Is it Permissible to Dismantle the Sukkah During Chol Hamoed?

Chag Sameach,

It is stated in the Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim (Siman 664), that even though one has finished eating in the sukkah on the evening of Simchat Torah in the morning, one should not dismantle the sukkah. The reasoning, as explained by the Mishnah Berurah (Sif Katan 1), is that one is obligated to sleep and dwell there throughout the day, and if he happens to have another meal, he would need to eat in the sukkah.

Furthermore, even if he has another sukkah to eat and sleep in, it is still forbidden to dismantle the sukkah due to the disrespect of a mitzvah.

Sources: This is also stated in the Ikrei Hadatot, Orach Chaim (Siman 2, Note 68), and brought in the Kaf HaChaim (Siman 675, Note 9). Additionally, see the responsa Shoel U'Meishiv, 4th edition, part 3 (Siman 38), which mentions that one should not take schach (the covering of the sukkah) from one sukkah to place it on another, as the holiness is attached to the sukkah and cannot be retracted.

Additionally, the opinion of Rabbi Yitzchak Sheiner zt"l (Asheri HaIsh part 3, chapter 26, paragraph 46) is that ideally, when possible, one should not dismantle the sukkah during Chol Hamoed, even if he has another sukkah, in order to heed the opinion of the Ran in Sukkah (23a) who interprets the verse (Vayikra 23:42) "You shall dwell in booths for seven days" as requiring that he should have a sukkah for all seven days; thus, finishing the eating does not permit him to dismantle the sukkah.

However, it should be noted that the responsa Minchat Shlomo, part 2 (Siman 58, Note 36), and the responsa Lehoretz Natan, part 7 (Siman 57-49), follow a more lenient view on this matter. See also the responsa Tzitz Eliezer, part 13 (Siman 68).

Best regards,

Hillel Meirs