Ushpizin & Clouds of Glory

The Zohar connects the concept of the Clouds of Glory to the Ushpizin.
It seems that the Clouds of Glory represent the protection that we have from following the ways of our forefathers.
This is indicated in the connection between the clouds of glory and different forefathers.
The clouds represent a connection with Hashem, divine protection, and a covenant "brit"
The covenant is realized when we follow the paths of our forefathers.
So, inviting the Ushpizin in represents acceptance of their path, and celebrating the covenant with our ancestors, and acknowledging the divine protection we experience as a result.

לְמַ֘עַן֮ יֵדְע֣וּ דֹרֹֽתֵיכֶם֒ כִּ֣י בַסֻּכּ֗וֹת הוֹשַׁ֙בְתִּי֙ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּהוֹצִיאִ֥י אוֹתָ֖ם מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם אֲנִ֖י ה' אֱלֹקֵיכֶֽם׃

Leviticus 23:43

in order that future generations may know that I made the Israelite people live in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt—I, your God ה'.

סוכה י״א ב:ט״ו

הָנִיחָא לְמַאן דְּאָמַר עַנְנֵי כָבוֹד הָיוּ. אֶלָּא לְמַאן דְּאָמַר סוּכּוֹת מַמָּשׁ עָשׂוּ לָהֶם, מַאי אִיכָּא לְמֵימַר? דְּתַנְיָא: ״כִּי בַסּוּכּוֹת הוֹשַׁבְתִּי אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״, עַנְנֵי כָבוֹד הָיוּ, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר: סוּכּוֹת מַמָּשׁ עָשׂוּ לָהֶם. הָנִיחָא לְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר, אֶלָּא לְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא מַאי אִיכָּא לְמֵימַר?

Sukkah 11b:15

The Gemara asks: This works out well according to the one who said that the sukkot mentioned in the verse: “I made the children of Israel to reside in sukkot” (Leviticus 23:43), were clouds of glory, as it is reasonable that the roofing of the sukka is modeled after clouds. However, according to the one who said that the children of Israel established for themselves actual sukkot in the desert, and the sukkot of today commemorate those, what can be said? According to that opinion, there is no connection between a sukka and a cloud. As it is taught in a baraita that the verse states: “I made the children of Israel to reside in sukkot”; these booths were clouds of glory, this is the statement of Rabbi Eliezer. Rabbi Akiva says: They established for themselves actual sukkot. This works out well according to Rabbi Eliezer; however, according to Rabbi Akiva what can be said?

תענית ט׳ א:ט׳

מֵיתִיבִי, רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: שְׁלֹשָׁה פַּרְנָסִים טוֹבִים עָמְדוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, אֵלּוּ הֵן: מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן וּמִרְיָם. וְשָׁלֹשׁ מַתָּנוֹת טוֹבוֹת נִיתְּנוּ עַל יָדָם, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: בְּאֵר, וְעָנָן, וּמָן. בְּאֵר — בִּזְכוּת מִרְיָם, עַמּוּד עָנָן — בִּזְכוּת אַהֲרֹן, מָן — בִּזְכוּת מֹשֶׁה. מֵתָה מִרְיָם — נִסְתַּלֵּק הַבְּאֵר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַתָּמׇת שָׁם מִרְיָם״, וּכְתִיב בָּתְרֵיהּ: ״וְלֹא הָיָה מַיִם לָעֵדָה״, וְחָזְרָה בִּזְכוּת שְׁנֵיהֶן.

Taanit 9a:9

The Gemara raises an objection from a baraita: Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Yehuda, says: Three good sustainers rose up for the Jewish people during the exodus from Egypt, and they are: Moses, Aaron and Miriam. And three good gifts were given from Heaven through their agency, and these are they: The well of water, the pillar of cloud, and the manna. He elaborates: The well was given to the Jewish people in the merit of Miriam; the pillar of cloud was in the merit of Aaron; and the manna in the merit of Moses. When Miriam died the well disappeared, as it is stated: “And Miriam died there” (Numbers 20:1), and it says thereafter in the next verse: “And there was no water for the congregation” (Numbers 20:2). But the well returned in the merit of both Moses and Aaron.

תענית ט׳ א:י׳

מֵת אַהֲרֹן — נִסְתַּלְּקוּ עַנְנֵי כָּבוֹד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיִּשְׁמַע הַכְּנַעֲנִי מֶלֶךְ עֲרָד״, מָה שְׁמוּעָה שָׁמַע? שָׁמַע שֶׁמֵּת אַהֲרֹן וְנִסְתַּלְּקוּ עַנְנֵי כָּבוֹד, וּכְסָבוּר נִיתְּנָה לוֹ רְשׁוּת לְהִלָּחֵם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיִּרְאוּ כׇּל הָעֵדָה כִּי גָוַע אַהֲרֹן״.

Taanit 9a:10

When Aaron died the clouds of glory disappeared, as it is stated: “And the Canaanite, the king of Arad heard” (Numbers 33:40). What report did he hear? He heard that Aaron had died and the clouds of glory had disappeared, and he thought that the Jewish people were no longer protected by Heaven and therefore he had been given permission to go to war against the Jewish people. And this disappearance of the clouds is the meaning of that which is written: “And all the congregation saw that [ki] Aaron was dead” (Numbers 20:29).

The below Zohar connects the concepts of:

Sukkot
Clouds of clory
The forefathers' visit.

ספר הזהר, אמור מ״ג:ע״ר

(ויקרא כ״ג:מ״ב) בַּסֻּכֹּת תֵּשְׁבוּ חָסֵר, וְדָא עֲנָנָא חַד, דְּכֻלְּהוּ קְשִׁירִין בֵּיהּ. דִּכְתִּיב, כִּי עֲנַן ה'' עֲלֵיהֶם יוֹמָם. וּכְתִיב, (במדבר י״ד:י״ד) וּבְעַמּוּד עָנָן אַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם יוֹמָם. דָּא הוּא עֲנָנָא דְּאַהֲרֹן, דְּאִקְרֵי יוֹמָם, דִּכְתִּיב, (תהילים מ״ב:ט׳) יוֹמָם יְצַוְּה ה'' חַסְדּוֹ. עֲנָנָא חַד, נָטִיל עִמֵּיהּ חָמֵשׁ אָחֳרָנִין, וְאִינּוּן שִׁית. וַעֲנָנָא אָחֳרָא, דִּכְתִּיב וּבְעַמּוּד אֵשׁ לָיְלָה, דָּא נָהֲרָא לְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, מִנְהִירוּ דְּאִינּוּן שִׁית.

Zohar, Emor 43:270

270. "You shall dwell in booths (Heb. Sukkot)." SUKKOT IS SPELLED WITHOUT VAV, because THIS SUKKOT ALLUDES to one cloud only, WHICH IS CHESED, to which all SIX CLOUDS are attached. HENCE THERE ARE SEVEN DAYS, as it is written, "And the cloud of Hashem was upon them by day" (Bemidbar 10:34), and, "and that You go before them by day time in a pillar of cloud" (Bemidbar 14:14), which is Aaron's cloud, WHICH IS CHESED that is called "by day," as it is written, "Yet Hashem will command His Chesed in the daytime" (Tehilim 42:9). One cloud, WHICH IS CHESED, receives with it five other clouds, WHICH ARE GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD, so they are six. Another cloud, of which is written, "and in a pillar of fire by night" (Bemidbar 14:14), WHICH IS MALCHUT, shines on Yisrael from the illumination of the six CLOUDS.

ספר הזהר, אמור מ״ג:ער״ה

רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר פָּתַח (ואמר), (ירמיהו ב׳:ב׳) כֹּה אָמַר ה'' זָכַרְתִּי לָךְ חֶסֶד נְעוּרַיִךְ וְגוֹ'. הַאי קְרָא עַל כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְּמַר, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דַּהֲוַת אַזְלָא בְּמַדְבְּרָא עִמְּהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. זָכַרְתִּי לָךְ חֶסֶד: דָּא עֲנָנָא דְּאַהֲרֹן, דְּנַטְלָא בְּחָמֵשׁ אָחֳרָנִין, דְּאִתְקְשָׁרוּ עֲלָךְ, וּנְהִירוּ עָלָךְ. אַהֲבַת כְּלוּלוֹתָיִךְ, דְּאִשְׁתָּכְלָלוּ לָךְ, (ס"א וכלהו אשתכללו בך) וְאֲעְטָּרוּ לָךְ, וְאַתְקִינוּ לָךְ כְּכַלָּה דְּתַעְדֵּי תַּכְשִׁיטָהָא. וְכָל כַּךְ לָמָּה. בְּגִין לֶכְתֵּךְ אַחֲרַי בַּמִּדְבָּר בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא זְרוּעָה.

Zohar, Emor 43:275

275. Rabbi Elazar opened with, "Thus says Hashem; I remember in your favor, the devotion of your youth..." (Yirmeyah 2:2). This verse was said about the Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS MALCHUT, when she was walking with Yisrael in the wilderness. "I remember in your favor (lit. 'Chesed')" refers to Aaron's cloud, WHICH IS CHESED that traveled with five other CLOUDS, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD that joined over you and shone upon you. "Your love as a bride" (Ibid.) AS THOSE CLOUDS that incorporated you, adorned you and bedecked you as a bride wearing her jewelry: why all that? Because, "you did go after Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown" (Ibid.), BECAUSE SHE WALKED WITH YISRAEL IN THE WILDERNESS.

ספר הזהר, אמור מ״ג:ער״ו

תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּבַר נָשׁ יָתִיב בְּמָדוֹרָא דָּא, צִלָּא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא, שְׁכִינְתָּא פַּרְסָא גַּדְפָהָא עָלֵיהּ מִלְּעֵילָּא, וְאַבְרָהָם וַחֲמִשָּׁה צַדִּיקַיָּיא אָחֳרָנִין שַׁוְיָין מָדוֹרֵיהוֹן עִמֵּיהּ. אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, אַבְרָהָם וַחֲמִשָּׁה צַדִּיקַיָּיא, וְדָוִד מַלְכָּא, שַׁוְיָין מָדוֹרֵיהוֹן עִמֵּיהּ. הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב, בַּסֻּכּוֹת תֵּשְׁבוּ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים. שִׁבְעַת יָמִים כְּתִיב, וְלָא בְּשִׁבְעַת יָמִים. כְּגַוְונָא דָּא כְּתִיב, (שמות ל״א:י״ז) כִּי שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים עָשָׂה ה'' אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְגוֹ'. וּבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְמֶחְדֵּי בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא, בְּאַנְפִּין נְהִירִין, בְּאוּשְׁפִּיזִין אִלֵּין דְּשַׁרְיָין עִמֵּיהּ.

Zohar, Emor 43:276

Come and see, when a person sits in this compartment (the sukkah) - the covering of faith - the Divine Presence spreads its wings over it from above and Avraham and the five other righteous people make their abode with him. Rabbi Abba said, "Avraham, the five righteous men and King David make their abode with him." This is [the meaning of] that which is written (Leviticus 23:42), "In huts shall you dwell seven days." It is written, "seven days"; and not, "for seven days." This is in the same way that it is written (Exodus 31:17), "as six days did the Lord make the Heavens, etc." And a person should rejoice with a bright countenance with these guests that dwell with him each and every day.

ספר הזהר, אמור מ״ג:ער״ז

וְאָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, כְּתִיב בַּסֻּכּוֹת תֵּשְׁבוּ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, וּלְבָתַר יֵשְׁבוּ בַּסֻּכּוֹת. בְּקַדְמִיתָא תֵּשְׁבוּ, וּלְבָתַר יֵשְׁבוּ. אֶלָּא, קַדְמָאָה לְאוּשְׁפִּיזֵי. תִּנְיָינָא, לִבְנֵי עָלְמָא. קַדְמָאָה לְאוּשְׁפִּיזֵי, כִּי הָא דְּרַב הַמְנוּנָא סָבָא, כַּד הֲוָה עָיֵיל לַסּוּכָּה הֲוָה חַדֵּי, וְקָאִים עַל פִּתְחָא לַסּוּכָּה מִלְּגָאו, וְאָמַר נְזַמֵּן לְאוּשְׁפִּיזִין. מְסַדֵּר (נ"א נסדר) פָּתוֹרָא, וְקָאִים עַל רַגְלוֹהִי, וּמְבָרֵךְ, וְאוֹמֵר בַּסֻּכּוֹת תֵּשְׁבוּ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים. תִּיבוּ אוּשְׁפִּיזִין עִלָּאִין, תִּיבוּ. תִּיבוּ אוּשְׁפִּיזֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא, תִּיבוּ. אָרִים (ס"א אסחי) יְדוֹי, וְחַדֵּי, וְאָמַר זַכָּאָה חוּלָּקָנָא, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, דִּכְתִּיב, (דברים לב) כִּי חֵלֶק ה'' עַמּוֹ וְגוֹ', וַהֲוָה יָתִיב.

Zohar, Emor 43:277

277. Rabbi Aba said, It is written, "You shall dwell in booths (Heb. SUKKOT) seven days," and then, "shall dwell in booths" (Vayikra 23:42). IT first SAYS, "You shall dwell" and then, they "shall dwell." HE ANSWERS, The first one is for the guests, CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT, AND THEREFORE THE TEXT SPEAKS IN THE SECOND PERSON. The second is for people in general, FOR WHICH REASON THE TEXT SAYS IN THE THIRD PERSON, "SHALL DWELL." The first is for the guests. Rav Hamnuna Saba, for example, when he entered the Sukkah, used to stay happily on the inner threshold of the Sukkah, and say, Let us invite the guest. He set the table, stood up and blessed, 'TO DWELL IN THE SUKKAH,' then said, "You shall dwell in booths seven days." Sit down, lofty guests, sit you down. Sit down, guests of Faith, sit you down. He joyfully raised his hands and said, 'Happy is our lot, happy the lot of Yisrael, as it is written, "for Hashem's portion is His people" (Devarim 32:9). Then he would sit down.

The below Zohar shows how following in the path of Avraham is the proper way to "invite Avraham" into the Sukkah. I propose the same is for the rest.

ספר הזהר, אמור מ״ג:ער״ח

תִּנְיָינָא, לִבְנֵי עָלְמָא, דְּמַאן דְּאִית לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא בְּעַמָּא וּבְאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, יָתִיב בְּצִלָּא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא, לְקַבְּלָא אוּשְׁפִּיזִין, לְמֶחְדֵּי בְּהַאי עָלְמָא וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי וּבָעֵי לְמֶחְדֵּי לְמִסְכְּנֵי. מַאי טַעֲמָא. בְּגִין דְּחוּלָקָא דְּאִינּוּן אוּשְׁפִּיזִין דְּזַמִּין דְּמִסְכְּנֵי הוּא. וְהַהוּא דְּיָתִיב בְּצִלָּא דָּא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא, וְזַמִּין אוּשְׁפִּיזִין אִלֵּין עִלָּאִין, אוּשְׁפִּיזֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא, וְלָא יָהִיב לוֹן חוּלָקֵיהוֹן, כֻּלְּהוּ קַיְימֵי מִנֵּיהּ, וְאַמְרֵי (משלי כ״ג:ו׳) אַל תִּלְחַם אֶת לֶחֶם רַע עַיִן וְגוֹ', אִשְׁתְּכַח דְּהַהוּא פָּתוֹרָא דְּתַקִּין, דִּילֵיהּ הוּא, וְלָאו דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, עָלֵיהּ כְּתִיב (מלאכי ב׳:ג׳) וְזֵרִיתִי פֶרֶשׁ עַל פְּנֵיכֶם וְגוֹ', פֶּרֶשׁ חַגֵּיכֶם, וְלָא חַגַּי. וַוי לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִלֵּין אוּשְׁפִּיזֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא קַיְימֵי מִפָּתוֹרֵיהּ.

Zohar, Emor 43:278

278. The second MENTION IN THE VERSE, "SHALL DWELL" IN THE THIRD PERSON is for people in general, NAMELY, for whoever has a share in the nation and the holy land; he dwells in the secret of Faith to receive guests and rejoice in this world and in the World to Come. It behooves us to gladden the poor. The reason is that the portion of the guests he invited TO HIS MEAL belongs to the poor. He that sits in the shadow of Faith and invites these lofty guests, the guests of Faith, yet does not give them, NAMELY THE POOR, their share OF THE MEAL, all THE GUESTS stand back from him and say, "Do not eat the bread of him who has an evil eye..." (Mishlei 23:6). Thus the table he set is his, THE ONE WHO HAS AN EVIL EYE, and not of the Holy One, blessed be He. Of him it is written, "and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your feasts" (Malachi 2:3). Woe to that man when those guests of Faith stand back from his table.

The Below Zohar connects the idea of the Pillar of Cloud with the "cloud of the Shechina", the "Cloud that Moses entered" on Sinai, "help for a tzadik" and the forefathers.

It seems that this pillar of cloud that Israel followed is identical to the "clouds of glory" that we celebrate in Sukkot.

ספר הזהר, בשלח י״ב:קנ״ז

וַיִּסַּע עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן מִפְּנֵיהֶם, מַאן עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן דָּא.

רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר, דָּא הוּא עֲנָנָא דְּאִתְחָזֵי תָּדִיר עִם שְׁכִינְתָּא. וְדָא הוּא עֲנָנָא דְּעָאל מֹשֶׁה בְּגַוֵּיהּ.

רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר, כְּתִיב וַה'' הוֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם יוֹמָם, אֶלָּא סִיוּעָא דְּצַדִּיק הוּא, וּפְרִישׂוּ דִּרְשִׁימוּ דִּילֵיהּ, וְעַל דָּא אָזִיל הַאי עָנָן יוֹמָם, וּכְתִיב (תהילים מ״ב:ט׳) יוֹמָם יְצַוֶּה ה'' חַסְדּוֹ. וּמִסִּטְרָא דְּחֶסֶ"ד אָתָא עֲנָנָא דָּא, וְדָא חֶסֶד אִתְקְרֵי, וַעֲנָנָא אַחֲרָא אָזִיל בְּלֵילְיָא, וְאִתְקְרֵי עַמּוּד אֵשׁ.

Zohar, Beshalach 12:157

"the pillar of cloud traveled from in front of them" (Exodus 14:19) - who is this pillar of cloud? Rabbi Yosey said: this is the cloud that is always seen with the Shechina. And this is the cloud to which Moshe went into (see Ex. 19:9 and Ex. 20:18). Rabbi Abba said: it is written "and Ad-nai walks in front of them during the day" (Ex. 13:21) - rather (the cloud) is the help of the righteous (yesod), and expands the righteous's mark, and that is why this cloud goes during the day, and it is written (Ps. 42:9) "during the day Ad-nai orders His lovingkindness (chesed)." And this cloud is from the side of chesed, and a different cloud goes at night, and it is called 'pillar of fire'.

ספר הזהר, בשלח י״ב:קנ״ח

רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר, עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן יוֹמָם: דָּא אַבְרָהָם. וְעַמּוּד הָאֵשׁ לַיְלָה: דָּא יִצְחָק. וְתַרְוַויְיהוּ אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא, וּמַה דְּאָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי, דְּעַל יְדָא דְּהַאי

דַּרְגָּא, אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ.

Zohar, Beshalach 12:158

Rabbi Shimeon said: "pillar of cloud during the day" (Ex. 13:22): this is Avraham (chesed). "And pillar of fire during the night": this is Itzchak (gevurah). And both of them are found in the Shechinah, and what Rabbi Abba said (yesod) is certainly obvious, that on through this, at this level, they are found.