Sukkah 12 - Clouds of glory

One should dwell in a sukkah because "your generations should know that I (God) made the Children of Israel live in sukkahs." Some translate the word "sukkahs" as "Clouds of Glory." They further compare it to the "mist ascending from the earth," and mist is the beginning of every cloud. Just as mist ascending from the earth cannot become ritually impure, so the s'chach material covering the sukkah must be of something that cannot become ritually impure.

Others translate the word "sukkahs" as huts. Where do they derive the ritual purity of the s'chach? - From the fact that it is made from refuse branches that cannot become impure.

If one puts bundles of branches on the top of a sukkah, he makes it invalid. But if he unties the bundles, it is valid. What is the reason for this? One might put bundles on the roof of a shed to dry them out and later decide to use it as a sukkah. If he does this, the sukkah is invalid because it should be made for the Holiday and not pre-made. Such a situation would be hard to detect visually, and this law prevents possible confusion.

Art: Tree Branches. Charles Reginald Aston