The Clouds Of Glory

The gemara in Sukka 11 brings two reasons for the mitzva of sitting in a sukka. One reason is to remember the actual sukkos in which the yidden dwelled in the midbar. The second reason is to remember the ananei hakavod, the clouds of glory, which protected us in the midbar.

According to the reason that we're commemorating the “huts", why would we make a yom tov out of that? Any person who would be travelling long distance would make for himself a temporary hut to rest in during his travels. So, what's the celebration?

The Ramban in Parshas Emor says that the mitzvah of sukka is not merely to commemorate the huts that we dwelled in; rather it is to remember all the miracles that took place during that time period. Our nation was in the desert, a place isolated from all habitation. According to the rules of nature, there would be no food or drinks to sustain them and they would be exposed to the elements as well. However, Hashem was with us and provided us with everything we needed for the entire forty years in the desert. The sukka serves as a reminder of that extraordinary period in our history, a time when we experienced open miracles daily and felt Hashem's presence among us so openly and clearly.

We know there were many miracles that Klal Yisroel experienced in the midbar. For example, the manna fell from the sky, the b'er Miriam, a miraculous well, provided water for the entire forty years. Why do we specifically commemorate the ananei hakavod and we go so far as to create a Yom Tov especially for that?

What's so special about the ananei hakavod more so than the other miracles of the midbar?

One reason we don't commemorate the manna is because Klal Yisroel complained about the manna and the rule is “ein kateigor naaseh saneigar" a prosecutor can't become an advocate. Just like on Rosh Hashana we don't blow a horn from a cow because that would remind us of the chait ha'eigel, so too we don't do anything to commemorate the nes of the manna. Another answer given is that the manna was a necessity in order for us to live. A person can't survive without food so Hashem had to provide us with what to eat in the midbar. But the ananei hakavod was not necessary for survival; rather, it was an expression of Hashem's deep love and care for us. And that's why we commemorate the ananei hakavod with the yom tov of Sukkos.

There is a very well-known question that if Sukkos is a remembrance for the ananei hakavod, then shouldn't it be celebrated in Nisan when we were first zoche to them? The famous answer is brought down in the Tur. Since Nisan is in the spring and people are usually in huts then in order to have some shade, it wouldn't seem as though we are sitting in sukkos for the mitzva. Therefore, we are commanded to sit in the sukka at the time when most people leave their huts and go back into their homes. Specifically now, in the beginning of autumn, we leave our comfortable homes and go live in the sukka, and that demonstrates clearly that we are doing it for the mitzva.

The Vilna Gaon in Shir Hashirim says that we were first zoche to the ananei hakavod in Chodesh Nisan. However, when Klal Yisroel sinned with the eigel, these special clouds were removed. About three months after the cheit, on Yom Kippur, Hashem told Moshe Rabeinu that He forgave Klal Yisroel. On the day after Yom Kippur, on 11 Tishrei, Moshe Rabeinu gathered everyone to construct the mishkan. Over the next few days, Klal Yisroel donated materials for the mishkan and then the actual building began on the 15 th of Tishrei – the 1 st day of Sukkos. Says the Gaon, that was the day when the ananei hakavod returned and this what we celebrate on Sukkos - the return of the ananei hakavod. That's why Sukkos is celebrated in Tishrei.

There is a pasuk in Parshas Mishpatim which refers to the yom tov of Sukkos but uses the name "Chag Ha'asif" a yom tov of gathering. The Meshech Chachma asks - why? Why doesn't the pasuk call Sukkos by its regular name - Sukkos? He answers according to the Gaon that we mentioned above, that maybe the yom tov of Sukkos didn't exist before the chet ha'egel. There was a Chag Ha'asif, but not the mitzva of sukka. That's why the Torah only refers to Chag Ha'asif in Parshas Mishpatim, before the chet. Once chet ha'eigel occurred and Klal Yisroel lost and then got back the ananei hakavod, only then did we celebrate with a yom tov of sukkos, thanking Hashem for the return of the protective clouds.

We know that women are not obligated in mitzvos that are bound to certain times. However, if women were a part of a miracle, then they are obligated in those mitzvos that commemorate the miracles. If so, why are they not obligated in the mitzva of sukka? They also benefited from the clouds; they were protected by the ananei hakavod as well. Yet we know that they are exempt from this mitzva of sukkah. Why?

According to the Gaon, the whole yom tov is because Hashem forgave us after cheit ha'eigel and returned the ananei hakavod to us. Now, we all know that the women had nothing to do with the eigel. They remained loyal to Hashem and refused to donate anything for the eigel. Therefore, they have no connection to the return of the ananei hakavod and are exempt from the mitzva of sukka. It's a praise on the women that they are exempt.

May we all merit to sit in the sukkah of the livyason very soon. Wishing all of Klal Yisroel a Chag Kosher V'sameach!