Sukkos for Women - Rabbi Menachem Mendel Harel

00:02 Speaker 1 You are listening to the “Lemaan Yishme’u” podcast from Machon Halacha Chabad.

00:09 Speaker 2 The holy Torah says: “You shall dwell in sukkos for seven days; every citizen of Israel shall dwell in sukkos, so that your generations will know that I caused the Children of Israel to dwell in sukkos when I brought them out of the land of Egypt.” The mitzvah of sukkah is a very special mitzvah that Hakadosh Boruch Hu gave the Jewish people. He asks that when a person sits in a sukkah, he also know why he is sitting there. That is why the Alter Rebbe sets out this law of the mitzvah of dwelling in a sukkah in detail in section 625: “So that your generations will know that I caused the Children of Israel to dwell in sukkos when I brought them out of the land of Egypt.” Therefore, when sitting in the sukkah, every person must have in mind that he is doing so to fulfill the mitzvah of Hakadosh Boruch Hu, Who commanded us to dwell in a sukkah in remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt. The Rebbe points out that this is part of the very essence of the mitzvah of dwelling in a sukkah. On the first night, when a person actually fulfills the mitzvah of sitting in the sukkah, he must also have in mind the meaning of the mitzvah, as we mentioned. If he did not, something is lacking in the essence of his fulfillment of the mitzvah. Dwelling in a sukkah is a time-bound positive mitzvah, and we have a rule that women are exempt from time-bound positive mitzvos. Therefore, women are not obligated to sit in a sukkah. A woman may, however, fulfill the mitzvah of dwelling in a sukkah, and she may also recite the blessing over sitting in the sukkah: “Who has sanctified us with His mitzvos and commanded us to dwell in the sukkah.” But when we speak about the mitzvah of dwelling in a sukkah, it is very important to know that, whether it is a man fulfilling the mitzvah or a woman who wishes to fulfill it and recite the blessing, the sukkah must be kosher for them to be able to recite the blessing. Not everything that looks like a sukkah is actually a kosher sukkah. Halacha sets conditions that a sukkah must meet to be kosher: how to build it and how to place the s’chach on it. For either a man

02:46 Speaker 2 or a woman to recite the blessing “to dwell in the sukkah,” they must make sure that it is indeed a kosher sukkah. Since we are discussing a woman’s fulfillment of mitzvos here, let us emphasize that although a woman is not obligated to sit in a sukkah—she could just as well sit in the house—if she wants to recite the blessing “to dwell in the sukkah,” she must make sure that the sukkah she enters, where she eats and recites the blessing “Who has sanctified us with His mitzvos and commanded us to dwell in the sukkah,” is fit for that blessing. So we will spend a few minutes discussing what makes a sukkah kosher. I will not go into the various cases in which a sukkah is not kosher and their practical implications. Instead, we will discuss the general rules for making sure the sukkah we sit in is kosher from the outset. For further details about cases after the fact and so on, one should consult a book—there is the Halacha Lemaaseh volume for Tishrei, which contains the laws of sukkos and the entire festival of Sukkos. One can also ask a rabbi. So we will not deal with additional details now, but with the right way to build a sukkah so that it is kosher from the outset. The order of building a sukkah is to build the walls first and then put on the s’chach. If the s’chach was put on before the walls were built—for example, with sukkos commonly used today, one can build a frame, but if only the basic frame was built, the s’chach was put on immediately afterward, and only then were the walls made—that sukkah is not kosher. The order must be to make the walls, creating the structure, so to speak, and then cover it with s’chach. A sukkah that is kosher from the outset has two complete walls and another tefach of a third wall. The Chabad practice from the outset is to have three walls and a fourth wall. Of course, it is best if the walls are made entirely of wood, so that the sukkah is

05:12 Speaker 2 sturdy and can stand properly throughout the days of the festival. But one can also make a sukkah using lavud. Let us go through this in stages. At the very least, a wall must be ten tefachim high, which is eighty centimeters. In any case, the walls must reach eighty centimeters above the ground. As noted, from the outset there should be three walls ten tefachim high, plus one wall a tefach wide and ten tefachim high. If it is not possible to make the walls out of wood or the like, the sukkah can also be made with walls using lavud. This means taking rigid material that does not move in the wind—very strong ropes or wooden slats—and making walls from the ground up to a height of ten tefachim, eighty centimeters, with no gap of more than three tefachim between one slat and the next, or between one rope and the next. Place one at the bottom, then another rope or slat within three tefachim above it, and continue in this way until reaching a height of eighty centimeters, or ten tefachim. These are considered kosher walls for a kosher sukkah. Making a sukkah with only fabric wrapped around it calls the validity of the entire sukkah into question according to many halachic authorities. But once we have made at least walls using lavud, and they are properly secured and sturdy, we can add fabric around them for privacy, so people outside cannot see what is happening inside. The fabric, though, is not the essential thing; the walls are. After making the walls, we put on the s’chach. The s’chach must be kosher. Kosher s’chach means material that grew from the ground and has been detached from it: branches cut from living trees, such as palm branches, reeds, or branches from various kinds of trees. The main thing is not to use branches that give off a bad smell or shed into the food, because that creates a problem with the s’chach. Today it is possible to buy S’chach LaNetzach

07:53 Speaker 2 with a reliable hechsher, so there are no questions about its kashrus, and that is good too. But it is always preferable and fitting to have some fresh branches along with that s’chach. We see that the Rebbe’s sukkah was covered with fresh, green s’chach. A great deal of s’chach was put on the Rebbe’s sukkah—not by the Rebbe himself, but a great deal of s’chach was put on his sukkah. Between the frame of the walls and the s’chach, pieces of wood—what are commonly called slats today—are placed, and the s’chach rests on them. When the sukkah has been built properly and in the right order, and it is sturdy enough to withstand an ordinary wind, it is a kosher sukkah, and a man or woman who enters it can recite the blessing “Who has sanctified us with His mitzvos and commanded us to dwell in the sukkah.” Therefore, a woman who wants to have the opportunity to recite the blessing “to dwell in the sukkah” must make sure that the sukkah she enters is indeed kosher. Generally, in most places where there are observant Jews, people know the laws and build the sukkah according to halacha. But sometimes people make mistakes through lack of knowledge. So, first, before the festival, if possible, we should help them understand how to build the sukkah in the right order. And if a question arises during the festival about whether they built it correctly, we should check and make sure that everything was done according to halacha and that the sukkah is fit to use. Again, there is no problem for women to sit even in a place that is not a sukkah at all. But if a woman wants to recite the blessing, the sukkah must be fit for the blessing. When do we recite the blessing “to dwell in the sukkah”? Of course, when making Kiddush or Havdalah. Our custom is to recite the blessing “to dwell in the sukkah” at Havdalah as well. When a person sits down to a meal with bread, he also recites the blessing “to dwell in the sukkah.” When someone enters the sukkah to eat or drink something whose blessing is Shehakol or Mezonos, this is where we need to pay attention. Regarding drinks

10:35 Speaker 2 We recite the blessing “Leishev Basukkah” only when a person sits down to eat a food whose blessing is Mezonos in a quantity of a kebeitzah—56 grams. Only then do we recite “Leishev Basukkah.” But if someone eats only a little Mezonos, a biscuit or a small piece of cake, or, of course, if they only drink, they do not recite “Leishev Basukkah.” When drinking wine or grape juice on its own, not as part of Kiddush, in practice we do not recite “Leishev Basukkah.” But if someone wants to recite the blessing when drinking wine or grape juice, they should accompany it with 56 grams of Mezonos, as mentioned, so they can recite “Leishev Basukkah.” Someone who ate or drank in the sukkah and recited “Leishev Basukkah,” then stepped out for a moment, went into the house, came back and continued eating, does not recite it again. But if they left their place, finished the meal, went out and returned after some time to eat again, they recite “Leishev Basukkah” again. We recite “Leishev Basukkah” after the blessing over the food and before eating. When reciting “Leishev Basukkah,” the Rebbe’s custom was to look at the s’chach, then finish the blessing and eat the food over which we recited Mezonos; or, at Kiddush, to drink the Kiddush wine; or, when reciting Hamotzi, to eat the piece of bread. We must treat the sukkah with respect, so we need to be careful not to do anything undignified in it. For example, a trash can should not be placed inside the sukkah. Dirty dishes should not be left in the sukkah, nor should dishes be washed there. Rather, as soon as we finish using them, we take them out of the sukkah. So a good suggestion, if you want a trash can near the sukkah, is one of two things: if the sukkah is large, leave a space at its edge that is not part of the sukkah, a space

13:14 Speaker 2 that is not covered by s’chach, and use that as the place for disposing of trash. Ideally, this space should be arranged so that you do not have to carry the trash through the sukkah to reach it; it should be at the edge, near the entrance. Better still, especially if the sukkah is small, is to place the trash can outside, next to the sukkah. Then you can promptly take the trash from the sukkah to the can outside. And, of course, all the dishes should be taken out and washed outside the sukkah. One of the most important mitzvos of Sukkos is taking the lulav, with all four species together: the lulav, with the hadassim and aravos bound to it, and, of course, the esrog. Taking the lulav is a time-bound positive mitzvah, so according to the basic law, women are exempt from it. But if a woman wishes to fulfill the mitzvah, she may do so. If a woman buys her own set of the Four Species and wants to be able to recite the blessing over them, she needs to make sure they are kosher. She should therefore buy them from a G-d-fearing person who can help her choose kosher Four Species, and so that there will be no question or doubt about their validity due to other laws that may apply, such as those concerning theft. When a woman wants to recite the blessing over the Four Species, the species need to be bound together. Our custom is to bind them on the eve of the festival. That was the Rebbe’s custom: to bind the Four Species in the sukkah on the eve of the festival. If the woman knows how to do it herself, that is good. If not, she should have someone who knows how do it for her. The Rebbe’s custom was to buy a set of the Four Species for the Rebbetzin as well as the set he bought for himself. When the first day of Sukkos falls on a weekday, we take

15:29 Speaker 2 the lulav in the sukkah in the morning. Before taking the lulav, we should check that it is still kosher. There should be no reason for it to become invalid so quickly, but we should look and see that it is green and closed, that the aravos are there and that the hadassim are there. We carefully take out the esrog and place it near where we will recite the blessing. We hold the lulav in the right hand, with its spine facing us. We recite, “Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning taking the lulav.” After that, we take the esrog, recite Shehecheyanu after the blessing, bring them together and shake them in the prescribed order. The Rebbe writes in Hayom Yom that when giving someone else the lulav to recite the blessing over it, particularly on the first day—and this applies mainly to the first day—we say that it is being given as a gift on condition that it be returned. With a woman, because there are certain questions, particularly in the case of a married woman, it is advisable to say that it is a gift on condition that it be returned, in accordance with what halachah requires, to avoid certain questions and doubts. When a woman takes the lulav to recite the blessing over it, ideally she should remove anything that separates her hands from it. Gloves, certainly, and it is also appropriate to remove rings so that she holds the lulav directly in her hand, with no barrier. Regarding lighting candles for Sukkos: when the festival falls on a weekday, although it is permitted to transfer a flame from an existing flame, it is still very important to light the candles before sunset, as we do on Shabbos. When lighting the candles, we recite the blessings “to kindle the Yom Tov light” and Shehecheyanu. However, a woman who makes Kiddush for herself should not recite Shehecheyanu when lighting candles; she should recite it during Kiddush. Of course, if the first day of Sukkos falls on Shabbos, all the laws of Shabbos apply, including the prohibition against transferring a flame from an existing flame. The candles must certainly be lit before sunset, as on every Shabbos. Ideally, the candles should be lit in the sukkah, where

18:08 Speaker 2 the Shabbos or Yom Tov meal is eaten. But if there is a safety concern, they may be lit inside the house. It would be good to light them somewhere near the sukkah, where the candles can be seen during the meal. If that is not possible, it is advisable for one of the women or girls to eat something inside the house near the candles, so that there is also an element of eating near the Shabbos candles. A woman who did not light before sunset on a Yom Tov that falls on a weekday should light close to Kiddush time, of course, transferring a flame from an existing flame rather than creating a new one. If the first day of Sukkos falls on a Thursday, before Shabbos, an eruv tavshilin must be made. Usually, that is the husband’s responsibility. Even if the woman is home alone—her husband has traveled to the Rebbe, or is away for any other reason—she needs to make an eruv tavshilin herself. The purpose of the eruv tavshilin is to permit us, by setting it aside, to make all the necessary preparations on Yom Tov for Shabbos. It is best to make the eruv tavshilin on the eve of the festival, even before midday. It can be done in the morning. We take bread and a hard-boiled egg. If there is no hard-boiled egg, we can also use a can of tuna or any other cooked food, and recite: “Blessed are You, Hashem, our G-d, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning the mitzvah of eruv.” Then we say the text stating that, through this, we are permitted to light a candle, bake and cook, and do everything needed for Shabbos on Yom Tov, for ourselves and for all the Jews who live in this city. When Rosh Hashanah falls on Thursday and Friday, or whenever Yom Tov falls immediately before Shabbos, it is worth setting a reminder on your phone or asking someone to remind you, so you do not forget. Why? Because if you forgot to make an eruv tavshilin, you may not do any preparations on Yom Tov

20:53 Speaker 2 for Shabbos. Sometimes there is a provision for this: the rabbi has acquired an eruv on behalf of others, who can then rely on his eruv. But halachah says that this does not always help. So do not put off making the eruv until late on the eve of Yom Tov; do it at the first opportunity. The challah and the food used for the eruv tavshilin must be kept in a safe place until Shabbos. Only as long as they remain there is it permitted to prepare food on Yom Tov for Shabbos. So put the challah somewhere safe, seal it well in a bag, and keep the other food safely in the refrigerator, so that it will still be there for Shabbos. Then, on Shabbos, we can eat it. But during Yom Tov, we do not eat either that challah or that dish. As mentioned, if the husband is home, he makes the eruv tavshilin himself. If he is not home, the wife can certainly make it. But only someone above bar or bas mitzvah age can do so. A child, even one who is mature and bright, cannot acquire the eruv on behalf of others if he is below that age. It is important to bear this in mind: even if the father has traveled to the Rebbe and his twelve-year-old son is at home and is bright and capable, that is not enough. In that case, the mother should make the eruv tavshilin. We should remember that each day, ushpizin—guests—come to the sukkah. There are the general ushpizin mentioned in the Zohar: Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Moshe, Aharon, Yosef, and David. The Frierdiker Rebbe revealed that our Rebbeim, beginning with the Baal Shem Tov, are the Chassidic ushpizin who visit the sukkah together with the general ushpizin. Every year, the Rebbe would return to explaining the significance of the ushpizin, the connections between them in Nigleh and Chassidus, and the lessons they teach in serving Hashem. So beyond simply remembering them, it is worthwhile to study

23:31 Speaker 2 and review the Rebbe’s sichos, or at least their main points, about who the ushpizin are each night and what they represent in Torah and in serving Hashem. The Rebbe also said that these ushpizin are present at Simchas Beis Hashoeivah; they see the celebration and the people dancing, and so on. The Rebbe says that all the ushpizin come together, but each night one of them, so to speak, sits at the head and leads the ushpizin that night. On the first night, they are Avraham Avinu and the Baal Shem Tov; on the second night, Yitzchak Avinu and the Maggid of Mezritch; and so on. Our custom is not to sleep in the sukkah. On the one hand, we are careful to eat and drink in the sukkah—even water we do not drink outside it. As mentioned, however, women need not be stringent about this, since by the basic law they are not obligated in the mitzvah of dwelling in the sukkah at all, and they may therefore eat and drink outside it. On the other hand, our custom is not to sleep in the sukkah at all. The Torah says, “You shall rejoice on your festival.” “There is no rejoicing except with meat,” and “There is no rejoicing except with wine.” This applies especially to Sukkos, for which the Torah repeatedly emphasizes rejoicing. We should therefore take care to eat beef during the festival and throughout Chol Hamoed. Someone who cannot eat beef should at least eat poultry, and should also drink a revi’is of wine; women should drink a revi’is of grape juice, to fulfill the mitzvah of “You shall rejoice on your festival.” Regarding participation in Simchas Beis Hashoeivah, the Rebbe mentioned that women participate by watching the celebration, but in a way that maintains proper tznius and also helps the men observe the standards of tznius. This is always very important, but especially at a time of celebration, so that there should not, G-d forbid, be a breach of the boundaries of tznius, and so that a celebration of holiness should not inadvertently turn into revelry. Regarding Chol Hamoed, our Sages of blessed memory say that the festivals were given to the Jewish people only so that

26:03 Speaker 2 they could sit and study Torah. The whole purpose of the festival is to engage in Torah. Our Sages also said, “One who desecrates sacred things and disrespects the festivals,” and so on; G-d forbid, very severe things are written about this. The halachic authorities explained that the whole purpose of Chol Hamoed is for the Jewish people—men, women, and children—to be at home, rejoicing in and taking pleasure in the festivals Hashem has given them, as it says, “These are the appointed times of Hashem, holy convocations.” That means engaging in holy matters, in Torah study. This is also why, as we know, our Sages prohibited work during Chol Hamoed. To appreciate even more deeply what is expected of a Jew, and of the Jewish people, on the festivals, the halachic authorities wrote that if people are sitting around engaging in revelry, perhaps it would have been better to let them go back to work on Chol Hamoed rather than have them behave that way and, G-d forbid, bring about the opposite of a kiddush Hashem. Of course, in practice, they did not change the ruling of our Sages that work is forbidden on Chol Hamoed. They said this only to make clear how important it is to engage in holy matters, to refrain from work that is not needed for the festival, and to rejoice in Hashem’s festivals during these days. Therefore, work that is not needed for the festival is not done on Chol Hamoed. Sometimes people, including girls, ask whether they may study secular subjects for exams on Chol Hamoed, work on spelling assignments, or practice for an English or math test, and the like. The answer is that, ideally, time on Chol Hamoed should certainly be devoted to Torah study and to studying the matters of the festival. But if there is a great deal of pressure and the person or girl cannot sit with peace of mind, studying secular subjects on Chol Hamoed can be permitted. Writing things down, though, or practicing exercises or writing, cannot be done on Chol Hamoed. Laundry is also prohibited on Chol Hamoed. A person should prepare enough clothes before the festival for all the days of Chol Hamoed, so that there will be no need

28:52 Speaker 2 to deal with laundry and the like. But the clothes of very young children, who constantly soil their clothes, may be washed on Chol Hamoed. The same applies if there is a concern that leaving a garment dirty until after the festival will ruin it—for example, if it is soiled by a small child’s bodily waste, which would also leave a very bad smell, or if it might grow moldy, and so on. In such a case, the garment may certainly be washed on Chol Hamoed to prevent irreversible damage. Of course, if the children run out of clothes, their clothes may be washed. Similarly, if someone, even an adult man or woman, runs out of undergarments—clothes that absorb sweat—or if the kitchen runs out of towels, those items may be washed on Chol Hamoed. The same applies if a person runs out of clothes altogether: he thought he had enough, but it suddenly became very hot and he changed clothes every day. If he does not have enough clothes left to last until the end of the festival, he may wash what he needs for the festival on Chol Hamoed, but no more than that. The same rule applies to ironing. If clothes have been taken out and are wrinkled from the wash, so that they cannot be worn as they are, one may iron what is needed in honor of the festival, even on Chol Hamoed. It is recorded in the customs that the Maharil[?] would wear Yom Tov clothes, Shabbos clothes, on Chol Hamoed. This custom is cited in halachah: on Chol Hamoed, we do not wear ordinary weekday clothes. Rather, in honor of the festival, we wear Shabbos clothes, Yom Tov clothes, respectable clothes, thereby showing respect for Hashem’s festivals. All sewing is prohibited on Chol Hamoed. If, for example, a person’s pants tear and he has no other pants, he may do some simple sewing. By simple sewing, we mean sewing

31:24 Speaker 2 One that will not last long. In other words, first, sew in a way that differs from the usual method. Second, it should not be stitching meant to last, but temporary stitching that will have to be redone after the festival. So too, if a button that fastens a shirt, pants, or jacket falls off, one may sew it on loosely, just enough to hold it, in a way that will require it to be sewn on properly and neatly after the festival. Since laundry is not done on Chol Hamoed, the same applies to professionally washing and styling a wig. Just as we do not do laundry on Chol Hamoed, we do not wash a wig on Chol Hamoed. So a woman who wants her wig to be clean for the festival should have it washed before Chol Hamoed. As for various beauty treatments, in general, as we said earlier, it is best to take care of everything before the festival. But if an urgent need arises during the festival for the sake of a woman’s appearance, which also relates to honoring the festival, she may have those treatments during Chol Hamoed. We mentioned earlier, and will mention again, that a woman may have any treatments related to her appearance on Chol Hamoed, including a haircut. We said that ideally she should do this before the festival, but if it affects her modesty and so on, she may also have the hair she urgently needs to have cut trimmed on Chol Hamoed. A young child who did not manage to get a haircut before Chol Hamoed may have one during Chol Hamoed. The decree our Sages made against getting a haircut during Chol Hamoed applies only to someone old enough to understand and prepare for the festival. They did not apply this decree to a young child, who cannot prepare himself physically for the festival, including by getting a

33:45 Speaker 2 haircut. Therefore, if for some reason a young child did not get a haircut before Chol Hamoed, and it is clear that he cannot go through the festival with his hair as it is because he looks really unkempt, he may have a haircut during Chol Hamoed. As for an upsherin, even though it involves a young child, the custom is to hold the haircut only after Chol Hamoed. If it is Chol Hamoed Pesach, then of course they wait until Lag BaOmer and hold the haircut then, as is customary on the day of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai’s rejoicing. Someone who wants to rent a car for travel during Chol Hamoed may do so, since this too is considered a festival need, and anything needed for the festival may be done during Chol Hamoed. As we said earlier, in general it is best to avoid weekday work during Chol Hamoed. But if there is a pressing need to finish some work on a computer—and I emphasize a computer specifically, because according to many halachic authorities, using a computer is not considered actual writing—then in pressing circumstances, as we mentioned and defined earlier, one may type up assignments and the like that need to be finished. Printing, however, is forbidden on Chol Hamoed, even printing a copy to check it. In general, it is important to know that although I have mentioned a basis for permitting this, the permission is not entirely straightforward. Ideally, a G-d-fearing person who understands the significance of Chol Hamoed should certainly refrain from writing, especially about weekday matters, on Chol Hamoed. It is important to emphasize that when we speak of work that is forbidden during Chol Hamoed, we mean work in the usual sense. But anything connected with preparing food is certainly permitted during Chol Hamoed. Everything—cooking, grinding, baking, roasting, and so on. There is no restriction on preparing food during Chol Hamoed, and we do not say, “You could have

36:17 Speaker 2 prepared it before the festival.” On the contrary, during Chol Hamoed one may prepare everything needed, and in abundance, without any limit on the preparation of food. As for watering plants, one may water plants or a garden on Chol Hamoed, because they might dry out if they are not watered. But treatments intended to improve the plants or the garden are not done on Chol Hamoed. One may also immerse utensils on Chol Hamoed. That is, if someone bought new utensils and wants to use them, there is no problem taking them to a keilim mikveh and immersing them as required so they can be used. A grocery store, supermarket, or similar store that sells food may operate on Chol Hamoed, so a woman who works as a cashier may work there on Chol Hamoed. Of course, it is advisable and appropriate to ask the store or supermarket management for a day or two off so that she can celebrate the festival with her family. But under the laws of work on Chol Hamoed, working as a grocery cashier is permitted. With other businesses that do not sell food, one should certainly avoid working on Chol Hamoed if possible, unless the person is liable to lose their livelihood. In general, if possible, it is right and desirable to explain to the owners responsible for the store that it is in their own best interests not to open a store that does not need to operate on Chol Hamoed. Their blessing comes from observing Hashem’s festivals. This refers, of course, to a store that does not sell food. It does not apply to a food store, whose products are needed for the festival. Such stores need to operate so people can buy what they need to rejoice on Chol Hamoed and celebrate Hashem’s festivals with the enjoyment of food and drink. Another situation in which a store may open on Chol Hamoed is when the person who owns the

38:45 Speaker 2 business would otherwise have nothing to eat during the festival. He lives day to day, as they say, and if the store does not operate, he will have nothing to eat or drink. In that case, opening the store is itself a festival need. The same applies to an employee. If he has nothing to eat or drink, he will lose out on the festival. This is not just a question of what will happen after the festival—which, as we said, can also be considered a potential loss. Here, during the festival itself, he will not have enough money to buy food or treats for the children and make them happy. Certainly, in such a situation, a person may work on Chol Hamoed. Our Sages, of blessed memory, said regarding Chol Hamoed that we do not mix one celebration with another. For this reason, weddings are not held during Chol Hamoed, so that a person can rejoice in the festival itself. A wedding would add another celebration to the joy of the festival, so weddings are not held during Chol Hamoed. There is, however, one kind of wedding that may be held on Chol Hamoed: when a man remarries his former wife. That is, if a couple divorced and later reconciled and want to marry again, they may hold their wedding on Chol Hamoed itself. Similarly, when a couple have finalized a shidduch, mazal tov, our custom nowadays is generally to hold a meal when a shidduch is finalized. On Chol Hamoed, however, they do not hold a full meal. They can have a small l’chaim with mezonos, fruit, and drinks and celebrate, but not a full meal. They should hold the full meal after Chol Hamoed. During Chol Hamoed, they can finalize the shidduch and say l’chaim with a little mezonos, sweets, and fruit. The last day of Sukkos, beginning with the night of Hoshana Rabbah—the night and day of Hoshana Rabbah—is the day of the final sealing,

41:08 Speaker 2 That is why Hoshana Rabbah has special customs: on the night of Hoshana Rabbah, we read the Book of Devarim, and after midnight we recite the entire Book of Tehillim. There is also a special Yehi Ratzon said that night, which appears at the end of Tehillim. After reciting the Tikkun, the custom is for the gabbaim to distribute apples and honey, which are eaten in the sukkah. Since the gabbaim cannot distribute apples and honey to the women, a husband can bring some to his wife. The custom is to have a meal on Hoshana Rabbah. At that meal, our custom is to wash our hands, dip the piece of bread used for Hamotzi in honey, and eat kreplach, as we discussed regarding Erev Yom Kippur. So on Erev Simchas Torah, which is Hoshana Rabbah, the custom is also to eat kreplach—meat-filled dough pockets. As mentioned, Hoshana Rabbah is the day when the judgment is sealed, and that is why it has special customs. We mentioned the recitation of the Tikkun: unlike the Tikkun for the night of Shavuos, women may also recite the Tikkun for the night of Hoshana Rabbah. In practice, we see women coming and reciting Tehillim together with the congregation, in the women’s section, of course. In the morning, after Shacharis and the special Hoshanos for Hoshana Rabbah, the custom is to strike five willow branches against the ground to sweeten the judgments. This is a custom of the Prophets. The custom is for women, too, to strike the willows and say the text printed in the siddurim for the striking of the willows. We strike the willows—the Hoshanos, as they are called—against the ground five times, no more. The Hoshanos are then set aside. The rabbi sets them aside on the floor. There is no reason to throw the Hoshanos onto the Aron Kodesh. The main thing is not to treat them disrespectfully. The Hoshanos are kept until Erev Pesach, when they are burned during the burning of the chametz, together with the remaining Four Species—the lulav, willows, and myrtles. As mentioned, we have a meal on Hoshana Rabbah.

43:26 Speaker 2 Ideally, this meal should be held before midday. As we said earlier, the piece of bread used for Hamotzi is dipped in honey. Afterward, we daven Minchah. In general, there is a reason to give more tzedakah on Hoshana Rabbah, as on Erev Yom Kippur. At Minchah on Hoshana Rabbah, we say the psalm “Ledavid Hashem Ori Veyishi” as part of the davening for the last time that year. Before Sukkos ends and Simchas Torah begins, there is a custom to go into the sukkah and eat something, as a way of saying farewell to it before the mitzvah of sukkah ends with the arrival of Simchas Torah. In Eretz Yisroel, Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah are on the same day. On Simchas Torah, we do not eat in the sukkah. Why? So that it should not look like adding to the mitzvah. The Torah said seven days; we do not add another day. But if, for some reason, a person has nowhere else to eat, then before Yom Tov begins, he should make an opening in the schach measuring four by four tefachim. Four tefachim is thirty-two centimeters, so it is clear that he has diminished the sukkah and that he is not sitting there to fulfill the mitzvah of sukkah. Immediately after Sukkos come Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah. Outside Eretz Yisroel, Shemini Atzeres is one day of Yom Tov and Simchas Torah is another. Of course, they are connected, but in Eretz Yisroel, Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah are on the same day. On Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah, we rejoice with the Torah, and the Torah rejoices with us. Of course, the rejoicing must follow the Torah’s rules. If, when discussing Simchas Beis Hashoeivah, we mentioned the need to observe the rules of modesty, then certainly on Simchas Torah, when the Sefer Torah is out, we must take care not to behave in any disrespectful way in its presence. Along with the joy, there must be great reverence, and we must safeguard the sanctity of the Sifrei Torah. The Rebbe rejects the practice of bringing a Sefer Torah into the women’s section for women to

45:29 Speaker 2 dance with it on their own. The Rebbe rejects this entirely. So, of course, it is out of the question to follow that practice. Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah follow all the laws of Yom Tov: candles are lit before Yom Tov begins, with the blessings “Lehadlik Ner Shel Yom Tov” and “Shehecheyanu.” Afterward, there is Kiddush. On Simchas Torah, too, anyone who wants to eat must first hear Kiddush. So if the custom is to have a meal in shul in order to continue the hakafos, care must be taken that the women hear Kiddush—someone should make Kiddush and fulfill their obligation for them. If a woman arrives after Kiddush has been made, she should make Kiddush herself. Care must also be taken to eat a Yom Tov meal with fish and meat. Shemini Atzeres is Yom Tov, and the requirement of “you shall rejoice” applies to it, so the laws of the Yom Tov meal apply as well. Regarding men, too, the Rebbe warns against violating the restriction on drinking mashke—that is, not to drink more than a revi’is. Particular care is needed when carrying Sifrei Torah, both out of respect for their sanctity and to prevent, G-d forbid, anything untoward from happening to them. Women certainly should not drink alcoholic beverages—not wine, and certainly not other strong drink—especially at a time like this, when it could lead to conduct that is entirely inappropriate. On the day of Simchas Torah, we finish reading the Torah. Our custom is to hold the hakafos after Shacharis, before the Torah reading, and then read from the Torah. We complete the Book of Devarim by reading Parshas Vezos Haberachah, and immediately afterward begin the Book of Bereishis. We connect the beginning to the end and the end to the beginning by reading the first section of Parshas Bereishis. After

47:33 Speaker 2 that comes Yizkor, the remembrance of souls. As we mentioned, the practical expression of remembering souls is to give tzedakah for the souls of those who have passed away. After Musaf, we eat the Yom Tov meal. The Rebbe instituted that on each of the three pilgrimage festivals and on Rosh Hashanah, a farbrengen with washing for bread should be held after Minchah, where matters connected with the festival are discussed. At these farbrengens, the Rebbe generally speaks about increasing one’s regular Torah-study sessions, giving tzedakah to Keren Hashanah, and all matters connected with rejoicing in the Torah—that is, increasing one’s study of Chitas, Rambam, and so on. After Simchas Torah comes Isru Chag. Although work is not prohibited on Isru Chag, the custom is to have a special meal. Our Sages said that whoever marks Isru Chag with eating and drinking is considered by Scripture as though he had built an altar and offered a sacrifice upon it. They cite the verse, “Bind the festival offering with cords to the corners of the altar.” So there is a reason to have an additional meal that day, to show our affection for Hashem’s festivals and appointed times. At Musaf on Shemini Atzeres, we begin saying “Mashiv haruach umorid hageshem.” We recite the prayer for rain, a very special prayer, and from that davening onward we change from “Morid hatal” to “Mashiv haruach umorid hageshem.” But someone who made a mistake and said “Morid hatal” instead of “Mashiv haruach” does not repeat the Amidah. So from Musaf onward—and, of course, at Minchah and at Maariv after Yom Tov—we say “Mashiv haruach umorid hageshem” until Musaf on the first day of Pesach. We do not, however, change “Vesein brachah” to “Vesein tal umatar livrachah” until 7 Cheshvan; until then, we continue saying “Vesein brachah.” On 7 Cheshvan, we change and begin saying “Vesein tal umatar livrachah.” This differs from Pesach. On Pesach, as soon as we begin saying “Morid hatal,” we also say “Vesein brachah.” But on Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah, when we begin saying “Mashiv haruach umorid hageshem,”

49:53 Speaker 2 the change to “Vesein tal umatar livrachah” does not take effect as well—only on 7 Cheshvan, as mentioned above.