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Kenneth Cohen

Dwelling in the Succah

The classic explanation as to why we dwell in Succot for seven days, is to remind us of the temporary huts that the Jews lived in during their time in the desert.

It was also to remind us of the ענני הכבוד, the “Clouds of Glory, that traveled with the Jewish people during their forty year journey, in the merit of Aharon.

These two reasons combine to emphasize our absolute dependence on Hashem at all times. The Succot showed how temporary life is, and how vulnerable we are.

It was decided to celebrate Succot in the fall, because that was the most prosperous time of the year for the farmers as they gathered their crops. Most Jews were farmers and they needed to be reminded not to forget that their success and prosperity was all from Hashem.
It seems that this year, in particular, the message of dependence on Hashem rings loud and clear. We give thanks every day in the “Modim” prayer of Shmone Esrei, for “the miracles that are with us each day.”
This has been a year of outward miracles as we have been bombarded with so many rockets, that due to Hashem’s protection, caused very little loss of life.

As we sit in our Succot this year, we should feel overwhelmed with gratitude for Hashem’s protection. We must not take anything for granted. We should feel blessed that Hashem has chosen us from among the nations for our special role of teaching morality and goodness to the world.

About the Author
Rabbi Cohen has been a Torah instructor at Machon Meir, Jerusalem, for over twenty years while also teaching a Talmud class in the Shtieblach of Old Katamon. Before coming to Israel, he was the founding rabbi of Young Israel of Century City, Los Angeles. He recently published a series of Hebrew language-learning apps, which are available at www.cafehebrew.com