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The Torah speaks of the commandments of dwelling in a Sukkah and taking the Lulav (VaYikra 23:33-44).  The festival is known as Sukkot and is called this because during this festival we must live in a thatched hut known as a sukkah.

G-d commanded us to dwell in a sukkah to remind us of the Clouds of Glory that G-d sent to the Benei Yisrael when they left Egypt.  Six clouds surrounded them on all four sides, with one above and one below.  This was so that they would not suffer from the sun, wind, rain, or dew.  A seventh cloud went in front of them to straighten out the path.  The Benei Yisrael were enclosed by the clouds, as is a person in a ship.  A person in a ship can live there as he does in his house and it is of no concern to him when the ship moves.  The Benei Yisrael were just like that in the seven Clouds of Glory.

In commemoration of the Clouds of Glory, G-d commanded us to dwell in a sukkah.  This was so that we would remember the wonders and miracles that He did for our ancestors when they left Egypt.

G-d commanded us to make the sukkah in the month of Tishrei, in the fall.  This is the time when people usually come into their houses.  We do the opposite. We go out of our houses to the sukkah.  This makes it obvious that we are doing this to commemorate G-d's miracles.

There is also another allusion in this commandment.  At this time we have just completed Yom Kippur - the Day of Judgment.  G-d has forgiven our sins because we have repented.  When we leave our houses for the fields and live in sukkot, we show that, until now, we were hiding in our houses because we were full of sins; we were afraid of the denouncing forces created from our sins.  But now that we have atoned for them, we go out to the fields without any fear at all.

This is alluded to in the verse, "On the day Esav returned to his journey to Seir and Yaakov journeyed to Sukkot..." (Bereishit 33:16,17)  Esav alludes to the Evil One.  Seir denotes a goat in Hebrew and this alludes to the goat sent to Azazel.  After the Evil One, who is Esav, sees the goat sent to the desert, he no longer denounces the Benei Yisrael.  He leaves them and returns to his place in the desert.  When Yaakov - Yisrael - sees that Esav has left them, the Benei Yisrael go out to the Sukkah.  This shows that they no longer have any fear.

G-d therefore commanded us to dwell in a sukkah in the month of Tishrei.  This is a time when people bring their grain in from the field; their houses are filled with all sorts of goods.  It is precisely at this time that one must desert his house and go out to the field, to the sukkah.  This should teach him the lesson that he should not pay attention to worldly vanities and goods, but think only about Torah and good deeds.

The seven days allude to the seven judgments through which a person must pass.

The sukkah alludes to a person's dwelling in this world, which is a temporary place.

The seven days also allude to the human life-span, which is seventy years.

the person's true dwelling place is the Olam HaBah (World to Come). Therefore, a person should not pay attention to worldly vanities, but should immerse himself in the Torah and the commandments.


Laws of the Sukkah

It is a mitzvah to make the sukkah right after Yom Kippur.  When a person has the opportunity to do a mitzvah, he should not delay in performing it.

Furthermore, there is no person who is not completely purified on Yom Kippur.  One should begin this mitzvah immediately after Yom Kippur so as to be able to keep this great mitzvah with a pure, clean body.

Therefore, as soon as one completes his meal after Yom Kippur, he should begin making the sukkah.  If one is weak because of the fast and cannot make it completely, he should make half of it or part of it.  At the very least, he should begin making the preparations so that he can erect the sukkah the next day.

It is a mitzvah for a person to make his own sukkah and not to have someone else do it.

One should carefully choose the site for the sukkah to make sure that it is not a place where there is a bad odor nor too close to the latrine.  Some people are not careful regarding this and make the sukkah in a place which has a foul odor.

Many people do not realize that the sukkah is a very holy dwelling. It is the place where the Divine Presence rests.  It is also the place to which one invites the seven Holy Guests (Ushpizin): Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Moshe, Aharon, Yosef and David.

The covering of the sukkah is known as sechach.  The sechach must be made from something that grows out of the ground.  It must also be plucked from the ground and be something that cannot accept ritual defilement (tumah).

If one makes the sechach from animal hide, places them on top of the sukkah, he does not fulfill his obligation.  Animal hides do not grow from the ground.

If one stretches tree branches or vines over the sukkah while they are still growing, he similarly cannot fulfill his obligation.

If one takes wooden bowls or other wooden vessels and makes them into a roof for the sukkah, he also does not fulfill his obligation.  Since these are vessels, they cannot accept tumah.

It is also forbidden to make the sechach out of grass that will dry out and fall.

The sechach may not be made out of something that has a bad odor, since this may cause one to leave the sukkah.

The sechach must be thick enough so that the shadow it casts covers more area than the sunlight that is let through.  However, it should not be too thick.  The stars should be visible through it.

When we say that certain things may not be used for a sukkah, we are only speaking of the sechach, the roof of the sukkah.  The walls may be made out of absolutely anything.

It is a mitzvah that the sukkah should have four complete walls.  It should be enclosed on all four sides and have a regular door.  However, if one only makes two walls, with a third wall at least a handbreadth wide, the sukkah is valid.

One must be careful first to erect the walls and then place the sechach.  If one makes the roof first and then sets up the walls underneath it, the sukkah is invalid.

If one makes the walls out of reeds, he must be careful to put no more distance of three handbreaths (9-12 inches) between one reed and another.  If there is a greater distance than that between the reeds, it is not considered a wall.

One should not make the walls out of sheets or canvas.  Since they are not rigid, but move in the wind, they are not considered walls.  Even if one places the sukkah in a place where there is no wind, sheets are not considered walls.


Dwelling in a Sukkah

It is a commandment to dwell in a sukkah all seven days, both day and night.  We must eat, drink and sleep in the sukkah, living in it as we do our own homes all year.

It is forbidden to eat a regular meal outside of the sukkah.  If one does now wish to eat at all, he need not do so.  However, if one wishes to eat a meal, he must do so in the sukkah.

This, however, applies only on days other than the first. On the first night, and also on the second night outside the Holy Land, one is obligated to eat bread in the sukkah.  On must eat a piece of bread at least the size of an olive.

It is therefore a custom to make a sukkah at the synagogue for those who cannot make their own sukkah.  Each person must eat an olive size piece of bread in the sukkah and thus fulfill his obligation.

Here we see the error of those who have the opportunity to make a sukkah, but depend on the sukkah made at the synagogue, merely eating an olive-sized piece of bread the first and second nights.  The rest of the week they eat in their homes.  As we have said, the congregational sukkah is only useful for eating the olive-sized piece of bread the first and second nights.  However, when the people eat the rest of their meals in the house, they are in violation of a commandment.  They are violating the positive commandment to live in a sukkah.

It is through the commandment of sukkah that G-d will overcome the nations of the world in the ultimate future.

The Torah says,

"Everyone included in Yisrael shall dwell in sukkot" (23:42).  This indicates that everyone who is a true Israelite lives in the sukkah and does not care about the heat or cold.

From all this we learn how great is the punishment for those who neglect the commandment of the sukkah.  This is an easy commandment to keep.  Therefore, if a person does not keep it, he obviously takes G-d's commandments lightly.

If a person cannot build a sukkah before the holiday because of some unexpected emergency, he can build the sukkah during the intermediate days (Chol HaMoed).

It is permissible to drink water or wine or to eat fruit outside the sukkah.  It is also permissible to have a snack outside the sukkah, one may even eat a piece of bread smaller than an egg.  However, it is forbidden to eat a regular meal outside the sukkah.

When it rains, one need not remain in the sukkah.  He may go into his house and eat his meal.  However, this is only true if it is raining so hard that if as much rain dripped into his house he would leave his house and go out.  If it is only a light drizzle that does not bother a person, he is not exempt and he must remain in the sukkah.

This is only true during the week.  On the first night one must make Kiddush over wine and eat an olive-sized piece of bread in the sukkah even if it is raining hard.  One also must do this on the second night.

If it is raining very hard, one should recite Kiddush and eat an olive-sized piece of bread in the sukkah and complete his meal in his house.

However, if it is raining on the second night, one should not recite the blessing "Leshev ba-sukkah" (To dwell in a sukkah).  The only time that one recites a blessing in the sukkah is when he eats there.

On the first night, one recites Kiddush, then the sukkah blessing, and then the blessing Shehechyanu (Who has kept us alive).

On the second night, one recites Kiddush, then Shehechyanu, and finally, the blessing "to dwell in a sukkah."

During the rest of the week, one recites the blessing, "to dwell in a sukkah" before saying HaMotzi over bread. (Ashkenazi custom is to recite HaMotzi first, and then the sukkah blessing).

On a day when one says Kiddush, he recites the blessing "to dwell in a sukkah" after Kiddush.

A bridegroom and the members of his party are exempt from a sukkah all seven days of the festival.  Some authorities, however, maintain that they are obligated to eat these meals in a sukkah.

A circumcision feast must be held in the sukkah.

If a person is sick he is exempt from the sukkah.

It is forbidden to make any mundane use of the sukkah throughout the entire holiday. It is thus forbidden to take a reed from the wall and hang a garment on it or the like.  It is also forbidden to take a branch from the sechach and use it for anything.

If fruit is hung in the sukkah for beauty it is forbidden to use this fruit all Sukkot, even if the fruit falls down.  However, if one makes a condition before the festival and says, "I will eat this fruit whenever I want," the condition is valid and he may eat any fruit that falls.  However, such a condition is of no use regarding any integral part of the sukkah.  Even if one makes a condition, he may not make any use of any parts of the sukkah.

If a person is in the middle of a journey he is exempt from the sukkah.

A person should make every effort to keep the commandment of the sukkah according to its law. If a person does this, G-d says, "You have kept the commandment of the sukkah. I will also make a sukkah on the great Day of Judgment to protect you on this day."  Regarding this it is written, "He shall protect me in a sukkah on a day of evil" (Tehillim 27:5)


The Four Species

Sukkot is called the "ingathering festival" (chag ha-asif).  This is because it comes in the month during which a person gathers into his house all the produce he has in the field.  It is a time of great joy, when a person is happy because of the crops in his house which is full and brimming over with all good.

It is therefore impossible that a person not sin because of all the good that he has.  The Evil Inclination exists primarily in places where there is great joy, not in places where there is humility and contrition.

G-d therefore commanded us to take the four species during these days.  The four species allude to the four most important parts of man's body: the spine, the eyes, the heart and the mouth.

The lulav (palm frond) alludes to the human spine.  This teaches that at this time of joy a person should straighten his body and attach himself to the fear of G-d.

Th etrog (citron) alludes to the heart.  This is the seat of the emotions.  A person should not let his emotions go too far at a time of joy.

The hadas (myrtle) looks like eyes.  This teaches a man not to follow his eyes.  One must not look at starnge women or other forbidden things when he is in a state of joy or elation.

The aravah (willow) looks like the lips.  This teaches that even when a person feels joy he should watch his mouth not to speak too much, since this can cause malicious speech, frivolity, and profanity.

There is also another reason for this commandment.  If a person has sinned with one of these parts of the body, keeping this commandment should be an atonement for him.  This is a great act of love that G-d has done for man.

Moreover, if a person gazes at these four species, he will not sin with these parts of the body; and if he sins, these commandments are a remedy.

G-d therefore said, "You shall take for you on the first day the fruit of a beautiful tree..." (VaYikra 23:40). G-d is saying, "I am giving this commandment to you for your benefit so that it will be a remedy for your sins."

The three myrtle branches allude to the three patriarchs, Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov.  Just as the three patriarchs were united in their service to G-d and did not take their minds off their Creator for even a moment, we, too, who come from these holy roots, must be unified and bound to G-d's service.

This is alluded to in the word for the palm frond which is lulav.  This can be broken into two words, lo lev, which means "to Him is the heart."  This indicates that our hearts are only attached to Him.

We should also be bound together and unified just as the lulav is bound with the other species.  There should be no hatred among us.  It is because of hatred that the Temple was destroyed.  How can we expect the Temple to be rebuilt if we still have this evil trait.

The Torah says, "You shall take on the first day a beautiful fruit of the tree, fronds of dates, a branch from braided trees and willows of the brook" (23:40)

The Torah literally says, "You should take the beautiful fruit of a tree."  The Torah does not designate what kind of tree it is.  Our Sages, however, know by tradition that this is the etrog (citron).

One reason is that there is no fruit as beautiful as the etrog.

Furthermore, the Torah speaks of it literally as "fruit tree beautiful" (pri etz hadar).  If the Torah had meant that one should take a fruit of a tree and not the fruit of the ground it would have said, "a fruit from a beautiful tree." But the Torah literally says, "a fruit of a tree."  This teaches that the fruit must be like the tree and the tree must be like the fruit; the wood of the tree should have the same taste as the fruit.  Our Sages determined that no tree has wood resembling its fruit except for the etrog.

When the Torah speaks of the myrtle, it says that it should be a "branch of a braided tree."  This indicates that the leaves on the branch should look like braids.  Many trees have this appearance, but the Torah also says, "a branch which is a leafy tree."  This can be interpreted, "a branch which is a braided tree" and not " a branch from a braided tree."  This teaches that it is a branch with leaves that completely cover the wood.  No tree does this in the same manner as the myrtle does.

When the Torah speaks of "fronds of a date," it is obvious that the Torah is speaking of the date palm.  This is the lulav.

"Willow of the brook" is the simple willow.

The four species also allude to the four types of Jews. Some people study the Torah and accumulate good deeds. Some study the Torah without accumulating good deeds.  Others accumulate good deeds but do not study the Torah; still others are empty, neither studying the Torah nor accumulating good deeds.

The four species parallel these four types.

Those who both study the Torah and accumulate good deeds are like the etrog, which has both good taste and a pleasant fragrance.

Those who study Torah but do not accumulate good deeds are like the lulav, which produces fruit dates, that are good to eat, but have no fragrance.

The group that has good deeds but does not study Torah are like the myrtle, which as a fragrance but not taste.

Finally, there is a group that neither has good deeds nor studies Torah.  This is like the willow, which has neither taste nor fragrance.

G-d says that all four species must be bound together; they must be like one body, totally unified. The merit of one shall stand up for the others.

Therefore, regarding this commandment it is said, "You shall take for yourselves on the first day..." (23:40).  This teaches that just as the four species must be bound together, so all Yisrael must be bound together and unified in one group.

G-d furthermore says, "Through the commandment of 'You shall take for yourselves on the first day...' I will allow My Divine Presence to rest among you.  I am also called First, as it is written, 'I am First' (Yeshayahu 44:6)."  (The verse can thus be read, "You shall take for yourselves on the day of the First, the beautiful fruit of the tree..")

"Also, because of this commandment, I will take vengeance from 'Esav, who is called first, as it is written, 'The first came out red' (Bereishit 25:25).  I will build the Holy Temple, which is called first, as it is written 'The Throne of Glory on high from the first is the place our Sanctuary' (Yirmeyahu 17:12).

"I will send you the Mashiach, who is called first, as it is written, 'They are first to Tziyon and the news will be given to Yerushalayim' (Yeshayahu 41:27).'

Amein, may this be G-d's Will.

-MeAm Lo'ez, Vol. 12