Sukkah 023

1:
We come now to the last mishnah of chapter 2, which is also the last mishnah that deals specifically with the rules and regulations concerning residence in the sukkah during the festival.

2:
We have established many times that the mitzvah of sukkah requires us to reside in the sukkah throughout the seven days of the festival of Sukkot. (The so-called 'eighth day' of the festival is, in fact, a separate festival, Shemini Atzeret, and none of the mitzvot that are specific to the festival of Sukkot apply to Shemini Atzeret.) But a sukkah is, by definition and intent, a flimsy structure. At the very outset of our study of this tractate we saw that the main criterion for the sukkah is that it afford shade from the sun. A sukkah is not designed or intended to withstand all kinds of weather.

3:
Our mishnah consists of two clauses. The first clause is self-explanatory and, in fact, sums up what we have learned throughout the first two chapters of this tractate: we are to treat our sukkah as our main place of abode: a place where we take our meals and sleep. It should also be the place where we receive our guests and where we study Torah. In addition, all our spare time, all our relaxation, should be spent in the sukkah. (We have noted that for the past several hundred years sleeping in the sukkah seems to have gone out of fashion.)

4:
Nevertheless, circumstances are sure to arise which will make this kind of fulfillment of the mitzvah either impossible or extremely unpleasant. Sukkot is what the sages called 'the season of our rejoicing' so continuing to fulfill the mitzvah even in circumstances that are extremely unpleasant would be defeating the ethos of the festival. Concerning the festival of Sukkot the Torah [Deuteronomy 16:13-15] emphasizes this aspect of the festival:

5:
The most likely cause of untoward disruption during the festival is a shower of rain. In Eretz-Israel there are two main periods of rain, called in the Torah [Deuteronomy 11:14] "the earlier rains and the later rains". The later rains fall during the late winter and very early spring; they are usually soft showers. The earlier rains fall during the onset of autumn. Indeed, during the period of the second Bet Mikdash the need for abundant rainfall became one of the major concerns at this time of the year.

6:
Actually praying for rain was only postponed until Shemini Atzeret so that we would not be asking for a boon on Sukkot which would spoil the happy aspect of the festival. When these early rains did not fall as expected drought would ensue so fast days were instituted to beg for rain. The very first mishnah of Tractate Ta'anit reads, partially, as follows:

7:
These earlier rains are called in Hebrew yoreh, from the verb to shoot. This is because they shoot down in heavy, drenching showers. In Sukkah 005, explanation 34, we learned:

The s^ekhakh must not be so dense that you can't see the stars through it. If it is so thick that you can't see the stars this does not invalidate the sukkah, but if also it would not permit the rain to penetrate then it does invalidate the sukkah.

So, one of the ways in which the sukkah reminds us of God's providential care is through the unwelcome rain getting through the s^ekhakh and dripping on us while we are in the sukkah.

8:
The second clause of our mishnah seeks to determine at what point the rain dripping into the sukkah would make the situation extremely unpleasant. The criterion offered is that the food on the festive table would be spoiled.

9:
We know that in the time of the sages comparatively little meat was eaten. On Shabbat and YomTov the main course was usually fish accompanied by a vegetable soup which was thick with vegetables. If the rain coming into the sukkah is so strong that it is spoiling the vegetable stew the time has come to admit the impossibility of continuing to dine in the sukkah with rejoicing and happiness.

10:
The homily at the end of our mishnah is quite out of character. Rain on Sukkot is seen as a sign of divine displeasure. Why would God, who commanded us to live happily in the sukkah, prevent us from doing so if there were not some reason for displeasure? The sages give an example from their own culture: a servant approaches his master and pours wine into his glass. During festive meals wine was drunk together with the food and a special servant was appointed to ensure that all the diners had a full glass of wine at the ready. Instead of acknowledging the action of the servant with thanks the master throws water from a jug in the servant's face.