#129 Visiting Friends in their Sukah
The mitzvah of yeshiva b'sukah, sitting in the sukah, includes other activities besides eating in the sukah, such as learning Torah, spending time there leisurely, etc., which fall under the rubric of yeshiva b'sukah. However, we only make the brocho of leisheiv ba’sukah upon eating more than a kebeitza (the volume of an average size egg) of bread or mezonos. This brocho covers all other activities that are done that day in the sukah. In the case of a person spending time leisurely in a sukah where they have not eaten that day, strictly speaking, one must make a leisheiv ba’sukah just on spending time there. A similar issue arises in the case of a get-together in a sukah where only beverages are served, be it wine, tea, or other drinks. There is a question in halacha whether a leisheiv ba’sukah is required for the drinks. In order to avoid this problem, one should only attend this get-together if he has already eaten in the sukah that day, and made a leisheiv basukah. In order to avoid these shailos, the custom is to offer visitors some mezonos so they can make a leisheiv ba’sukah.