B' d'Rosh Hodesh Ha'Asiri/Ner Shvi'i shel Hanukkah 5767
In the US, I recall many non-Jews complain to their spouses... "When ARE you going to take the X-mas tree down?! It's already mid-January!" Usually, it was the wives complaining to the husbands, and usually that X-mas tree wouldn't get taken out for trash pick up* until Valentine's Day. By then the Fire Marshall had already started snooping around for the evil fire hazards that are those dried-out pine trees....
So, my question is... By when should the sukkah be taken down? Immediately after Shmini Assereth? Rosh Hodesh Marheshwan? Surely by Hanukkah, right?
Well, it was touch and go there for a while. My housemate, the one who bought and constructed the sukkah [so I wasn't going to complain], took it down just before Hanukkah. His custom is to keep his Hanukkiyah inside the house, and the sukkah was blocking the window. Personally, I wasn't so concerned with keeping the sukkah, as I'm not one to be concerned with the opinions of my neighbors. I was concerned about the wind and storm reports, and the potential damage the sukkah would incur.
Nowadays, people have permanent metal frames, usually on their balconies, so that only the walls and skhakh (sukkah roof) need to be taken down. Others have built a sukkah frame of vanished wood, which double for a patio area during the rest of the year.
So, other than those special, and easily disguised sukkoth, I wonder how many can be found still up on Tu biShvat or Purim.
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*As a[n environmentally-correct] Californian, many of my Irish, Italian, and Mexican (I'm allowed to say "Mexican," as they really were Mexican, and not Guatemalan, Panamanian, Colombian, etc.) neighbors would often have their trees reused (eg. firewood, sawdust, etc.), or they had potted trees which were later planted in their yards or at a park.
I know you're in EY for a long time but kindly remember that here in the US it frickin rains. Alot.
ReplyDeletePractically every day since sukkot it has been raining here in NY.
Only an idiot would take down a sukkah wet and have it get moldy and nawsty.
Just the last few days have been sunny and so...I took down the Sukkah tonight.
Of course, it wouldn't be a good idea.
ReplyDeleteI just saw that you tweeted about it, so it reminded me of this post.
I could relate to what you were saying as all.
No jab intended. Personally, though, I dread having to take it down, as it can be a pain in the neck.
That's all.