{"id":10963,"date":"2001-01-02T00:02:57","date_gmt":"2001-01-01T22:02:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/?p=10963"},"modified":"2022-07-31T14:01:09","modified_gmt":"2022-07-31T11:01:09","slug":"13-02-02","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/13-02-02\/","title":{"rendered":"02. What Materials May Be Used for Sekhakh?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The <em>sekhakh<\/em> is the primary component of the <em>sukka<\/em>; after all, it gives the <em>sukka<\/em> its name. <em>Sekhakh<\/em> must meet the following three requirements:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>It must be made from plant matter.<\/li>\n<li>It must be detached from its source.<\/li>\n<li>It must not have been processed in a way that renders it susceptible to <em>tum\u2019a<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Let us explain further.<\/p>\n<p>The first requirement is that the <em>sekhakh <\/em>must be made from something that grew from the ground, that is, plant matter, like trees and shrubs. Metal, dirt, and plastic, though they originate in the ground, are invalid, as they do not grow. Animal skins are not considered to have grown from the ground, even though they are from animals that were nourished by the earth.<\/p>\n<p>The second requirement is that the <em>sekhakh<\/em> be detached from its source. Therefore, climbing plants and tree branches are invalid.<\/p>\n<p>The third requirement is that the <em>sekhakh<\/em> not be susceptible to<em> tum\u2019a <\/em>(ritual impurity). As a rule, anything in its raw, natural state is not susceptible to <em>tum\u2019a<\/em>, but after it has been processed and manufactured for human use, it is susceptible to <em>tum\u2019a<\/em>. For instance, tree trunks, branches, and even straight wooden beams used in building cannot become <em>tamei<\/em>. But if they are made into articles (<em>kelim<\/em>) like chairs or beds, they can become <em>tamei<\/em> and are invalid for use as <em>sekhakh<\/em>. When an object goes from being raw material to being a significant article, it becomes susceptible to <em>tum\u2019a<\/em>. Then, if it comes into contact with a dead body or something else that conducts <em>tum\u2019a<\/em>, it becomes <em>tamei<\/em>. Once plant material has been processed and become susceptible to <em>tum\u2019a<\/em>, it is invalid as <em>sekhakh<\/em>, even if it has not actually become <em>tamei<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Fruits and vegetables that are fit for human consumption are susceptible to <em>tum\u2019a <\/em>and invalid as <em>sekhakh<\/em>. However, if they are fit only for animal consumption, they are not susceptible to <em>tum\u2019a <\/em>and may be used as <em>sekhakh<\/em> (SA 629:9-11).<\/p>\n<p>A straw or reed mat that was made for sitting or sleeping is susceptible to <em>tum\u2019a <\/em>and is invalid as <em>sekhakh<\/em>. However, if it is made to be used as <em>sekhakh <\/em>or as an awning, it is not susceptible to <em>tum\u2019a <\/em>and may be used as <em>sekhakh<\/em>. In a locale where mats are generally made only for sitting or sleeping, then even if one is made for <em>sekhakh<\/em> it may not be used, because of how it would be perceived (SA and Rema 629:6).<\/p>\n<p>Even though broken parts of beds or other furniture are not susceptible to <em>tum\u2019a<\/em>, the Sages forbid using them as <em>sekhakh<\/em>, out of concern that people might mistakenly think that these items can be used for <em>sekhakh<\/em> even when they are susceptible to <em>tum\u2019a<\/em> (SA <em>ibid<\/em>. 1-2).<sup><a href='#_te01ftn2_2' id='_te01ftnref2_2' class='aup1'>[2]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n<p>The Sages forbid using flax as <em>sekhakh <\/em>once the process of making it into thread has begun, since its natural shape has been altered. Therefore, one may not use paper or cardboard made from wood pulp, since they underwent processing that altered their natural shape. Likewise, cotton wool may not be used as <em>sekhakh<\/em> (<em>Yerushalmi<\/em>; Rambam; MB 629:13).<\/p>\n<div>\n<hr size=\"1\" \/>\n<div>\n<a href='#_te01ftnref2_2' id='_te01ftn2_2'>[2]<\/a>. This is the reason offered by Rambam. Rashi (<em>Sukka<\/em> 15b-16a) explains that the Sages decreed that since the broken pieces came from an article, the prohibition remains. If an item that is rabbinically deemed susceptible to <em>tum\u2019a<\/em>, like a table with no concavity to contain something, a hoe, or a rake, breaks, its fragments may be used as <em>sekhakh<\/em>, as even when whole they are only rabbinically prohibited, and there is a principle that we do not enact a rabbinic safeguard around a rabbinic safeguard. This is the position of <em>Pri Megadim<\/em>, while <em>Magen Avraham<\/em> is stringent. MB 629:10 follows <em>Bikurei Yaakov<\/em> in concluding that one may be lenient under pressing circumstances. AHS 629:5 states that if one\u2019s purpose in breaking the article was to make it valid as <em>sekhakh<\/em>, it is indeed acceptable. Some cast doubt on this based on SA 629:6, which rules that a mat with a hem was made for sleeping and thus invalid as <em>sekhakh<\/em>, even if one removed the hem. (See <em>Mikra\u2019ei Kodesh<\/em>, <em>Sukkot<\/em> 1:14 and <em>Shevet Ha-Levi<\/em> 3:95). <em>Tzitz Eliezer <\/em>13:66 addresses this issue and states the view of R. Shmuel Salant that broken pieces of articles are invalid as <em>sekhakh <\/em>as long as their prior identity is discernible, but if they were completely altered, they may be used. Thus, <em>Tzitz Eliezer <\/em>permits using boards sawed from crates, whose origins cannot be discerned. <em>\u1e24azon Ovadia<\/em>, pp. 17-18, is stringent. If the original crates hold at least 40 <em>se\u2019ah<\/em>, the boards may certainly be used.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The sekhakh is the primary component of the sukka; after all, it gives the sukka its name. Sekhakh must meet the following three requirements: It must be made from plant matter. It must be detached from its source. It must not have been processed in a way that renders it susceptible to tum\u2019a. Let us [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[200],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10963","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-13-02"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>02. 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