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Question
May light fixtures be hung in a sukkah?
Hanging a Sheet Under the Sechach
The Mishnah (Sukkah 10a) says that if a bedsheet, which is not valid for sechach, is spread above the sechach for shade, or beneath it to catch falling leaves, it can invalidate the sukkah.
However, the Gemara (ibid.) says that if a cloth is hung lena’otah—to beautify the sukkah—it does not invalidate the sukkah, as long as it is within four tefahim (32 cm) of the sechach. At that distance, it is considered batel to the sechach (O.H. 627:4 and 629:19).
What About Objects?
The Mishnah is discussing a cloth spread across the entire sukkah. A smaller item does not necessarily invalidate the entire sukkah. Instead, it is treated like ordinary invalid sechach (Mishnah Berurah 627:12).
If the item is a full four by four tefahim, one may not eat underneath it. Whether it affects the rest of the sukkah depends on the placement of the walls, which is beyond the scope of this article.
If either the length or width is less than four tefahim, it does not invalidate the sukkah, and mei’ikar hadin, one may eat beneath it. However, if it is at least three tefahim, one should preferably not eat directly beneath it (Mishnah Berurah 632:3).
What About Light Fixtures?
Lighting is considered lena’otah, since it adds to the beauty and atmosphere of the sukkah. Therefore, if the fixture hangs within four tefahim (32 cm or about 12 inches) of the sechach, there is no concern, regardless of how wide the fixture is. One may even eat directly beneath it.
If the fixture hangs lower than 12 inches from the sechach, its width becomes important.
If the width is less than three tefahim, about 9.5 inches, there is no concern. If it is between three and four tefahim, about 9.5 to 12 inches wide, the sukkah remains valid, but one should preferably not eat directly beneath it. If it is four tefahim, 12 inches wide, one should not eat beneath it. It may also affect the validity of the sukkah, depending on the placement of the walls. In such a case, one should consult a rav.
A Fixture That Starts Near the Sechach
What happens if the top of the fixture begins within four tefahim of the sechach, but the fixture itself extends lower?
Many contemporary poskim permit this because there is no open space of four tefahim between the fixture and the sechach (Hut Shani, Sukkah 3:4; Rav Wosner in Kovetz Bet Levi, Vol. 2, p. 26; and others). However, other poskim are hesitant to rely on this (see Halichot Shlomo 7, n. 31).
The Humra of the Rama
There is one additional issue. The Maharil, cited by the Rama (627:4), says that one should avoid hanging anything lower than four tefahim from the sechach. The concern is that someone may mistakenly hang an item that is too wide and then eat underneath it.
This is not an actual gezeirah deRabanan. In fact, the Taz quotes the Maharil himself (Hilchot Sukkah 13) as saying that most people in his time were not careful about it. Sephardim are not concerned with this humra.
Practical Halachah
Whenever possible, hang the light fixture within four tefahim of the sechach. For Sephardim, one tefah is generally measured as 8 cm min hadin. Although the larger shiur of the Hazon Ish may be used as a humra, we generally do not rely on it as a leniency, which in this case would allow to hang it lower up to 15.5 inches. Therefore, the light fixture should specifically be hung within 32 cm, or about 12 inches, of the sechach.
If you visit a sukkah where the lights hang lower than four tefahim, there is no reason to be concerned simply because they are hanging low. Follow the guidelines above based on the size and position of the fixture. If necessary, simply avoid eating directly underneath it.