Lessons from the Schach

The Talmud in Megilla 11a learns that vines and vegetation must be detached from the ground before being utilized as s’chach. In its discussion of acceptable s’chach, the Gemara asks the following question:  Can you use vines or palm leaves that were still attached to the ground when placed over the sukkah, but were then cut? Would that be considered kosher s’chach? On the one hand, when you placed the leaves in their schach position, they were still attached to the ground. However, since you subsequently cut them, perhaps it should be viewed as detached and completely kosher. There is a dispute between Rav and Shmuel on this matter. Rav says that by cutting the leaves from the ground, you have done an intentional action that created kosher s’chach. Shmuel holds that this would not suffice. Since the position of the freshly cut leaves is identical to where they were while attached to the ground, the vegetation remains invalid for s’chach. The only way to remedy the situation, according to Shmuel is to move the leaves a little bit after they have been cut. In this way the s’chach can be viewed as having been placed for the purpose of the mitzvah of sukkah in their detached, (kosher) state. 

The basis for Shmuel’s opinion is the pasuk in Parshas Re’eh: חַ֧ג הַסֻּכֹּ֛ת תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה לְךָ֖ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים “You shall make the holiday of Sukkot for a 7-day holiday”

The Talmud learns from here: “Taaseh V’Lo Min Ha’Asuy”. The sukkah must be actively made and cannot be fashioned from something that has already been used for other purposes. Taaseh V’Lo Min Haasuy is not a concept unique to s’chach. The Gemara in Sukkah discusses the application of Taaseh V’lo min Haasauy to the mitzvah of tzitizit as well.

The s’chach literally hangs over our holiday celebration and reminds us that no matter what the mitzva, no matter what memory or theme we are trying to evoke, Taaseh, V’lo Min Haasuy! Our mitzvot must always be fresh. Our mitzvot can never just be “called in”; they must be performed with intention and special for each occasion. They should be accompanied with vigor and creativity. We cannot merely utilize what already exists to dispense our obligations.

The symbolism of s’chach is two-fold. Rav Hirsch pointed out that the s’chach warns us to never forget our complete reliance on Hashem. For what good are walls without a roof? And when we look up in our sukkah we see how we remain exposed to the elements. With this in mind we will be motivated to cling to Hashem and His Torah. On this point, too, the s’chach comes to warn us “Taaseh v’Lo min Haasauy”: In our service to Hashem, there are no shortcuts. What worked for the other person, or even for me last year is invalid. Each of us must create anew our spiritual path.

There’s a Halachic concept related to sukkah known as “Teishvu K’Ein Taduru”, which refers to the fact that our living in the sukkah should resemble how we live in our homes all year. Perhaps the comparison can also be made in the reverse. Our sitting in the sukkah should teach us how to live in our homes- with vitality and with faith in Hashem. May we learn the lessons of s’chach and bring them back indoors to enrich the rest of our year.