Chazal (Sukkah 24b) say that any mechitzah that cannot stand up to a regular wind is not halachically considered a mechitzah. A “regular wind” is one that is within the parameters of what is normal for the locality where the sukkah is standing. The Mishna Berura (630-48) proves from the Gemorrah & Rashi that “not standing” doesn’t mean that the wind is going to cause it to fall down, it means even if the wind just makes it move back & forth. It’s clear from the Gemorrah that the walls of the Sukkah are also defined as mechitzos & therefore must confirm with all the halachos of mechitzos. A Sukkah must have a minimum of three walls, therefore if any one of its’ three walls can move back & forth in the wind, it is not kosher. The M”B (Ibid 47) also brings that it is clear from Rashi & Tosafos that not only if the whole mechitza moves back & forth in the wind, is the Sukkah possul, but even if only part of it can be moved by the wind, it is also not kosher [if the area that moves is more than three tefochim square]. How much movement will render the wall possul? The Chazon Ish says that as long as the movement back & forth is less than 3 tefachim [23.5 cm], it is still kosher. However, when the Gemorrah & the Rishonim discuss this Halochoh, they describe the wall as “moving to & fro in the wind” & some Rishonim simply say that it must be that the wind cannot move them. This implies that even if the movement is minimal, it is enough to render the wall possul & this is how the Mishnah Brura (ibid 48) paskens. Since we are talking about something that makes the Sukkah possul min haTorah, we have to be machmir, making sure that no part of the walls can be moved, even a small amount, by the wind. Based on all this, the Shulchan Oruch (630-10) paskens that one should not make Sukkah walls out of cloth material because they flap in the wind. He then brings the Sma”k that says even if all four corners are tied down, he should not sit in such a Sukkah, because we are afraid that one of the knots might come loose without him noticing, rendering that wall possul & he will continue eating in a Sukkah which is no longer kosher. Eating in a possul Sukkah is no different from eating outside the Sukkah. According to the principles mentioned earlier, even when all four corners of the cloth mechitzah are tied down, this only helps if the middle area of the cloth also cannot move back & forth in the wind. The Shulchan Oruch therefore advises that if one is to make his Sukkah walls from cloth, even if it is all tied down, he should add to each wall a “lovud” wall, so that if one of the knots unties, he still has a kosher Sukkah without the cloth. One does this by attaching a few thin beams horizontally along each wall from corner to corner, one above the other, less than three tefochim apart, for a total hight of ten tefachim. Practically speaking, since there is a famous […]