If a person is forced to spend Succos either in a community that has arbah minim but no succah or in a place that has a succah but no arbah minim, which one should he choose?
The Mateh Ephraim (625:22) writes that in such a situation, the person may go to whichever location he prefers, and there is no legal preference to perform one mitzvah over the other.
The Eleph HaMagen (625:22) cites several sources who rule that the person should go to the town that has the succah for three reasons. First, the mitzvah of dwelling in a succah is de’O’raisa all seven days of Succos, whereas the mitzvah of taking the arbah minim is only de’O’raisa on the first day. Second, the mitzvah of dwelling in the succah can be fulfilled constantly throughout the day, while the mitzvah of taking arbah minim can only be performed once a day. Finally, the fact that the Torah refers to the Yom Tov using the name “Succos” is an indication that this mitzvah is considered the primary essence of the Yom Tov.
