Riddle for Meal 1 – Why Is Succos Called So

Why is Succos called “Succos” because of the mitzvah of succah that we do on Succos. Why is not called “Chag Arbas HaMinim”, after the mitzvah of arbah minim that we do on Succos?

1. The Abarbanel (Parshas Emor) answers, that on Succos there are two mitzvos, succah and arbah minim. And the reasoning behind the two mitzvos are very different. The mitzvah of succah serves as a remembrance of what happened in the past, like it says: כי בסוכות הושבתי את בני ישראל בהוציאי אותם מארץ מצרים – “In huts Bnei Yisroel dwelled when leaving the land of Egypt”, whereas the mitzvah of arbah minim is for the present, to praise Hashem for all the grain we merited to gather in this year. Since the inyan of remembering the succos Hashem provide us with in the dessert came first, we call Succos, “Succos” and not “Chag Arbas HaMinim”.
2. The mitzvah of succah is fulfilled already at night, whereas the mitzvah of arbah minim is only in the day, since the mitzvah of succah comes first we call Succos, “Succos”.
3. One of the main purposes of the Yom Tov of Succos is to remind us that we are בצילא דמהמנותא – “In the shade of the Ribbono Shel Olam”, therefore, we call the Yom Tov “Succos” to remind us of this idea, that we are under the shade of the Ribbono Shel Olam. (For a kabbalistic answer see the Alshich HaKodosh at length in Parshas Emor)