Inyan Sukkos 2 – קול רם
In the beginning of the Parshah of Sukkah, the Torah tells us that there is a Yom Tov called Sukkos which we have for seven days - Vayikra 23:34 "דבר אל בני ישראל לאמר בחמשה עשר יום לחדש השביעי הזה חג הסוכות שבעת ימים לד'" "Speak to B'nei Yisroel saying: on the fifteenth of the seventh month there shall be a Yom Tov of Sukkos for seven days". It is only at the end of the Parshah that the Torah tells us that there is a Mitzvah for one to dwell in the Sukkah for seven days - Vayikra 23:42 "בסוכות תשבו שבעת ימים כל האזרח בישראל ישבו בסוכות" "In Sukkos you shall dwell for seven days, all who reside in Yisroel shall dwell in Sukkos." This is perplexing why does the Torah wait until the end of the Parshah to tell us about dwelling in the Sukkah? Isn't this the main part of the Mitzvah - dwelling in the Sukkah? Shouldn't this have been stated right at the beginning of the Parsha of Sukkos?
Every person must know that this world is a פרוזדור, an antechamber, for the main banquet hall, Olam Habah. This world is a temporary world, a place to prepare for the permanent world, Olam Habah. This is as we say in Meseches Avos 4:16 "העולם הזה דומה לפרוזדור בפני עולם הבא" that this world is like an antechamber before Olam Habah. This is the purpose of the Yom Tov of Sukkos, to remind us of this. We were given the Mitzvah of dwelling in Sukkos for seven days to help us understand this, to visualize this, as we go out and dwell in temporary huts for seven days. This is as we say in Yotzros of the second day of Sukkos, "אל תהי מצות סוכה בעיניך קלה, כי כנגד כל מצות דת חקותיה שקולה" that one should not take the Mitzvah of Sukkha lightly, for it is equivalent to all of the Mitzvos of the Torah.
Why is the Mitzvah of Sukkah equal to all of the Mitzvos of the Torah? One must know that when one lives in this world, he is living in a temporary world, and he is not a Muchzak in anything. Meaning that people think that they have a Chazakah on some things, some things are certainly theirs and cannot be taken from them. One must know that it is not so, and we are not Muchzak in anything. Everything that we have and receive is all from Hashem. We must use that which we have to serve Hakodosh Boruch Hu, and if we don't, it will be taken away from us. One must truly know and believe this. It is an honor to be able to serve Hakodosh Boruch Hu, and we must do so with great joy. If we truly understand this, that it is all Hashem's, then it is not a difficult test for us to use what He gives us in the proper way. The reason that this Mitzvah is equal to all the Mitzvos is because it teaches, and brings us to perform all the Mitzvos in the proper way with great joy. This is why one who is in pain is exempt from the Sukkah for the Mitzvah of Sukkah is to teach us to serve Hakodosh Boruc Hu with joy, and if one will be in pain while performing this Mitzvah, it is the antithesis of what this Mitzvah is all about and thus one is exempt from the Mitzvah.
