats a kibeitza or more of cake for breakfast (with coffee, etc.)
3. on Shabbos (Sabbath) or yomtov (holidays) when one may eat a kibeitza or more of cake after kiddush before the meal. (But not during the chol HaMoed [intermediate] days even though the prevalent custom is to make the bracha. [See Aruch haShulchan above.] If one does make the bracha on a weekday than one should sit awhile in the sukkah after eating in order to do some other activity.)
One does not make the bracha of “leishev baSukkah" when making havdala (the blessing marking the separating of Shabbos and yomtov from weekday. [O.Ch. 369:2 MB. #13.]

This is no way should be construed as limitations to the requirement of eating in the sukkah. That is a totally different discussion and in very many cases one would still be obligated to eat in the sukkah while being exempt from the bracha. [See paragraphs two and three above.]

		"Leishev baSukkah" by Rabbi Yitzchok D. Frankel Here are a few items concerning the bracha for sitting in a sukkah. These are issues that, I have found, are relatively unknown, yet fundamental to the correct performance of the mitzvah of sitting in the sukkah. As a preface it is important to know that not saying the bracha (blessing) before the performance of a mitzvah in no way hinders or obviates the fulfillment of that mitzvah. That is the reason that we make the bracha on the lulav and esrog (the four species) with the esrog upside down. One cannot fulfill the mitzvah of lulav if any of the four species is upside down. In this way we insure that the bracha is said first. If the mitzvah would not be done this way it is conceivable that one might take the lulav and esrog with the intention to fulfill the mitzvah and thereby lose the opportunity to make the bracha. (A bracha may not be said after the fulfillment of a mitzvah only before. The exceptions are immersion in a mikvah, lighting Shabbos and Yom Tov candles and washing before eating bread.) Another factor to be known is that when there is a question, in law, as to the need to say a bracha (a blessing) one is NOT said. The Torah requires all males over thirteen years old to leave their permanent dwelling and take up a temporary dwelling for seven days beginning with the fifteenth day of the Jewish month of Tishrei. In the case of sukkah, a biblical requirement prevents the eating of a minimum volume of certain foods outside the sukkah. There is unanimity concerning some items but there are differing opinions concerning others. The following are some of the practical rulings that result for making the bracha of "leishev baSukkah": Even if one is sleeping or doing other activities in the sukkah the bracha of “leishev baSukkah”(the blessing for sitting in the sukkah) is NOT said. It is only said before (or during) eating. [Shulchan Aruch (code of Jewish law) O.Ch. 639:8.] For one to be permitted to say the bracha of "leishev baSukkah" a minimum of a kibeitza (the volume of an egg calculated by the displacement of water. This volume equals to double that of a kizayis; the volume of an olive) must be eaten in the sukkah. [O.Ch. 639:2] The bracha of “leishev baSukkah" would be said, according to all opinions, when one is eating a kibeitza of bread. This bracha would also be said when one is eating a minimum of a kibeitza of food of the five grains (wheat, barley, rye oats, spelt) according to Aruch haShulchan 639:27 and according to an oral ruling of Harav Dovid Feinstein. According to Mishnah Brura 639:13,15-16 and kaf haChaim 639:33 the following applies for the five grains: The bracha is said only if one establishes his meal on these items by eating an amount three or four times the normal kibeitza one normally eats a kibeitza or more of cake for breakfast (with coffee, etc.) on Shabbos (Sabbath) or yomtov (holidays) when one may eat a kibeitza or more of cake after kiddush before the meal. (But not during the chol HaMoed [intermediate] days even though the prevalent custom is to make the bracha. [See Aruch haShulchan above.] If one does make the bracha on a weekday than one should sit awhile in the sukkah after eating in order to do some other activity.) One does not make the bracha of “leishev baSukkah" when making havdala (the blessing marking the separating of Shabbos and yomtov from weekday. [O.Ch. 369:2 MB. #13.] This is no way should be construed as limitations to the requirement of eating in the sukkah. That is a totally different discussion and in very many cases one would still be obligated to eat in the sukkah while being exempt from the bracha. [See paragraphs two and three above.]
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