Shabbat before Sukkot ~ Why Sukkot?

11) (23:43) "So that your generations know that I caused the children of Israel to dwell in sukkot when I took them out of the land of Egypt."

R. Eliezer says "they were booths, literally."

R. Akiva says "they were clouds of glory."

"When I took them out of the land of Egypt" this teaches us that even the sukkah is a reminder of the exodus from Egypt.

(2) In that day, The radiance of the LORD Will lend beauty and glory, And the splendor of the land [Will give] dignity and majesty, To the survivors of Israel. (3) And those who remain in Zion And are left in Jerusalem— All who are inscribed for life in Jerusalem— Shall be called holy. (4) When my Lord has washed away The disgrace of the daughters of Zion, And from Jerusalem’s midst Has rinsed out her infamy— In a spirit of judgment And in a spirit of purging— (5) the LORD will create over the whole shrine and meeting place of Mount Zion, a cloud by day and smoke with a glow of flaming fire by night. Indeed, over all the glory shall hang a canopy, (6) which shall serve as a sukkah for shade from heat by day and as a shelter for protection against drenching rain.

(16) So Esau started back that day on his way to Seir. (17) But Jacob journeyed on to Succoth, and built a house for himself and made sukkot for his cattle; that is why the place was called Sukkot. (18) Jacob arrived safe in the city of Shechem which is in the land of Canaan—having come thus from Paddan-aram—and he encamped before the city.

(1) When the king was settled in his palace and the LORD had granted him safety from all the enemies around him, (2) the king said to the prophet Nathan: “Here I am dwelling in a house of cedar, while the Ark of the LORD abides in a tent!” (3) Nathan said to the king, “Go and do whatever you have in mind, for the LORD is with you.” (4) But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan: (5) “Go and say to My servant David: Thus said the LORD: Are you the one to build a house for Me to dwell in? (6) From the day that I brought the people of Israel out of Egypt to this day I have not dwelt in a house, but have moved about in Tent and Tabernacle. (7) As I moved about wherever the Israelites went, did I ever reproach any of the tribal leaders whom I appointed to care for My people Israel: Why have you not built Me a house of cedar? (8) “Further, say thus to My servant David: Thus said the LORD of Hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to be ruler of My people Israel, (9) and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut down all your enemies before you. Moreover, I will give you great renown like that of the greatest men on earth. (10) I will establish a home for My people Israel and will plant them firm, so that they shall dwell secure and shall tremble no more. Evil men shall not oppress them any more as in the past, (11) ever since I appointed chieftains over My people Israel. I will give you safety from all your enemies. “The LORD declares to you that He, the LORD, will establish a house for you. (12) When your days are done and you lie with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own issue, and I will establish his kingship. (13) He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish his royal throne forever.

(37) In the fourth year, in the month of Ziv, the foundations of the House of Ad-nai were laid; (38) and in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul—that is, the eighth month—the House was completed according to all its details and all its specifications. It took him seven years to build it.

(42) כל האזרח, even those who own houses must move to the huts and dwell in them during the festival.

(1) למען ידעו דורותיכם, the plain meaning of the text is in agreement with the view expressed in Sukkah 11 according to which the word סוכה is to be understood literally. The meaning of the verse then would be: “construct for yourselves the festival of huts when you gather in your grain and grape harvest (Deuteronomy 16,13) You are to do this at the time you gather in the produce of the earth and your houses are filled with all the good things the earth produces such a grain, grape, wine and oil (olives). This is to be done in order that you will remember” כי בסוכות הושבתי את בני ישראל, in the desert for a period of 40 years when they neither owned land nor found themselves in a cultivated part of the earth. Remembering all this you will have ample reason to be grateful to the One Who has provided you with all of your present wealth and comfort. You must not fall into the trap of thinking that all this success is due to your own efforts. We find a similar thought expressed in Deuteronomy 8,2-3 “you shall remember all the way which the Lord your G’d has led you for these last 40 years…and He fed you the manna, etc.” Why do I command you to do all this? For the Lord your G’d brings you to a good …and you will eat and be satisfied, etc. As a result your heart may become haughty and you will credit yourself with all this as your own achievement. (Deuteronomy 8 7-18) In order that this will not happen and to show that the Israelites G’d’s part in their success they will move out of their solid houses as a reminder to the time when they had not been blessed with any of these benefits which they enjoy ever since inheriting the land of their forefathers. They acknowledge that it is G’d Who provides the Jewish people with the ability and valor.

(18) Make two cherubim of gold—make them of hammered work—at the two ends of the cover. (19) Make one cherub at one end and the other cherub at the other end; of one piece with the cover shall you make the cherubim at its two ends. (20) The cherubim shall have their wings spread out above, shielding the cover with their wings. Their faces shall be in front of each other; toward the cover their faces shall be.