The רמב"ם writes that although there is a mitzvah to be happy on every Yom Tov, on סוכות there was an extra, special joy in the בית המקדש, as the pasuk says, “And you shall rejoice before Hashem for seven days."
This needs explanation. Why is there more joy on סוכות than on the other Yomim Tovim?
There is another question. On סוכות we leave our comfortable, permanent homes and move into a temporary dwelling. At first glance, this seems more like גלות than a reason for special happiness.
Indeed, the פיסקתא explains that this is one reason סוכות comes immediately after יום כיפור. If ח"ו the Jewish people were deserving of גלות, Hashem considers our leaving our homes and entering the סוכה as though we actually went into גלות to Bavel, as the Pasuk says," ובאת עד בבל שם תנצלו שם יגאלך ה' מכף אויביך."
We therefore need to understand: If sitting in the סוכה is considered like going into גלות, why is סוכות the Yom Tov on which we are commanded to have such an extra and special joy?
We can answer the Torah says - בסוכות תשבו שבעת ימים כל האזרח בישראל ישבו בסוכות.
The מפרשים point out that at the beginning of the Pasuk the Torah says, "בסוכות תשבו שבעת ימים" mentioning the seven days. However, at the end of the Pasuk it simply says, "כל האזרח בישראל ישבו בסוכות" without mentioning seven days.
The תורת המהריייץ explains that the סוכה teaches us that this world is only a temporary home. A person leaves his permanent house and moves into a temporary סוכה in order to remind him that this world is only a hallway and a preparation for עולם הבא. A person's true and permanent home is in the עולם הבא.
This is the meaning of the Pasuk: "בסוכות תשבו שבעת ימים" for seven days a person leaves his permanent home and lives in a temporary dwelling. Through thinking about the message of this Mitzvah, he will come to understand the deeper meaning of "כל האזרח בישראל ישבו בסוכות." In truth, a person's entire life in this world is like living in a temporary סוכה. His days pass quickly, like a passing shadow.
When a person realizes this, he will spend his life doing תשובה and מעשים טובים, and through this he will merit the everlasting life of עולם הבא.
It can be explained further based on the words of the פרי צדיק. The Gemara explains the Pasuk, "בסוכות תשבו שבעת ימים," as follows: “The Torah says: For all seven days, leave your permanent home and dwell in a temporary home."
This wording needs explanation. The Torah already says clearly, “You shall dwell in סוכות for seven days," so why does the Gemara repeat “for all seven days”? Also, why does it say, “Leave your permanent home"? It would seem enough to simply say, “Dwell in a temporary home."
The פרי צדיק explains that this teaches us the special עבודה of סוכות. Throughout all seven days, at every moment, a person should continue to “leave his permanent home." This means that he should grow from one level to the next in recognizing that this entire world is only a temporary dwelling, and that his true and permanent home is in עולם הבא.
According to this, every moment that a person sits in the סוכה is not merely a passive fulfillment of the Mitzvah. Rather, at every moment he is actively “leaving his permanent home" — strengthening within himself the understanding that this world is only temporary, and that his true purpose is to prepare himself for the everlasting life of עולם הבא.
Story
Once, A wealthy man came to visit the great Tzaddik Rav Nachum of Horodna zt”l. He found Rav Nachum deeply involved in learning the 'שאגת ארי.
Rav Nachum told him, “Anyone who learns this ספר feels a sweetness greater than all the pleasures of this world. If I knew that my reward in גן עדן would be to sit and learn the 'שאגת ארי all the time, I would be extremely happy with my portion.”
What an amazing statement! The Mishnah in אבות teaches, “One moment of pleasure in עולם הבא is greater than all the pleasures of this world.” Yet Rav Nachum said that if his reward in עולם הבא would be to learn the 'שאגת ארי, he would consider that a wonderful reward.
This teaches us how precious Torah truly is. There is nothing more valuable than learning Torah and spending our lives doing מצות and מעשים טובים. In the end, that is what truly counts!
Wishing you a good Shabbos and a חג שמח
Rabbi Ari Spiegel – [email protected]