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After reading How do I do the car-door-sukkah trick?, i wondered: isn't this building it on Sukkot?

So, is it permissible to build a succah on Sukkot?

I originally thought no, because i know that the succah is muktzah for all of chag. Also, per When can you build the sukkah?, it seems that it should be done within 30 days of the chag.

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Scimonster
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2 Answers2

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This is a Machloket in the Talmud (Sukkah 27b, see OC 637) and the Halacha follows the Sages that one can start building a Sukkah on Chol HaMoed. Even R Eliezer who argued there agreed that if one's Sukkah fell down on Chol HaMoed that one can rebuild it.

Double AA
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  • I wonder if R' Eliezer would also agree that in a case in which one was traveling and therefore exempt from sukka, one could build one on Chol Hamoed based on that "excuse." – Isaac Moses Oct 07 '14 at 18:25
  • @IsaacMoses Unlikely, given his reasoning there. – Double AA Oct 07 '14 at 18:28
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FWIW, people go on Hol Hamo'ed trips and pack a "pop up" succah with them. Or, they build a small succah where they are.

Years ago, I went on a singles' vacation, and someone built a "Superman booth" - a small succah that fit 1 person. Apparently, there is no problem building a succah on Hol Hamo'ed.

DanF
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  • I too had the experience of helping build a "pop up" Succah during Chol Hamoed for a Succos party at a park hosted by an orthodox kollel. After the party was over I also had to help disassemble it. Therefore disassembling must be kosher too else they wouldn't have had me do it. – code613 Oct 08 '14 at 01:47
  • a great idea to pop up a succah but one is forbidden to take it down till after simchas tora as it then becomes mukza see S.A O.C 638,1 – user15464 Oct 15 '17 at 17:44