BUILDING THE HEAVENLY SUKKA

A compilation of stories and aphorisms for Sukkos

HE PAID FOR HIS ESROG ON CHANUKA

During one of his farbrengens in the summer of 5745/1985, the Rebbe said that the Rebbe Rayatz would pay for the esrog (since it needs to be “and take for you”) a while after Sukkos (for a reason known to him), and the seller knew about this from the start and bequeathed him the esrog with an outright acquisition and during Chanuka he would get his money.

R’ Yisroel Jacobson would bring the esrogim and some time after Sukkos he would give the Rebbe a report on the esrogim and then the Rebbe would pay him.

The Rebbe said: The first year I came here [Tishrei 5702], I asked the Rebbe [Rayatz] to pay R’ Yisroel before Sukkos so it would be completely “yours,” and the Rebbe did not want to do this.

SIMCHA AND BITACHON

During Sukkos be joyous with the joy of a mitzva and with complete trust in Almighty G-d’s kindness, who heard our prayers amongst the prayers of His people, B’nei Yisroel, and gave us and all our fellow Jews and their families – a year of life and blessing.

(From a letter of the Rebbe Rayatz, Igros Kodesh, vol. 4, p. 416)

ESROGIM TO RUSSIA

The first night of Sukkos 5729/1968, the Rebbe revealed to those sitting around the table at the meal, “This year is the first time that the Soviet government allowed esrogim to be sent.”

He added, “Last year, a shipment of esrogim was also sent to Russia, but it was done surreptitiously as though it was fruit. This time, this year, official permission was granted. Furthermore, when the esrogim were brought to the consul, he asked where are the rest of the minim – a goy knows that there needs to be the rest of the minim and they gave him the rest of the minim too!”

(HaMelech B’Mesibo)

ENTERING THE HOLY

A description of Erev Sukkos:

Upon his returning from the Ohel [13 Tishrei], they would enter the Rebbe’s room and present esrogim for him and for him to distribute. In later years they did not bring them to his room but left them in Gan Eden HaTachton. When the Rebbe would return from the Ohel he dealt there with selecting esrogim.

“R’ Yisroel Jacobson and his son-in-law, R’ Mordechai Altein (and after R’ YJ’s passing on 17 Sivan 5735, R’ Mordechai and his son-in-law, R’ Yitzchok Meir Gurary) brought esrogim to the Rebbe’s room.

“In addition … R’ Leib Bistritzky went in Erev Yom Tov to the Rebbe’s room and brought lulavim, hadasim and aravos. R’ Binyamin Gorodetzky also gave – through the secretariat – three esrogim that he obtained in Calabria.”

(Otzar Minhagei Chabad)

PARTICIPATE IN MIVTZA DALET MINIM

On 26 Tishrei 5717/1956, the Rebbe wrote to one of Anash:

“Even though you do not mention about Mivtza Dalet Minim, as the custom of Tzeirei Agudas Chabad in recent years, surely this year they were also involved in this and with greater expansion as in the p’sak din of maalin ba’kodesh(ascending in holiness).

AFFECTING THE SUPERNAL REALMS

When a Jew sets up the walls of the sukka, the walls of the supernal sukka are set up. When he covers it with s’chach, he thereby covers the supernal sukka. When he sits in the sukka, all the lights and revelations of the supernal sukka are drawn down.

(Likkutei Dibburim)

NO SUKKA DECORATIONS

In Seifer HaSichos 5704, the following exchange is recorded:

Question: Did they make sukka decorations in Lubavitch?

The Rebbe Rayatz: In Lubavitch they did not make sukka decorations, not under the s’chach and not on the walls of the sukka. R’ Zalke Persitz of Moscow once brought an artificial cluster of grapes to hang in the sukka and they did not hang it.

By my holy father, the Rebbe [Rashab], the sukka decorations were those who sat in the sukka. The fear of accepting the yoke of heaven on Rosh HaShana, the avoda of Erev Yom Kippur and Yom Kippur, and the joy of Sukkos were, for my father, experiences of the innermost soul.”

A LOT OF S’CHACH

The Chabad custom is to use a lot of s’chach on the sukka. The Alter Rebbe would order them to make it denser. In order to fulfill the halacha that “the stars should be seen from within the sukka” they would poke a stick through the thick s’chach to create a hole through which they could be seen.

R’ Shneur Zalman Butman, who lived in Paris, heard from a Jew living there that one year the Rebbe celebrated Sukkos in that city. The Rebbe, who was submerged all day in the tent of Torah, introverted, quiet, was seen on the eve of the holiday on the street dragging a lot of s’chach in order to fulfill the hiddur to cover the sukka with a lot of s’chach.

SPIRITUAL PAUPER

In the holy Zohar there is an unusual warning about the necessity to have guests in the sukka. One can say this means that even someone who is “poor” in the mitzva of sukka, i.e. he lacks the wherewithal to fulfill this mitzva, it is a mitzva to invite a “pauper” like this into the sukka and acquaint him with this lofty mitzva.

(Sicha 13 Tishrei 5736)

OUR CUSTOM IS NOT TO USE DECORATIONS

On Simchas Torah 5730, the Rebbe explained:

True, in his year-round home, when he wants to beautify it, he hangs a nice curtain etc. and why shouldn’t he do so in the sukka (“You should sit in it like in your residence”)?

But there is a big difference here. In his home there is no holiness, while in the sukka – there was holiness during the time of the Beis HaMikdash and now too.

On another occasion, the Rebbe explained that the beautification needs to be in the very sukka itself and not in external things.

(Sichos Kodesh 5730; Yagdil Torah New York)

A SPECIAL MITZVA

The mitzva of sukka is a special mitzva for it completely surrounds a person from head to toe, with all his clothing including his shoes. Furthermore, any activity done in the sukka (eating, sleeping etc.) is a mitzva.

To teach you: A person has the ability to serve his Creator not only when he learns Torah and prays but also when he takes care of his physical needs, and the matter depends solely upon him. When he truly desires it, he will gain the awareness that not only is this service possible but it’s even an easy service, as our Sages say regarding sukka that it is an easy mitzva.

(Likkutei Sichos vol. 2)

PERMANENT AND TEMPORARY

There are two contrasting aspects of the mitzva of sukka. On the one hand, the sukka is a temporary structure as the Sages say, “All seven days go out of your permanent dwelling and sit in your temporary dwelling.”

This world is like a sukka for it is a temporary dwelling, a corridor to the World to Come. A Jew must feel that matters of this world are only transitory.

However, when the matters of this world are not important to him and he uses them solely for the sake of heaven, he makes this “sukka” into a “dwelling for Hashem.” The world and what it contains become transformed into a “permanent dwelling” for Hashem.

(Likkutei Sichos vol. 9)

WHY THE USHPIZIN COME

The reason the Ushpizin appear on Sukkos and not on other holidays:

During the winter, it is harder to serve Hashem than during the summer. In the winter, the sun does not shine as much and it is explained that the sun alludes to the name YHVH, representing light and revelation (as it says, “for a sun and a shield are YHVH Elokim – the name YHVH is compared to the sun and the name Elokim to a sheath which encompasses it). Therefore, the Ushpizin come to us on Sukkos in order to give us strength and encouragement in our service of Hashem for the duration of the winter which is about to begin.

(Sicha of Sukkos 5712)

DERECH ERETZ FOR THE S’CHACH

The attendant of the Rebbe Maharash once entered the sukka while angry. The Rebbe said to him: You need to behave with derech eretz in front of the s’chach; the s’chach do not like anger.

(Seifer HaSichos 5704)

THE REBBE CAME TO THE SUKKA

One Hoshana Raba, the Mezritcher Maggid entered his sukka and was followed by his student, the Alter Rebbe. The Maggid said to him:

“Lock the door so no one comes in; and don’t become overly excited, the master [the Baal Shem Tov] is coming.”

That was the first time that the Alter Rebbe saw the Baal Shem Tov while awake.

(Seifer HaSichos 5705)