A Take away from the Yom Tov Sukkos
The Torah calls Sukkos "Chag Ha'asif," the Yom-Tov of ingathering. This refers to the gathering of the crops, which takes place during the fall season. Why is this important enough to name the Yom-Tov after it? How does the cycle of the crops directly relate to the essence of Sukkos?
The Gemara teaches us the principle of teishvu k'ein taduru, we dwell in the Sukka the same way we live in our houses all year round. The halachic implication is that if the Sukka causes one considerable discomfort, and certainly pain, he is exempt from the Sukka. If you leave your home for this reason, you can leave the Sukka, too. However, there is an important message implicit in these words, as well.
The Sukka is known as a diras arai, a temporary dwelling. When we leave our permanent homes, our diras k'va, and move into the Sukka, we are reminding ourselves that we live a fleeting existence in a temporary world. We are only passing through this prozdor, corridor, on the way to the traklin, the great hall of Olam Haba'ah, our true destination.
This is all well and good during Yom-Tov. For eight days, we live with this truth. But what happens after Yom-Tov, when we return to our usual homes? We risk returning to our typical mindset, where the gashmiyus, material objects and pursuits, seem to be the true reality!
Therefore, the Imrei Chaim explains, the Torah tells us teishvu k'ein taduru. Practically, we dwell in the Sukka the same way we live in our houses, but this drasha also teaches us to make the comparison in the other direction. We are meant to dwell in our homes with the same awareness that accompanies us in our Sukka. We need to bring the message of Sukkos back into our lives, and to live in our sturdy homes a lifestyle of diras arai, focusing on what is truly important.
Sukkos takes place during the asif, the gathering of the crops. A person finally reaps the reward for his hard labor the entire year, and he rejoices in his bounty. This can easily lead him to sink further into a life of materialism and pursuit of gashmiyus. The talmidei Ba'al Shem Tov explain that this is when it is most important to bear in mind the message of the diras arai. We move into the Sukka and remember that our spiritual accomplishments are what count. We must use Hashem's bracha properly, as a means towards an end, helping us focus on our avodas Hashem and accomplish our true mission.
