Motzoei Yom Kippur
Men: Before Maariv, remove the tallis from your head and let it hang over your shoulders, and put on a hat. Continue wearing the tallis and kittel.
During Shemoneh Esrei, say Atah Chonantanu. The additions for the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah are no longer added.
If you mistakenly said Hamelech hakadosh or Hamelech hamishpat, do not go back. However, if you said the word vechasveinu (in Zachreinu lechaim), finish Shemoneh Esrei, and then daven Shemoneh Esrei again as a voluntary tefillah.
After Maariv, wash your hands three times alternately until the wrists, without a berachah. Kohanim should do so as well. Additionally, rinse your face and change into your regular shoes (if possible).
On motzoei Yom Kippur, we wish each other, “Gut Yom Tov!”
Havdalah is made in shul, followed by kiddush levanah. Havdalah is made with a candle, but without besamim. The candle must be one that was burning from before Yom Kippur.
If you have such a candle (e. g., a yahrzeit licht), use it for havdalah. Preferably, light another candle from it and make the berachah on both of them. If you do not have such a candle, light a candle from a candle that was burning from before Yom Kippur (e.g., a neighbor’s yahrzeit licht) and make the berachah over it.
Havdalah is made while still wearing a tallis and kittel.
Eat a meal on motzoei Yom Kippur. Dip the piece of bread/challah upon which Hamotzi is said into honey.
Begin (planning) to build the sukkah.
Today is known as “Beshem Hashem” or “G-tt’s nomen.”
Make a point to go early to shul.
Sukkos Preparations
For a thorough grasp of the necessary halachos, study Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim, simanim 626-637.
Each family should do their best to build their own sukkah.
The sukkah should preferably consist of four complete walls. The walls of the sukkah should be strong enough not to move because of the wind. The sukkah should be directly under the sky (without tree branches or the like in between).
Use a large amount of sechach. The Rebbe once said that one can fulfill the obligation to see the stars through the sechach by inserting a pole into the sechach and then removing it, thus creating a hole through which the stars can be seen. However, make sure the sechach is sparse enough to allow rain to enter the sukkah.
The s’chach may not be supported by something that is mekabel tumah (for example, metal poles). Similarly, the s’chach should not be nailed to the support beams, and they should not be tied down to them with ropes. However, the support beams may be supported by something that is mekabel tumah (for example, they may rest on metal, and they may be held in place with nails or screws).
If building a sukkah on grass or earth, the floor should be covered, to avoid the issur of watering when drinking in the sukkah on Shabbos and Yom Tov.
We do not follow the custom of hanging sukkah decorations.
We are mehader to use an esrog from Calabria. Esrogim from Calabria are preferred over Calabria-breed esrogim from Eretz Yisroel. The esrog should be yellow.
Do not take more than one esrog, one lulav, and two aravos. However, it is customary to add to the number of hadassim. The Rebbe once mentioned that at least three additional hadassim should be used.
The hadassim and aravos must be a minimum of three tefachim high (9.5 in. or 24 cm.), and the spine of the lulav must be at least four tefachim high (12.6 in. or 32 cm.). (This shiur does not include the leaves that extend above the spine.) If the hadassim or aravos are higher than the above shiur, the spine of the lulav must extend at least one tefach (3.15 in. or 8 cm.) above them.
If possible, buy a kosher set of arba minim for each son from the age of six and older.
