- The Sukkah furniture-Food table must be in Sukkah:[1]
*See Chapter 3 Halacha 11 for further details on the items that should be entered into the Sukkah.
The table on which one eats while in the Sukkah must be inside the Sukkah, as opposed to it being outside the Sukkah, even though one eats the food that is on the table inside the Sukkah. This applies even if the Sukkah is very large. One who eats in a Sukkah from a table that is outside the Sukkah is considered as if he ate outside the Sukkah.[2] [This does not mean that every Sukkah must have a table and if not then the Sukkah is invalid, but rather that simply that whatever table one uses to hold food that one is eating from while in the Sukkah, must itself be inside the Sukkah, and it does not suffice to take food from the table and eat it inside the Sukkah.[3]]
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Q&A May part of the table be inside the house?[4] Some Poskim[5] rule that if at least a Tefach of the table is inside the Sukkah then it is valid. Other Poskim[6], however, require that majority of the table be inside the Sukkah.
May one position the table under invalid Sechach that is within the Sukkah?[7] One is not to do so, although if the Sechach is only Rabbinically invalid then one fulfills his obligation Bedieved.
May one prepare tables of food outside the Sukkah for people to take and eat inside the Sukkah? Seemingly, it is permitted to do so, as the invalidation only applies if one is sitting by a table while actually eating and it happens to be that the table is not inside the Sukkah, such as it is by the edge of the entrance of the Sukkah, as we suspect that he may move to an area of the table that is not in the Sukkah. If, however, the table is not near the Sukkah at all, and one is not eating by the table but simply taking food from it to eat in the Sukkah, then it is valid. Vetzaruch Iyun!
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[1] Michaber 634:4; Mishneh Sukkah 28a; Piskeiy Teshuvos 634:3
[2] The reason: As we suspect one may come after his food which is on the table and end up eating outside the Sukkah. [Michaber ibid]
[3] See, however, M”B 640:27 who writes that the table must be inside the Sukkah even when sleeping! See the following Sefarim regarding how to understand his ruling: Mikraeiy Kodesh 35; Tzitz Eliezer 8:22; Az Nidbaru 14:41; Moadim Uzmanim 1:87; Orchos Rabbeinu 2:229; Piskeiy Teshuvos 640:8
[4] Shaar HaTziyon 634:6; Kaf Hachaim 634:11; Piskeiy Teshuvos 634:3
[5] M”A 634:2; Chayeh Adam 146:49
[6] Birkeiy Yosef 634:2; See Kinyan Torah 3:83; Az Nidbaru 14:41
[7] See Bikureiy Yaakov 634:5; Piskeiy Teshuvos 634:3