When the Gemara rejects the notion that the Kohen Gadol was separated for the seven days before Shemini Atzeres why did it not discuss that that would mean that the Kohen Gadol would then be in the Lishkas Farhedrin during all of Succos. How would he eat. Doesn't he have to eat in a succah?
This leads to a more general question. Where did the Kohanim eat during Succos? Perhaps the Kodshim/Lechem HaPanim did not have to be eaten in a Succah? What about other foods. Was a succah constructed in the Temple during succos and where?
David Kinzbrunner, Lauderhill, Florida
(a) Perhaps a Sukah was made in the Azarah in which he would eat and sleep. There does not seem to be any reason why it should be prohibited to make a Sukah in the Azarah, as we find that a wooden platform was built for the sake of the Mitzvah of Hakhel (Sotah 41a) upon which the king would stand. If so, certainly erecting such a structure would be permitted if it was erected in or atop the Lishkas Parhedrin which did not have the Kedushah of the Azarah (as Rashi and Tosfos point out, Yoma 6a).
(b) Also, even if it was not possible to build a Sukah in the Azarah, that would not be a reason not to separate the Kohen Gadol. He would be exempt from the Mitzvah of Sukah, because "one who is involved in one Mitzvah is exempt from another," as we find in Sukah (25a) that those who are traveling on their way to do a Mitzvah are exempt from the Mitzvah of Sukah even while they are resting (see Rashi in Sukah there).
The CHASAM SOFER writes that this reason exempts all of the Olei Regalim from the Mitzvah of Sukah (and he points out that if they were not exempt, there certainly would not be room for so many Sukos in Yerushalayim).
-Mordecai