S’chach after Sukkos
1. Putting s’chach in the garbage. On Sukkos, s’chach may not be used for any purpose other than the mitzvah. However, after Sukkos one may make personal use of s’chach in a way that is not degrading. Thus, while one should not disrespect s’chach by throwing it in the garbage, as at is an item that was used for a mitzvah (מ''ב כ''א סק''ו), one may put s’chach next to a garbage even though it will ultimately get thrown out by the garbagemen (ע''פ מ''ב שם סק''ז, שו''ת מקדש ישראל צ''ח), as long as he places it in a way that people will not step on it.
2. Stepping on s’chach. S’chach should not be stepped on, as it is considered “tashmishei kedushah” and may not be treated disrespectfully. Thus, one should not throw s’chach in a spot where people walk since doing so causes the s’chach to be degraded (מ''ב סי' תרל''ח סקכ''ד ).
3. Wrapped s’chach. S’chach wrapped in a bag, e.g., bamboo mat s’chach that became wormy or moldy in its package, may be thrown out if there is no fear it will become exposed in the garbage (הגר''נ קרליץ, חוט שני סוכות עמ' רל''ד).
4. Bamboo mat s’chach as a partition. After Sukkos, one may use bamboo mat s’chach as a partition, e.g., around a yard or balcony, since that is not a degrading usage.
5. S’chach in shemitah. Someone who cut palm branches for his s’chach does not need to treat them with kedushas shevi’is since they do not have kedushah. Thus, he may place them next to the garbage even though he is causing them to be thrown out. He just may not disrespect the mitzvah by throwing them out directly (above, 1).
Sukkah Decorations after Sukkos
6. One should not make use of sukkah decorations after Sukkos in a degrading way. Thus, if one hung fruits [e.g., pomegranates, esrogim, or dates] as decorations and they are still edible, he should eat them. If they are inedible, he should not throw them out in a degrading manner. He should first put them in a separate bag and then throw out the bag.
Arba Minim after Sukkos
7. Esrog. After Sukkos is over, one may eat or derive benefit from an esrog used on Sukkos, but he may not treat it disrespectfully. Some people make esrog jam for Tu b’Shevat night (ליקוטי מהרי''ח, כף החיים סי' תרס''ד ס''ק ס'). Some people give esrog jam to a pregnant woman as a segulah for an easy delivery (שם ).
8. Shemitah esrog. If an esrog was picked after Rosh Hashanah 5782/2021, we are machmir to treat it with kedushas shevi’is out of uncertainty as to the halachah. Thus, it must be treated accordingly.
9. Lulav. Some have a minhag to burn their lulav with their chometz Erev Pesach to use it for another mitzvah. Others keep it in the house for protection (חיד''א בספרו ככר לאדון, סדר היום). Lulavim do not have kedushas shevi’is (שו''ת מנחת יצחק ח''ח סי' ק', שו''ת שבט הלוי ח''א סי' קפ''א, דרך אמונה פ''א סקפ''ו).
Hoshanos
10. On top of the aron. Some have the minhag to put their hoshanos on top of the aron kodesh in shul (בעל תוס' יו''ט, מלבושי יו''ט על הלבוש, שו''ת מהרש''ם ח''ד סי' נ''ג). This is not disrespectful to the aron kodesh since beis din makes a condition enabling the minhag to be fulfilled.
11. For protection. Some take the hoshanos home and store them for protection of the house (התניא הקדמון סי' פ''ו) or for protection on the road (מנורת המאור נר ג' כלל ד').
