This Sukkot, like every year, we once again step away from our homes and eat our meals, sleep and spend time dwelling in our temporary sukkahs. These huts, often tucked away on the tiniest balconies, squeezed along sidewalks and parking lots, and covering many public squares, are a visible reminder of our prayer, recited every night, in which we ask God to “spread Your sukkah of peace over us.”
But after two years of war, leaving the safety of our homes to spend time in these fragile huts – much less find peace in them – is no simple task. Forty-eight hostages remain in Gaza, tens of thousands of Israelis are far from home serving in military duty, and many Israelis are still displaced from their homes in the north and south following October 7. Each day or night we are never certain if our routine and plans will be shattered by an air raid siren, or if news of another fallen soldier or terror attack will arrive.
Our sense of peace and safety is shaken - a feeling not limited to Israel. In the United States, shootings in schools and other public places continue to claim lives. Rising antisemitism and religious-based hate crimes throughout the Diaspora also understandably make many nervous to sit outside in a sukkah, an obvious Jewish symbol.
So how, especially at a time like this, can we possibly find safety in huts that don’t even fully protect us from rain or intense heat? We probably won’t – at least not consistently and not in a physical sense. In fact, Sukkot teaches us that this type of safety is often elusive and temporary. As Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, of blessed memory, explained, “Sukkot is a festival of insecurity.” It reminds us that we are vulnerable and there is indeed a randomness in life. A missile from Iran could land anywhere; a shooter could target one school while sparing another.
Ultimately, God is in control. It is by embracing both our vulnerability and God’s guidance that we can find spiritual safety and perhaps even a state of increased mental or emotional peace. This is not an easy quest; it often takes a lifetime of faith to develop. Yet simply becoming aware of this concept and reflecting on it while sitting in our sukkot is meaningful progress.
Crucially, even though Sukkot reminds us that God is in control, we are far from passive. This is clearly expressed in the fact that we humans must build our sukkot, and build them according to very particular specifications - even though, by nature, the structures are so basic and temporary.
The numerous requirements for sukkot – maximum height, minimum size, materials used and myriad other aspects that our sages debate over dozens of pages of Talmud – underscore our active involvement in their construction. The structures may be temporary, but creating them with attention to these minute details allows God’s presence to dwell among us. Divine protection requires human partnership.
This spirit of Divine and human partnership should guide every aspect of our lives, especially during the ongoing war. Israel’s soldiers and national service volunteers embody this ideal: their courage and commitment protect the country and secure its future. Without their service, civilian casualties and devastation would be far greater, placing the survival of Am Yisrael in jeopardy.
Yet joining in this shared responsibility comes with great challenges and personal sacrifice. Soldiers risk their lives and disrupt their families’ routines. At the same time, our partnership with God – acknowledging both our vulnerability and His ultimate control – is what ultimately nurtures the peace we seek in our sukkot.
Sukkot reminds us that true security lies in both our shared responsibility and our faith that we are never alone. Even amid the complexities and hardships we face, we can find courage, hope, and the ability to create a “zman simchatenu” – a time of quintessential happiness.