Sleeping in the sukkah
17 September, 2003
Question:Could you explain about sleeping in a sukkah on sukkot? When I was single, I very often slept in a sukkah. But I know that traditionally women don't – but some do. So, what should we do:
-if I were niddah during sukkot?
-if I knew I would be tehorah for all of sukkot?
-if mikveh night fell out in sukkot? (can/should relations take place in davkah a sukkah or is it better to be in the house etc)
Thank you for a most amazing website
Answer:The mitzvah of sukkah is incumbent on the man. He must "dwell" in the sukkah as he would normally do in his permanent house. It is therefore accepted that his wife be there with him. In practice, whether a woman sleeps in a sukkah depends on various factors, including her preferences and family situation, and local custom.
A married couple may both sleep in the sukkah during niddah if there is sufficient room for separate beds.
Questions regarding marital relations in the sukkah depend greatly on the structure and location of the sukkah. There are of course issues of privacy and modesty that must be factored in.
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