If it is raining on Chol HaMoed Succos, and one sits in the succah underneath an umbrella, can he recite the berachah of לישב בסוכה?
The question really is, if one fulfils the mitzvah of succah in such a case. R’ Elyashiv (Cited in Ashrei HaIsh Vol. 3, Perek 25, ois 19) writes that one sitting under an umbrella is not considered sitting in the succah, as the umbrella acts as an ohel [tent], and although it’s not fixed and one is holding it in his hand, it’s still a problem.
However, R’ Shlomah Zalman Auerbach (cited in Sefer HaSuccah, in the Pesokim Vehe’oros at the back pg. 449) writes: It’s not considered an ohel, and even if the umbrella is ten tefochim high, one is still considered to be in a kosher succah.
The above is also clear from the Pischa Zuta (627:1) who writes: Even according to the Noda B’Yehudah who holds that it’s forbidden to open an umbrella on Shabbos because of “making a tent” (asiyas ohel). In regard to succah it’s not considered an ohel, as only a chosuvah [important] ohel separates between the sechach and the one in the succah, and an umbrella is not considered choshuv. Therefore, it’s better to sit in the succah with an umbrella than to leave. However, one shouldn’t recite a berachah of “leisheiv baSuccah” as there is no clear consensus in the poskim regarding this shailah.
It’s said over that the Brisker Rov would sit with an umbrella in the succah when it rained.
R’ Moshe Sternbuch (Shu”t Teshuvos V’Hanagos, Vol. 5, siman 199, s.k. 6) is in doubt whether one fulfils the mitzvah of succah when using an umbrella.
He concludes: If the exemption of sitting in the succah when it rains is that the succah loses its status as a succah, then certainly there is no mitzvah. However, even if the exemption is not on the succah but on the person, nonetheless, even if the umbrella one is holding isn’t an ohel that creates and interruption between the one holding it and the sechach, it’s still not considered תשבו כעין תדורו – “living in the succah like one lives in the house”.
