Eisav, where did he go? The Zohar (vol.3 p.100:) states that he ran to a succah. The Bnei Yissaschar (Tishrei 10:7) writes, "With the or makif, the holy light of the succah, all tumah flee from him." It is a place of holiness and protection from all bad and from all tzaros.
Salvations from the Succah
We say in Neilah יחביאנו צל ידו תחת כפני השכינה. The Ateres Tzvi zt'l says that ליד refers to the shade of the succah. We daven on Yom Kippur that in the merit of the mitzvah succah יחביאנו Hashem should protect us.
The Zera Kodesh (first night of Succos) from Rebbe Naftali of Ropshitz zt'l says that
When we say Hoshanos we call out in a loud voice הושענא שואגים הושע נא (אום אני חומה), "Hashem should save those who shout out Hosha Na." Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, prayers are said in a silent voice, as we say וכל מאמינים שהוא עונה לחש "Everyone believes that Hashem answers silent tefillos." Reb Shalom of Belz zt'l explains that on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we should daven silently to hide our tefillos from the malachim, the mikatrigim, who wish to prevent them from ascending to heaven. But on Succos, when we sit in the succah under the shade of the Shechinah, we are shielded from all the mikatrigim. Therefore, we can pray in a loud voice. We can shout הושענא, and our tefillos will go up and be answered.
Succos means shadow, not shade. The Gemara (Succah 2a) states אדם יושב בצל סוכה, "A person sits in the shadow of the succah." Also, the Zohar HaKadosh (vol.3 103b) calls a succah צילא דמהמנות "The shadow of emunah." However, this expression is difficult, because when one sits under the schach, he sits under the shade of the succah, not in its shadow. When there is a tall tree that gives off a shadow, one can sit in that shadow, but when one sits directly under the tree, he isn't under the shadow. He is in the shade of the tree. So, why is sitting in the succah called sitting in the צל?
The Ropshitzer Rav answers with the renowned Midrash (see Shlah Hakadosh, שער הגדול אות ה', תולדות אדם 121:8) to explain the pasuk (Tehillim 91:1) ה' צלך "Hashem is your shadow". The midrash explains that Hashem is called צלך, our shadow, because just as all movements of man are seen in his shadow, so, too, the way a person acts, Hashem does the same in heaven. When a person has compassion on his fellow man, Heaven will act with compassion. When one is kind, Heaven performs kindness, etc. This explains the reason the shade of the succah is called צל. When we sit in our succah made of wood and stone, Hashem protects Bnei Yisrael in His succah in heaven. There is a shadow effect. The Ropshitzer writes הגם שאין ערך ודמיון כלל עם כל זה מוכרח לומר כן "Although there is no comparison at all..." There is no comparison between our succos, made from stone and wood, to the holy succah in heaven, "nevertheless, we must say so."
Chazal say מצטער פטור מן הסוכה. The Tiferes Shlomo translated it: מצטער פטור,one becomes freed from all his tzaros, מן הסוכהin the merit of performing the mitzvah of succah.13
The Yeitav Lev zt'l said that even if the decree on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur was חייב chalilah (that he is guilty and undeserving of a good year) on Succos,חיי
ב turns around and becomes the roshei teivos for (Tehillim 149:5) יעלזו חסידים בכבוד ירננו "The righteous will exult in Hashem's honor; they will sing praises..." They will praise Hashem for His kindness that will come to them. The end of the pasuk is ,בכבוד, ירננו על משכבותם "...they will sing praises on their beds." The Sfas Emes (5653) says that this pasuk alludes to the mitzvah of sleeping in succah, the only mitzvah one performs while sleeping. The word כבוד in this pasuk also hints at succah because the succah commemorates the ענני הכבוד clouds of glory that protected Bnei Yisrael in the desert. This mitzvah results in יעלזו חסידים, a lot of joy, because the mitzvah of succah brings many salvations.
The mitzvah of succah is mesugal for a long life. The Ropshitzer Rav zt'l learned Eisav by hiding in a succah. Shaar HaKavanos )'ענין סוכה דרוש ד( from the Arizal teaches, "The concept of succah is that we, Yisrael, children of kings, build a succah and sit in the shade of Hashem's encompassing light )אור מקיף(, which surrounds us like a succah. By sitting in the succah, we draw onto ourselves this encompassing light. The Bnei Yissaschar (Tishrei 10:7) teaches that this light banishes all tumah, kelipos, and chitzonim, which seek to harm us. He notes that this is hinted at in the pasuk (Devarim 28:10( וְרָאוּ כָּל עַמִּי הָאָרֶץ כִּי שֵׁם ה' נִקְרָא עָלֶיךָ וְיָרְאוּ מִמֶּךְ "All the peoples of the earth will see that Hashem's name is called upon you, and they will fear you." The Bnei Yissaschar explains that a key word in this pasuk is עָלֶיךָ "upon you." This refers to the אור מקיף the light that surrounds us. This holy light protects us, for it banishes all tumos and all kelipos and all harm. The Bnei Yissaschar explains that tumah is afraid of this encompassing light because the tumah doesn't possess this light. As it states (Bereishis 3:1( וְהַנָּחָשׁ הָיָה עָרוּם the snake was naked; it didn't have clothing encompassing it. When we sit in succah, this gives us the encompassing light )אור מקיף( that protects us from all harm. The Imrei Noam (Or Ropshitz,'אושפיזא דיעקב אות א( zt'l teaches that סכ"ך is roshei teivos of (Tehillim 22:17( כִּי סְבָבוּנִי כְּלָבִים "For dogs [Eisav], have surrounded me." Also, it states (Shemos 15:7( וּבְרֹב גְאוֹנְךָ תַּהֲרֹס קָמֶיךָ "With Your great pride, You tear down those who rise up against You". The סופי תיבות final letters spell סכ"ך. These sources hint that with the mitzvah of succah, we tear down our enemies, and we are protected from all harm. Shem MiShmuel )תער"ד ד"ה בזוה"ק( writes, "I heard from my father [the Avnei Nezer zt'l] that when one says קריאת שמע שעל המטה in the succah, he should say only the first parashah of Shema, as we do on the night of ליל שמורים after the seder." The explanation is as follows: Every night of the year, it is recommended that one read the entire Shema, with all its three parshiyos. This protects us from the tumah and chitzonim, who seek to harm us. However, the night of the seder is called ליל שמוריםthe night that is protected. We aren't afraid of the tumah on this night, and therefore, there is no need to say all three parshiyos of Shema. The Avnei Nezer says that the same is when one says Shema in the succah before going to sleep. In the succah, we aren't afraid of the chitzonim, and therefore, it is sufficient to read the first parashah of Shema. People asked the Vilna Gaon zt'l whether it is permitted to sleep alone in the succah. (The question relates to the precaution many people practice, not to sleep in a room alone, because they are afraid of chitzonim.) The Vilna Gaon replied, שומר מצוה לא ידע דבר רע, when one performs a mitzvah, nothing bad will happen to him. )מעשה רב אות רכ"א(. It states (Bereishis 33:17( וְיַעֲקֹב נָסַע סֶכֹּתָה וַיִּבֶן לוֹ בָּיִת... עַל כֵּן קָרָא שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם סֶכּוֹת "Yaakov traveled to Succos and built himself a house... Therefore he named the place Succos." The Zohar HaKadosh (vol.3 101a) states that this pasuk tells us that the mitzvah of succah protects Bnei Yisrael from the kitrug (prosecuting malachim), and Hakadosh Baruch Hu is happy with His children. 13. The Gemara (Succah 25:) says מצטער פטור מן הסוכה one who has tzaar, is exempt from the succah. The Kotzker zt'l explains this Gemara in a mussar fashion. It teaches us that one shouldn't feel any tzaar or pain when he is in the holy succah, under Hashem's wings. If he feels distress in the succah,פטור מן הסוכה, this demonstrates that he hasn't attached himself to the essence and holiness of the succah.
כל האזרח בישראל (23:42 this from the pasuk (Vayikra ישבו בסוכות"Every resident of Yisrael shall dwell in succahs." The word אזרח is gematria גבורהmighty, and the pasuk says (Tehillim 90:10( אם בגבורות שמונים שנה,that the mighty live up until eighty. So, there is an indication in the pasuk that for keeping the mitzvah of succah, one will merit to live long.14
14. The Tzelemer Rav zt'l was in a nursing home visiting a friend when an elderly person approached him and said that he was 116 years old. He asked the Tzelemer Rav to daven for him that he should die.
The Tzelemer Rav said, "You appear healthy, and your mind is sound; why do you want to die?"
The old man replied, "It is because of my ninety-year-old son, who is also in this facility. He suffers terribly, and I can't bear to watch his suffering so much. That's the reason I want to leave this world."
The Tzelemer Rav went to visit his son. He was lying in bed, in terrible pain. The son said, "I am certain that I will live four more years."
The Tzelemer Rav asked how he knew that, but the son didn't have the strength to answer. So, the Tzelemer Rav returned to the old father and asked him how his son knew that he would live for another four years. The old man said, "In my youth, I lived in Kalamaya. When I turned twenty, I worked in the Kalamaya post office, and my job was to deliver letters. When my manager noticed how strong I was, they began sending me to deliver the heavy packages to the intended addresses.
"One Erev Succos, I came to the post office, as I did every day, and I saw a package of sefarim for Reb Hillel Kalamaya zt'l. I understood that Reb Hillel might want to study from these sefarim over Succos, so I made sure to deliver the sefarim to Reb Hillel before Yom Tov. When I got to Reb Hillel's home, I saw that he was sad. I was surprised to see him in this state, since it was erev Succos,זמן שמחתנוa happy time! His succah was standing and decorated; he had the four minim, so I asked Reb Hillel why he was sad. He replied that he was worried that he wouldn't be able to sleep in the succah. He explained that the goyim who lived near his home were lately becoming rowdy and drunk at night. Reb Hillel lived on a central street, and many people would pass his succah. He feared that the goyim might break into his succah in the middle of the night and harm him...
"I said, 'Reb Hillel! I am strong. I will stay with you in your succah, and I will protect you from the goyim.' Reb Hillel was delighted with this arrangement. "I stayed in his succah the entire Yom Tov. At night, I kept a stick near me in case there was trouble. On the first night of Succos, after we went to sleep, the goyim came to the succah. I chased them away. They returned the next night, and the night after that, but they received a beating from me each time, until they realized they would be better off not coming back. There was peace for the second half of Succos. "At the end of Yom Tov, Reb Hillel gave me a brachah that I should live until 120 years with good health, and that none of my children should die in my lifetime. As you can see, the brachah has come to fruition. My son apparently understood from this story that he has another four years to live. I am 116, I will live until 120, and none of my children will die in my lifetime. Therefore, my son knows that he will live for another four years." The Tzelemer Rav was very inspired by this story and told the old man not to daven to die. He should instead daven that his son should have a refuah sheleimah. Before leaving the nursing home, the Tzelemer Rav spoke to the staff and asked them to contact him if anything changed regarding the old man's health. Additionally, from time to time, he would come by to visit this old man. Four years later, the home administration contacted the Tzelemer Rav to tell him that the old man was niftar. He was 120 years old. An hour afterward, they informed him that the son was also niftar. We learn from this story that (a) if you help others keep the mitzvah of succah, you can merit long life. (b) Have hakaras hatov for those who help you, especially those who help you perform the mitzvah of succah. (c) We also see from this story the power of brachos from tzaddikim.
Yesod HoAvodah says (Devarim 32:39( מחצתי ואני ארפאthat with the מחיצות the walls of the succah, there will be refuah. The Kaf HaChaim (siman 621:6) teaches, "Whoever is cautious with the mitzvah of succah, to keep it properly, is guaranteed that there won't be disputes in his home throughout the year." Segulas Yisrael )'מערכת מי אות י"ח writes that learning masechta Succah, any day of the year, is mesugal to be saved from machlokes. The hint is (Tehillim 31:21( תצפנם בסוכה מריב לשונות "Protect them in a succah from the disputes of tongues." Reb Naftoli of Ropshitz zt'l would study masechta Succah throughout the year. He said that it is mesugal for shalom bayis. The mitzvah of succah is mesugal for parnassah. Tiferes Shlomo says that this is hinted at in the Mishnah (Succah 28.( מי שהיה A person whose" ,ראשו ורובו בסוכה ושלחנו בתוך הבית head and most of his body are in the succah and his table is in the home." Alluded to in these words is that, from this mitzvah, he brings parnassah to his table. Another indication is the Gemara (Succah 29( מנא מיכלא חוץ לסוכה, that also when the Yom Tov passes, and he is חוץ לסוכה outside the succah, he will receive מיכלא food, and parnassah because he performed the mitzvah of succah. Sfas Emes (5637) says, "The mitzvah of succah brings blessings and a light of kedushah in the person's home." Sfas Emes (5658) explains the brachah of asמלך ממית ומחיה ומצמיח ישועהShemoneh Esrei, follows: מלך ממית ומחיה"a King Who gives life and death," this occurs on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. ומצמיח ישועה "He sprouts salvations," this happens on Succos because on Succos, salvations come, and the harsh gezeiros are ripped up.
Taking Advantage of these Days
The Midrash (Shemos Rabbah 47:7) tells the following mashal: A king said to someone he loved, "Measure as many gold coins as you want and keep them for yourself." The Midrash says that this person didn't eat or sleep. We are certain about that because he wanted to take as many coins as he could. Similarly, the Midrash says that during the forty days that Moshe Rabbeinu was on Har Sinai receiving the Torah, he didn't eat, drink, or sleep. Chazal (Succah 53.) tells us, "When we were in the Beis HaMikdash, celebrating the Simchas Beis HaShoeivah, our eyes didn't get tired." The Sfas Emes (5634) explains that they didn't want to sleep. The joy and the kedushah were available, and they didn't want to lose it by sleeping. Like the mashal of the Midrash (stated above), when a person can take a lot of good, he doesn't think about eating and sleeping. The Beis Yisrael zt'l said that the same applies to Yom Tov. It should be so precious to us that we don't want to miss a moment. Wasting time is the worst of all. This was taught by Reb Yechezkel of Kuzmir zt'l, and he proved it from hilchos succah. It states in hilchos succah that if there is space in the schach (called אויר( or if there is סכך פסול )not kosher schach) on the roof of the succah, the succah is pasul (see Shulchan Aruch 632:1-2). But there is a difference between a space and when there is non-kosher schach. Four tefachim of non- kosher schach disqualify the succah. An empty spot in the schach disqualifies the schach when there are three tefachim of air, emptiness. Reb Yechezkel of Kuzmir zt'l said that we can learn from this the great fault of emptiness, of not doing anything at all. Therefore, let us not be idle, especially during the holy days of Succos. Shem MiShmuel (Shabbos Chol HaMoed Pesach 5673) writes, "Every moment of the holiday [chol-hamoed], one should be prepared and ready to receive the holiness that is coming down, non-stop."16