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What do you do if it rains on the first or second night of Sukkos?
by Rabbi Yitzchok D. Frankel
While it is not within the scope of this article to deal with all the philosophical implications of rain on Sukkos, suffice it to say that our sages have told us that it is not a sign of blessing to be forced out of the sukkah. We pray, therefore, that this question remains in the field of the theoretical.
To properly understand the following answer, a number of fundamental points must be prefaced.
- To say birkas haMazon, at any time, a minimum of a kizayis (the volume of flour equal to the volume of an olive) must be eaten within approximately four minutes.
- For one to be permitted to say the bracha of "leishev baSukkah," a minimum of a kibeitza (the volume equals to double that of a kizayis) of bread or cake must be eaten in the sukkah.
- The bracha of "shehechiyanu" relates also to the sukkah; but only on the first night of Sukkos.
- The poskim disagree as to the requirements of eating in the sukkah on the first two nights of Sukkos if it is raining. The opinion of the Rama is that there is a requirement to eat a minimum of a kizayis in the sukkah, even in the rain, on the first two nights. Other poskim hold that the exemption of eating in the sukkah in the rain applies equally to all the days of Sukkos.
- The inability to make a bracha on a mitzvah does not affect the fulfillment of that mitzvah.
- We are strict whenever we have a doubt concerning the fulfillment of a biblical law.
- We do not make a bracha whenever we have a doubt concerning the correctness of that bracha.
- the requirement of kiddush can only be fulfilled at the place where the person is eating. Eating in this context requires either a kizayis of bread or food of the five grains (those items requiring the brocho of mezonos).
Response
- On the first night of Sukkos a married man or one eating with female family members or young children should wait approximately one hour to see if the rain will stop. If the rain continues he should go into the sukkah; say kiddush with "shehechiyanu," wash and eat at least a kizayis of bread in the rain. He should NOT say "leishev baSukkah." He may then complete his meal in the house. After the meal, he should wait until 1:04am DST(in NYC)* to see if the rain will stop. If the rain stops, he then washes, enters the sukkah again, says the brocho "leishev baSukkah," eats at least a kibeitza of bread and then says birkas haMazon.
- On the second night, if it rains, one need not wait at all and he may begin his meal immediately in the house. Kiddush with "shehechiyanu" is made in the house. This would even apply to a single person. At the end of the meal, before benching, even if it is still raining, he should eat a kizayis of bread in the sukka in the rain. Again, a bracha of "leishev baSukkah" is not said. A bracha of "shehechiyanu" is not needed for the sukkah on the second night. One may then go back into the house to bentch. According to many poskim, even on the second night, one should wait until 1:04am DST(in NYC)* to see if the rain stops. If the rain does stop then the procedure is the same as the first night.
- On all other days or nights of Sukkos, if the rain is so strong in the sukkah that if it was raining in the house a person would be driven out of his home to find other shelter, or if the rain is ruining his food, preventing him from eating, he need not eat in the sukka. If one has already started his meal inside, and the rain stops, he may complete his meal in the house.
- The above procedures incorporate the need to have kiddush at the same locale where the meal is taking place when everyone eating eats together. This issue needs to be clarified for the female members of the family when they choose not to eat in the sukkah while it is raining.
:תומוקמ הארמ
א"עקס צ"השכו ו"לו ה"לקס םש כ"מכו ה"ס ט"לרת ןמיס ךורע ןחלש
ד"כ ןמיס א"ח ח"ואח השמ תורגא*
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