What can the Sukkah teach us about walls and structures, about complacency and gratitude and about feeling vulnerable and making peace?

The mitzvah to sit in the sukkah is so that “future generations will know that I [God] caused Israel to dwell in booths” after the Exodus (Vayikra 23). However, the Torah never explicitly mentions these sukkot in the story of the Exodus other than the first stop being at a place called “Sukkot.” Hence, there is a Tannaitic debate about whether these were actual booths, or were referring to the Clouds of Glory which accompanied Israel as they wandered through the desert. This debate conveys different perspectives on the essence of the mitzvah of sukkah.

The Talmud adds another layer to understanding the sukkah: For seven days we leave a permanent residence, di-rat keva (our home) and dwell in a temporary one, di-rat a’ray (the sukkah). Rambam explains that specifically in Tishrei, after the harvest, people’s homes were filled with plenty and they might become indifferent to this goodness. Hence, the command to sit in a sukkah, to increase appreciation and gratitude to God. The sukkah re-acquaints us with the feeling of vulnerability and dependance on God which we experienced in the desert.

Why then would the sukkah refer to Clouds of Glory? Clouds in Tanach are often associated with divine protection and closeness to God. Just before God came down to Har Sinai, the mountain was covered with clouds. In the desert, God provided these “ananei hakavod,” which according to the midrash, protected Bnei Yisrael from the heat and rain and from being attacked by their enemies. The prophet Isaiah describes God’s protection as a cloud, likened to a sukkah, which provides shelter and protection from the elements, and to a chuppah, symbolic of God’s love for Israel. The sukkah, likened to clouds, represents protection, peace and love. 

The idea that sukkot represents both vulnerability and protection relates to the words we pray on Sukkot: “May the All-Merciful One establish for us the fallen sukkah of David.” Here the sukkah is a metaphor for a time past when Israel was a strong nation, united in our land, yet more fragile than perceived.

The sukkah seems to be a perfect reminder of our strength AND our fragility today. The Jewish people are stronger and safer than ever in our land. Yet, surrounded by plenty and beauty, how do we avoid complacency? Perhaps we have retreated too much into our sturdy homes, being too sure of our own opinions. Maybe feeling our own vulnerability might help us understand each other better and bridge some of the divisions within our nation? This year, may the sukkah remind us of our vulnerabilities as a people and may God establish a sukkah of peace over Am Yisrael. Chag Sameach – Karen Miller Jackson