Sukkot – Basic Halachot for the First Night and When the First Days Fall on Thursday and Friday

Daily Halacha Podcast - Daily Halacha By Rabbi Eli J. Mansour

When the first days of Sukkot fall on Thursday and Friday, one must ensure to prepare an Erub Tabshilin on Wednesday, before the onset of Yom Tob, to allow cooking on Friday for Shabbat. The women's obligation of Hadlakat Nerot (candle lighting) applies on the first two nights of Sukkot, just as on Friday night. On Wednesday night, the first night of Sukkot, the woman lights candles before sundown, at the time printed in the calendars, similar to the candle lighting on Friday afternoon, and she recites the Beracha "Le'hadlik Ner Shel Yom Tob." On Thursday night, the second night of Yom Tob, she lights candles – with the same Beracha – when the husband returns home from the synagogue. These candles must be lit from an existing flame. On Friday afternoon, she lights Shabbat candles before sundown, from an existing flame, reciting the usual Beracha of "Le'hadlik Ner Shel Shabbat." On the first night of Sukkot, one must, of course, recite Kiddush and eat the meal in the Sukka, weather permitting. There is a Torah obligation to eat at least a Ke'besa (approx. 2 oz.) of bread in the Sukka on the first night of Sukkot. When one fulfills this Misva, he should have in mind that he eats to fulfill the Torah's command and that the Sukka commemorates the Exodus from Egypt and the seven "clouds of glory" with which God surrounded Beneh Yisrael as they traveled through the wilderness. According to some authorities, this intention is mandatory and indispensable for the fulfillment of the Misva. One must therefore ensure to have this in mind before he eats in the Sukka. The sequence for the recitation of Kiddush on the first night of Sukkot is as follows: "Boreh Peri Ha'gefen," "Baruch Ata…Asher Bahar Banu…Mekadesh Yisrael Ve'ha'zemanim," "Le'sheb Ba'sukka," "She'hehiyanu." After one recites "Shehehiyanu," everyone sits down and the Kiddush cup is passed around for everyone to drink. It is important that everyone sits in the Sukka after Kiddush, as it is through sitting that one fulfills the Misva.