The Sukka of Peace 

by Rav B. Horovitz עלינו ועל כל ישראל ועל ירושלי  הפורש סוכת שלו

The source for this phrase is:- “ (2 , ע"ו  (תהילי  סוכו ומעונתו בציו  ויהי בשל His Sukka was in Shalemand His Habitation in Zion”, which our Sages explain:

-From the beginning of Creation, Hashem made a Sukka in Yerushalayim, in which כביכול Heprayed: “May I see the building of My House”. After it was destroyed, He prayed: “May My children doTeshuva, so that I can bring the building of my House and Temple soon”.

The Sukka is a temporary symbol ( דירת ארעי ) of Trust in Hashem’s Providence, which will lead toHis ultimate, revealed Kingship with the building of the Beth Hamikdash. This is hinted at in that סכה inthe C" תנ is always spelt without a “vav” = חסר , except in the above verse. The numerical value of סוכהwith the “vav”= 91 = מלא , which equals the numerical value of the Ineffable and the Pronounced Namesof Hashem. Only when Hashem’s Habitation will be established in Zion, ההוא  ביו , on that day will Hashem(as written) and His Name (as pronounced) be Completely One” (Zecharia 14,9) and universallyrecognized.

Peace is achieved at the personal, social, national and international level by separate units joiningtogether, each complementing the other, to produce a harmonious whole. This explains the relationship of של to  שלו Shalom to Shalem. Various instrumentalists playing their notes need to follow their conductorin order to produce a symphony.

The conflicting emotions of the individual, diverse groups and nations,will only achieve harmony by following the One Conductor of the Universe. This is the deeper meaning ofלמנצח (For the Conductor) as the heading of many chapters of Tehillim.This is the essence of the Beth Hamikdash, as wonderfully described by King Shlomo, whose nameindicates, שלו  שהשלו C מל in his Dedication Prayer (I Kings, ch. 8). Most Mitzvos are fulfilled with specificlimbs, whilst סוכה is fulfilled with the whole person – like the מצוה of living in ישראל S אר . This is indicatedin the above verse סוכו  ויהי בשל .

Sukka is a Mitzva performed with the complete body just like  מעונ תו בציוdwelling in Tzion.( כל האזרח בישראל ישבו בסוכות (ויקרא כ "ג 42 ‘Every citizen (singular) should sit (plural) in Sukkos’.The Gemara infers from this that ‘All Israel can fulfil the Mitzvah in one Sukka’, which demonstrates theunited harmony of the nation.

This was why the הקהל assembly (13 – 10 ל"א  דברי ) of the men, women andchildren of the nation, took place on Sukkot.When mankind “will turn over to a new language, so that they will all call upon the name ofHashem, to serve Him with one shoulder” , (9 ' צפניה ג ) they will come to celebrate Sukkot, the symbol ofPeace and Perfection, in Yerushalayim. (19 – 16 זכריה י"ד and גמ' עבודה זרה ג ) . Our Sages teach that theSukka is the protection from the ravages of the wars of Gog and Magog. C פרוש עלינו סוכת שלומ . Today,when individual persons lack peace of mind, and there is so much discord in society and conflict betweennations, let us take to heart the message of the harmony, peace and perfection of the Sukka. סוכו  .ויהי בשלThis will prepare us for the Rebuilding of the – – בית המקדש  במהרה בימינו - ומעונתו בציו