ופרוש עלינו סוכת שלומך

We say in Maariv every night the Tefilla of השכיבנו which contains the words ופרוש עלינו סוכת שלומך. Before Yom Tov we asked our esteemed readers if perhaps they can help us understand the meaning of these words. We also asked if anyone can help us understand the difference between these words and the words ובצל כנפיך תסתירנו. At first glance, it might be possible to say that ופרוש עלינו סוכת שלומך is a spiritual protection. This would coincide with the words ותקננו בעצה טובה מלפניך which come right after it. This would also explain why on Shabbos we repeat these words again and conclude with the Bracha הפורש סוכת שלום עלינו ועל כל עמו ישראל ועל ירושלים. Shabbos does not need a physical protection, and it could only mean high levels of Ruchnius. The words ובצל כנפיך תסתירנו however, might be more of a physical protection.

Based on the words of the שיח יצחק in the Siddur Hagr”a, perhaps we could say that there are two steps here. The first step is ופרוש עלינו סוכת שלומך. This is to protect us with a covering of Shalom before any type of Tzarah, Rachmana Litzlan. The Tefilla of ובצל כנפיך תסתירנו is after there is already a Tzarah, Rachmana Litzlan, we Daven that Hashem should protect us and hide us from the Tzarah, Rachmana Litzlan. The שיח יצחק says that the words שומרנו ומצילנו are also understood this way; שומרנו is to prevent the Tzarah and מצילנו is to protect from the Tzarah after it already came, Rachmana Litzlan. He says that the same is also with the words חנון ורחום - Chanun is before and Rachum is after. On the first night of Yom Tov our beloved Rav, Rav Elya Nota Katz Shlit”a related a Moiradik'e Mabi"t in the beginning of Shaar Hateshuva which speaks about the words ופרוש עלינו סוכת שלומך. The Mabi"t says that ופרוש עלינו סוכת שלומך refers to a התעוררות - an awakening - to do Teshuva and bring peace between us and Hashem.

We looked in our notes and found that two years ago after Sukkos we spoke about this too, and this is what we said: Every night in Maariv, in the Tefilla of השכיבנו, we say וּפְרוֹשׂ עָלֵינוּ סְכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶךְ. What exactly does this mean? In the beautiful Siddur Ohr Hachama from Rav Zundel Kroizer Zatza”l, Rav Zundel brings a moiradik'e p'shat, but he does not say where it comes from. He says on the words ופרוש עלינו סוכת שלומך as follows: היינו שנתייחד עם כל ישראל שלא נהיה כבודדים. This means that Hashem should spread over us a covering and we should be joined with all of Klal Yisroel and no one should be alone. כביכול,this means that Hashem should tuck all of Klal Yisroel under one blanket together. Rav Zundel brings proof to this from the end of the bracha on Shabbos and Yom Tov which is הַפּוֹרֵשׂ סְכַּת שָׁלוֹם עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל יְרוּשָׁלָיִם. I am not sure if this has any connection with Sukkos but at least we will know what we are saying every night in Maariv. The words after ופרוש עלינו סוכת שלומך are ותקננו בעצה טובה מלפניך. Rav Zundel wonders what these words mean and how they fit in here, and then he says a p'shat. But I think we said enough for now and we will need to continue another time, B'ezras Hashem.

There is another P'shat for the ופרוש עלינו סוכת שלומך in the Sefer Michtav Eliyahu from Rav Dessler Zatza”l. Rav Dessler says that this is a Tefilla for ביטול הַיֵּש - nullifying all barriers which separate us from Hashem and our fellow man. This is our Avodah on Sukkos, says Rav Dessler. One of our dear readers and friends, Avromi Neuman offered that perhaps סוכת שלומך refers to the coming of Moshiach. Maybe now we have a little better P'shat in these words.

**********

Once we were looking in the Mabi”t, we looked a little further in the Shaar Hayesodos. The Mabi”t says that there are three main Emunos - three main beliefs - which we must have. They are Emuna in #1 - Metzias Hashem, #2 - Torah min Hashamayim and #3 - Hashgachas Hashem, which includes belief in שכר ועונש. B'ezras Hashem, we were thinking that perhaps these three Emunos correspond to the three Regalim and each Regel is a Chizuk in one of these three Emunos. Pesach is the time when we saw מציאת השם. In the Aseres Hadibros, the first Possuk says אנכי השם אלקיך אשר הוצאתיך מארץ מצרים. Yetzias Mitzrayim is when we were first introduced to Hashem. We were not there when Hashem created the world, but at Yetzias Mitzrayim we saw that Hashem created the world. Yetzias Mitzrayim was really a second מעשה בראשית. Shavuos is זמן מתן תורתנו and this is the greatest proof that Torah is מן השמים. Sukkos is when we remember that Hashem protected us in the Midbar. Hashem took care of us in the Midbar. This is השגחת השם. And perhaps this is the Avodah of Sukkos - to internalize this Emuna in Hashgachas Hashem.

There is a Moradik'e Ramba"n in Parshas Emor where he explains why Sukkos is in Tishrei, and not in Nissan when we went out of Mitzrayim. The Ramba”n is speaking according to Rebbi Eliezer that כי בסוכות הושבתי refers to the ענני הכבוד הנס הקיים הנעשה להם כל ימי עמידתם במדבר בתחילת ימות הגשמים. And the Ramba”n says והנה צוה בתחילת ימות החמה בזכרון יציאת מצרים בחדשו ובמועדו. Behold Hashem commanded in the beginning of the summer to remember Yetzias Mitzrayim (by celebrating Pesach) in its proper time, וצוה בזכרון ענני הכבוד. And Hashem commanded to remember this miracle of the ענני הכבוד (and celebrate Sukkos) in the beginning of the winter. Hashem wants us to spread out the inspiration. Six months we should think about Yetzias Mitzrayim and six months about this miracle of the ענני הכבוד. According to the words of the Mabi"t, this is fantastic. The six months of the summer we should think about Emuna in Metzias Hashem and the six months of the winter we should work on Hashgachas Hashem. This is something which B'ezras Hashem we could take with us from the beautiful Yom Tov of Sukkos.