How are we supposed to do this?

[Tzav_laTzav]

I've lost count of how many times I started this. How do I write it? i guess just write it right out.

In 1999, I was kicked out of a Christian church and as I left, I begged my husband not to leave with me but to stay until he made his own choice to continue there or leave on his own. In the meantime, I started going to a shul I had been attending occasionally since about 1995. I settled in there, weighing what was taught and soon becoming fully Messianic.

My husband, because he works on Sabbath and does not understand Sabbath in the same way I do, left that church a year and a half later and is now in another Christian church. It was with his encouragement that we observe kashrut. He has encouraged me to continue worshiping at my shul, and he attends with me whenever he can. He has taken several classes there, including two years of Hebrew.

So what's the problem?

I seriously don't know what to do with this. Every year, I beg for a sukkah, and I've never had one. He always intends to help me build one, but it never gets done. One year, I tried building it by myself and fell, head-first, on cement, ending up in the emergency room.

So this year, guess what: I want a sukkah. Any ideas for one an older woman can build without using PVC pipe and plastic sheeting?

[Pioneer]

tzavlatzav said:

I've lost count of how many times I started this. How do I write it? i guess just write it right out.

In 1999, I was kicked out of a Christian church and as I left, I begged my husband not to leave with me but to stay until he made his own choice to continue there or leave on his own. In the meantime, I started going to a shul I had been attending occasionally since about 1995. I settled in there, weighing what was taught and soon becoming fully Messianic.

My husband, because he works on Sabbath and does not understand Sabbath in the same way I do, left that church a year and a half later and is now in another Christian church. It was with his encouragement that we observe kashrut. He has encouraged me to continue worshiping at my shul, and he attends with me whenever he can. He has taken several classes there, including two years of Hebrew.

So what's the problem?

I seriously don't know what to do with this. Every year, I beg for a sukkah, and I've never had one. He always intends to help me build one, but it never gets done. One year, I tried building it by myself and fell, head-first, on cement, ending up in the emergency room.

So this year, guess what: I want a sukkah. Any ideas for one an older woman can build without using PVC pipe and plastic sheeting?

If you don't have a Boy Scout living in your house or in the neighborhood, they know how to lash limbs together to make a shelter.
Now being your first time, a sukkah is a temporary dwelling, unless you must have a natural material sukkah, I suggest you go to Walmart or Target they have a screenhouse for under $40.00 that a lady can put up by herself.
When Hubby gets a "Round Tuit" you can have him build you a proper natural sukkah.

For the past three years we start out looking up at the stars, but before even three days pass we have a bad thunderstorm and it huffs and it puffs and blows my house of sticks down.
I think Hasatan doesn't want me to spend the eight days in a sukkah. I hope you fair better.

Shalom u'vrachot

[Tzav_laTzav]

Well, not wishing to tell a lie, I learned from my diary this morning that I was kicked out of that church in '98, not '99. That being over with . . .

We have one of those screenhouses -- in fact, two of them. I thought of doing that but backed out, because they seem so -- well -- unnatural. But you know what? You are right! It is better than none. Perhaps I can commandeer one of them as a sukkah, maybe even gluing a clear plastic "window" to the sky in it.

Yes, it is too cold here, at that time, to sleep in one and way too dangerous in my city. But we can study Toran there, converse there, eat there, play games there, and have friends and family over for supper there.

Thank you!

[Pioneer]

tzavlatzav said:

Well, not wishing to tell a lie, I learned from my diary this morning that I was kicked out of that church in '98, not '99. That being over with . . .

We have one of those screenhouses -- in fact, two of them. I thought of doing that but backed out, because they seem so -- well -- unnatural. But you know what? You are right! It is better than none. Perhaps I can commandeer one of them as a sukkah, maybe even gluing a clear plastic "window" to the sky in it.

Yes, it is too cold here, at that time, to sleep in one and way too dangerous in my city. But we can study Toran there, converse there, eat there, play games there, and have friends and family over for supper there.

Thank you!

Oh! Well. so much for living in a Christian country which boiled down the commandments to the two great commandments and Yeshua's new commandment. With eighty percent of Americans professing to be Christian, you would think you would be safe as
a "bug in a rug." LOL
I only travel to the cities, here we don't lock our doors, cars and sometimes our bussineses, out side of being sniffed by a stray cow, you could build with out walls, barring our severe Thunderstorms. I guess you can tell I live in the country.

I suppose you know that there are groups who sponsor moedim festivals at various places around the country. You may at some date wish to attend one of their eight day events. I almost went to one in Oklahoma this last fall, but events kept popping up to keep me away, one of my favorite speakers was to teach some at it.

As I said we started to stay out for the whole festival but was chased indoors by a storm.

Shalom

[Tzav_laTzav]

Well, if the criminals didn't "get" us, the racoons and opposums would!

. . . And the mean stray domestic cats.

[Yochana]

Perhaps these opitions would be a help to you:
www.sukkot.com/
www.siegersukkah.com/
www.sukkahs.com/oursukah.htm (they even have pop-up portable sukkahs for travel)
www.leiterssukkah.com/ - We have an easelock sukkah from these folks and even when I was 7 months pregnant I was able to put it up myself.

[Tzav_laTzav]

Wow. Amazing, Yochana! This just may be the way to go. Thank you for the sites!

[Yochana]

Glad I could be of some assistance. None of them are cheap, but they are definately a lot easier than trying to construct a sukkah from scratch if you don't have the time, talent or help to do so.

[Tzav_laTzav]

I am looking into some of the less expensive ones -- we'll see what happens! Thank you!

[Mark]

Sukkot is very much a community celebration. Have you asked for help from your shul about building a sukkah? I'm sure there are those there who would consider it a pleasure (as well as a mitzvah) to help you build a sukkah this year.

[Tzav_laTzav]

No, I haven't, because I fear it would be an affront to my husband, and it would embarrass him. I must avoid that. People at the shul have offered, and I have said no.

I have thought of buying latice, painting it white, attaching it to thinner posts, attaching drop-hinges to those, so they can be easily dropped together. These walls could be easily build on the ground, without my climbing about.

A latice roof, covered by clear plastic could be attached, once the walls are hooked together.

I could build this myself, while my husband is not around. I think he would be more accepting if I build it than if someone from the shul came and did it. I already have the plastic -- enough to even go on the walls, which would be nice in this area, to cut down on the cold. Perhaps if I started building it on Tuesdays in June, I would have time to finish it by Sukkot.

[R' Y'hoshua Moshe]

Where there is a will...many times there is a way. We can do all things through Yeshua The Messiah whom strenthens us. May Adonai bless you as you continue to honor and respect your husband. One day, he very well may be insisting on building that sukkah with you!

Shalom sister,

Reuel