Succot

I was taught many years ago in yeshiva that precut wooden sticks sold in hardware stores are not kosher as schach because they are cut to shape and are not in their natural form. I use bamboo mats for my own succah. This year, I spent the first two days of Yom Tov out of town and stayed with a rabbi. I found he had built his succah using these long wooden sticks as his schach. I brought this up with him. He told me that many rabbis do consider wooden sticks unkosher, but he poskins that they are permitted. While I stayed with him for these two days, I had no access to any other succah. I am on my way home now. But for future reference, what should I do if I find myself in this position? Should I follow what I learned in yeshiva or the rabbi of the small community I am visiting? Should I refrain from reciting leshev b’succah in what according to what I learned is an unkosher succah? Should I refrain from eating all foods that require being eaten in a succah during my stay?

Is an etrog which had it's pitom broken off during chol hamoed kosher for use on chol hamoed?

What makes a “megasukkah” kosher? These extra-large sukkahs, designed for large communal gatherings, have support structures as part of their roof that are made of materials not kosher for schach. Many of them have pieces of metal running across the middle of the top in order to hold up the bamboo mats (or other materials) that are not available to match the total dimensions of the sukkah.

Hello About the Sukkah, I know when they're supposed to go up, and how long they have to stay up, but I can't find any direction for when they should come down. Are there any rules I've missed, in scripture or elsewhere? Thank you

Dear Rabbi, Can you please explain to me the mitzvah of the “four species” and what’s special about it? Thanks!

Hi, is there something unique about doing the mitzvah of living in a succah during the holiday of Succot?

Why is the holiday of Succot called “the time of our happiness”?

There is a convention for my favorite TV show that is taking place on Hoshana Raba in which I would have a chance to meet in person and greet the actors from the show. I am a big fan of them. It is a 2-hour drive from where I live. I can get home in plenty of time before the start of Yom Tov. That is not the issue. The problem is, to get there at the time the actors will be there, I would have to skip going to shul on Hoshana Raba morning, which I have never done in at least 24 years. There is enough time for me to daven by myself at home before going, but not to go to shul. I feel this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. But at the same time, I am feeling guilty about skipping shul over something like this. I am feeling really conflicted. I have nothing monetarily to benefit from doing this. The only thing I would gain is the joy of meeting them. This convention takes place in a different city every year, and this is the closest it has ever been to where I live.

We live in an apartment that requires sukkahs be taken down no later than Sunday October 23. We will be leaving town on the morning of Sunday October 16 and not returning until after the 23rd. I have understood that it is forbidden to take down a sukkah during Sukkos. But if I don’t take it down before I leave, the apartment management says they will dispose of it. Leaving it up longer could also jeopardize tenants being allowed to build sukkahs in the future. Under these circumstances, could I take down the sukkah during Chol Hamoed?

Dear Rabbi, Why is the holiday of Succot called “the time of our happiness”? Thank you