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In this week’s parsha, we see that Yaakov is genuinely afraid of meeting his brother Eisav. He first attempted to placate him by sending generous gifts. Not finding any success, he divides his entourage into two as a mean of tactics for survival. He then turns to prayer: “rescue me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Eisav….” (Gen 32:12). With an unexpected turn of events, the brothers encounter each other, embrace, and Yaakov’s initial tensions subside.
Upon Eisav’s departure, Yaakov built himself a house and for his animals he made shelters. The word used for “shelters” is Succot.
There are multiple rabbinic reasoning’s given as to why our Chag of Succot was given its name. If one looks at the context in this week’s parsha, the word “Succot” is in reference to housing animals, whereas the Sukkah we sit in on Succot houses people. One may be perplexed or curious as to the significance of these two structures having the same Hebrew name, and even more so for it to be a mitzvah for people to reside in this structure also baring the same name as what houses animals.
A phenomena we see with wine, and why it’s specifically wine used for kiddish and other Jewish religious services/ceremonies, lies in the fact that is something that can be used in three primary ways. It can be enjoyed, it can be abused and thirdly we as humans have the ability to take it and elevate the very essence of what can be used negatively (drunkenness) to holiness, by making a blessing in it. We see this too with the Havdallah candle, using it for light when fire can be the source of destruction.
The Sukkah that we sit in on Succot has that very same essence and message, we are able to take a shed that up until now (in the Torah) was associated with housing animals, yet we have the ability to elevate it to a higher sense, purpose and very being.
The ability is within us as humans to take the most mundane and elevate it, making it more meaningful in our lives and of those around us.
Yaakov started this process for us, by naming the place “Succot” after the act that he had done in erecting shelters for his animals, and years later it was fit for the Jews on their journey in the midbar to set up camp – shelters for themselves.
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The Jewish Federations of North America Rabbinic Cabinet
Cabinet Chair: Les Bronstein
Vice Chair: Frederick Klein
Vice Chair: Larry Kotok
Vice Chair: Steven Lindemann
Vice Chair: Fredi Cooper
Vice Chair: Tina Grimberg
Vice Chair: Jonathan Berkun
Vice Chair: Jack Luxemberg
President: Stuart Weinblatt
Honorary President: Matthew Simon
Director of the Rabbinic Cabinet: Gerald I. Weider
The opinions expressed in Mekor Chaim articles are solely of the author and do not reflect any official position of Jewish Federations of North America or the Rabbinic Cabinet
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