Sukkah, Daf Mem Vav, Part 3
Introduction
This section goes back to discussing the recitation of blessings over the sukkah.
ת"ר העושה סוכה לעצמו אומר ברוך שהחיינו כו’.
נכנס לישב בה אומר ברוך אשר קדשנו כו’
היתה עשויה ועומדת אם יכול לחדש בה דבר מברך אם לאו לכשיכנס לישב בה מברך שתים
אמר רב אשי חזינא ליה לרב כהנא דקאמר להו לכולהו אכסא דקדושא.
Our rabbis taught: He who makes a Sukkah for his own use recites the blessing, "Blessed are You. . . who has kept us in life" etc.
When he enters it to dwell in it, he says, "Blessed are You . . . who has sanctified us" etc.
If it was already made and standing: if he can make some renovation in it he blesses,; and if not, when he enters it to dwell in it he recites both blessing.
R. Ashi said: I saw that R. Kahana recited all of them over the cup of Kiddush.
According to the baraita, when one builds a sukkah he says shehiyanu. And then when one dwells in it on the first night of Sukkot, he says the blessing, "Who has commanded us to dwell in the sukkah."
If the sukkah was built already, he would bless beforehand only if he modifies it or renovates it in some way. But if not, he would wait and recite both blessings when he dwells in it.
R. Ashi is the source for the way we behave today we recite all of these blessings when we say Kiddush on the first night of Sukkot. Combining all of these blessings and reciting them at one time seems to be a way to bolster all of their sanctity. Furthermore, joining a mitzvah with a cup of wine is also a common means by which to give the mitzvah more sanctity.