Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l explains how the Sukkah, a temporary dwelling, reminds us that life itself is temporary. Its fragile walls and open roof mirror the truth that nothing in this world lasts forever. Most of our mistakes, he writes, come from forgetting this. We chase possessions and status as if they are permanent, losing sight of what endures.
Imagine knowing you had only weeks to live. Wouldn’t your priorities shift instantly? You’d focus on meaning, love, repentance, and closeness to Hashem. That is the purpose of Sukkos: to awaken us from illusion and anchor us in what lasts.
But here lies the paradox. We live in a temporary space, yet the Torah commands: Teishvu ke’ein taduru—“Dwell as you would at home.” Even in impermanence, we act with permanence. The message is timeless: the things of this world fade, but when used for Torah, mitzvos, and kindness, they become eternal. Within the Sukkah’s fragile walls lies the secret of spiritual permanence—learning to live for what never ends. “Teishvu ke’ein taduru—Dwell in the Sukkah as you would dwell in your home.” We bring in our chairs, our tables, our meals, our families and guests. Even in a transient space, we live with the sense of permanence.
