Question:
When do I say the bracha: leisheiv baSukkah?
Answer:
On the first night of Sukkot one should say kiddush standing up in the sukkah, say the bracha, “leisheiv baSukkah”, sit down, and then say the bracha, “shehecheyanu”.
In accordance with the Talmud Yerushalmi one should not say the bracha again during the rest of the chag, the logic being that the mitzvah of dwelling in the sukkah is one mitzvah which extends during the course of the entire chag.
Alternatively, one may follow the opinion of the Vilna Gaon, which is that one should say the bracha, “leisheiv baSukkah”, immediately before each time one sits down in the sukkah. The Vilna Gaon’s opinion follows the approach of the Talmud Bavli.
Monday, 15 December 2008