From the Rav’s Desk: 1) Lavud string which surrounds entire Sukkah 2) I am visiting Israel with my wife for Sukkos. Must I keep two days of Yom Tov?  3) Turning the electricity back on, on Yom Tov 4) Buying new sneakers on Chol Hamoed

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From the Rav’s Desk-Some of our latest Q&A

1) Lavud string which surrounds entire Sukkah
 Question: [Sunday, 14th Tishreiy, 5783]
I am making my Sukkah walls using Lavud, as the walls are from sheets. I would like to know if I can use a single string to wrap around all three walls of my Sukkah, or if it is necessary to cut the string, so I use an individual string for each of the three walls? 
 
Answer:
There is no need to cut the string, and you can use the same long string to wrap around all three walls to create a three walled Lavud Sukkah.
 
2) I am visiting Israel with my wife, must I keep two days of Yom Tov

  1. Question: [Sunday, 14th Tishreiy, 5783]

I am visiting Israel with my wife for Sukkos. Must I keep two days of Yom Tov? 
 
Answer:
You should keep one day.
 
Sources: See Admur 496:11 for a dispute regarding if he should keep the second day if he plans to return to Diaspora, and the first stam opinion of Admur holds that he is to keep one day, and this seems to be Admur’s main opinion. This is also consistent with the ruling of Admur in Basra 1:8 and Shaar Hakolel 1:2 that one should always keep like the area he is in. Furthermore, perhaps even the dissenting opening here agrees that he should keep only one day being that he came with his wife, as rules Admur in 496:10. This was also the ruling of the Rebbe Rashab to Rav S.Z. Havlin in his letter to him, and was likewise the ruling of the Rebbe in Igros Kodesh letter 6,193; So also rules: M”A 496:7 in name of Radbaz; Elya Raba 496:6M”B 496:13; . Other opinions: See Admur ibid and Poskim in Piskeiy Teshuvos 496:24 and Nitei Gavriel Yom Tov 57:4, including Aruch Hashulchan 496:5; Igros Moshe 3:74
 
3) Turning the electricity back on, on Yom Tov

  1. Question: [Monday, 15th Tishreiy, 5783]

The electricity of my home suddenly shut off in middle of our meal in the sukkah on the night of Yom Tov. We tried looking for a gentile in our neighborhood to turn it back on but could not find one. Is there any Halachic solution for us to do to turn the electricity back on? All of our food for Yom Tov, as well as all of the food in the freezer will go to waste, not to mention that our entire house and Sukkah is pitch black.
 
Answer:
Answer:
You may have a child who is under the age of Chinuch turn the electricity back on.
 
Explanation: In a time of need, if there is no gentile available, one may ask a child [preferably one that has not reached the age of Chinuch, if available], to turn on the electricity for the sake of Simchas Yom Tov. The reason for this is as follows: The lighting of a fire on Yom Tov is only a rabbinical prohibition according to Admur and most Poskim, and hence it is permitted to ask a gentile to light a new fire on Yom Tov in a time of need, as is always the rule that we permit Shevus Deshevus. Furthermore, some Poskim in a time of need even permit for a Jew to directly light a new fire on Yom Tov for the sake of Simchas Yom Tov. Now, while we do not rule like this opinion, nevertheless one may rely on this opinion in a time of need to ask a child to turn on the electricity, as aside for this opinion, there is also a debate in Poskim as to whether turning on electricity is forbidden on Yom Tov or not
 
Sources: See regarding the prohibition of lighting a fire on Yom  Tov: Admur 502:1; Michaber 502:1; Taz 502:1; See regarding its Rabbinical versus Biblical status of prohibition: Admur 502:1; 495:2; Kuntrus Achron 495:1-2; M”A 518:1; Maggid Mishneh on Rambam 1:4; Taz ibid; M”B 502:1 See regarding lighting a fire on Yom Tov in a time of need: Lenient: Birkey Yosef 502:1 in name of his grandfather the Chesed Leavraham based on Tosafus and Beis Moed, brought in Zechor Leavraham 10, Mikra Kodesh Likkutei Rima 2 and Kaf Hachaim 502:2; Pnei Yehoshua Beitza 33; See Nitei Gavriel 20:3; Stringent: Kerem Shlomo; Orchos Chaim 502:1; Minchas Yitzchak 4:99;; See regarding doing so through a gentile: P”M in Magidos 110; Maharsham 4:143; Shevet Halevi 8:121; Beir Moshe 6 Elektri 27; Az Nidbaru 12:37; Piskeiy Teshuvos 502:1; Nitei Gavriel 20: 24; Yabia Omer 2:26 See regarding doing so through a child: Beir Moshe 8:166; Piskeiy Teshuvos 502:1-2; Shearim Hametzuyanim Behalacha 98:16; Avnei Derech 388 See regarding the status of electricity on Yom Tov: Tzitz Eliezer 1:20-6; Achiezer 3:60; Keren Ledavid 144; Tzafbnas Paneiach 1:273; Chazon Nachum 30; Michzeh Avraham 1:42; Maharshag 1:64; Levushei Mordechai Tinyana 91; Chelkas Yaakov 1:51; Even Yikarah 3:168; Sarei Hameiah 5:114; Matzor Devash 10; Mishpitei Uziel 1:19; Piskeiy Teshuvos 502:2; Or Yitzchak 2:17
 
4) Buying new sneakers on Chol Hamoed

  1. Question: [Tuesday, 16th Tishreiy 5783]

It’s a long story, but I lost my sneakers which I use for weekdays and by Simchas Beis Hashoeiva dancing. May I purchase a new pair of sneakers on Chol Hamoed?
 
Answer:
You may purchase new sneakers if you have no other shoes available to wear. If the shoes you have are too uncomfortable to dance with, then you may purchase sneakers for this purpose. If you can dance also with your shoes, then you may not purchase a new pair of sneakers during the Moed.
 
Sources: See Michaber 534:3; 539:11; Shaar Hatziyon 541:16; SSH”K 67:26; Piskeiy Teshuvos 539:5 and 7; Chol Hamoed Kehilchaso 56; Shemiras Hamoed Kehilchaso 6 p. 72; Chazojn Ovadia Yom Tov p. 196

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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