This Shabbat, the first day of Sukkot, we read the Torah’s instruction to dwell in a sukkah so that future generations will remember how Hashem sheltered our ancestors after the Exodus (Vayikra 23:42–43). The sukkah asks us to leave the solid roof of home for a structure through which we can see the sky. Why might a fragile shelter teach us about protection?
The Zohar describes the sukkah as the “shade of faith” — tzila di-meheimnuta. Its shade is real, but it does not pretend to shut out every gust of wind or every uncertainty. Sitting there invites us to recognise that security is more than strong walls. We place our trust in Hashem, even as we do the practical work of caring for one another.
The image of shade is especially gentle. Shade does not demand that everyone feel equally certain or joyful before entering. It makes space for a person who is grateful, a person who is worried, and a person who is carrying both feelings at once. The Zohar’s discussion of the sukkah’s guests, the ushpizin, reminds us that this shelter is meant to be shared.
For a congregation, that gives us a simple Sukkot practice. Notice who has room at the table and who may be standing just outside it. A warm invitation, an introduction after shul, or a place beside us at a brocha can make the festival’s idea visible. We cannot remove every uncertainty for another person. We can help them feel that they do not have to face it alone.
May our sukkot, and our community, offer that kind of shade: open enough to welcome others and strong enough in spirit to hold us together.
Source note: Vayikra 23:42–43; Zohar, Emor 43:276–277.
Shabbat Shalom.