Temporary and Permanent

Rabbi Corey Helfand

Sukkot

The Sukkah is a powerful symbol of something both temporary and permanent. The Torah teaches, “You shall live in booths seven days; all citizens in Israel shall live in booths in order that future generations may know that I (God) made the Israelite people live in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 23:42). It seems clear from the Torah that the reason why we build Sukkot is because they symbolize the structures the Jewish people lived in while wandering in the desert. The Sukkah was to be a temporary, easily portable dwelling.

The classic commentators also debate the purpose of the Sukkah. Rashi says a Sukkah reminds us how God caused the Jewish people to dwell in clouds of glory — Ananei Kavod (Rashi on Leviticus 23:43). On the other hand, the Rashbam explains that the word Sukkah should be taken literally to mean “booths.” These booths were more like tents used during the festival of ingathering to remind the Israelites that while in the wilderness, they had no ownership of land nor personal harvest at the time. Though they did not yet own property, the Israelites were at least fortunate enough to have shelter from even the worst of weather conditions.

Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, spiritual leader of the New North London Synagogue, sees Sukkot as a holiday of refuge. Throughout our history, we have been compelled to leave our homes and wander, like after the destruction of the Temple or during the Expulsion of Spain. He writes, “between its frail walls, beneath its leaking roof, we think of all those throughout history who have had to abandon their homes and seek whatever flimsy shelter they could find. We are reminded that no home is ever really permanent, that everybody is essentially provisional”. The Sukkah serves as a basic form of protection from persecution, helplessness, abandonment, inclement weather, and beyond.

In the Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Sukkot (28b), the rabbis taught that “dwelling” in the Sukkah for seven days means “that you should consider the Sukkah as a fixed dwelling for these days. One should consider the Sukkah permanent and the home temporary for the holyday. One should eat, drink, sleep and study in the sukkah. Our permanent home becomes a temporary dwelling and vice versa. For a moment in time, temporary and permanent seem almost interchangeable.

The S’fat Emet compares a Sukkah to a Huppah. When God took the Israelites out of Egypt, the Jewish people became “sanctified” to God and God spread over the people God’s Divine wings of peace — ha-pores sukkat shalom aleinu. The Huppah symbolically represents the new home that a couple will build together, yet like all relationships, it starts shaky with the hope that over time, it will strengthen. The same is true of the Sukkah: side beams, then walls, a roof, the s’chah (roof material) for protection, and in the end, this permanent, fragile structure, becomes a home where you can feel welcome and sheltered. When complete, you experience a sense of sheleimut, wholeness, knowing that everything has finally stabilized and come together.

This past year, we’ve all experienced the pendulum swing from permanent to temporary. Despite thinking that our world is on solid ground, all too quickly things come crashing down. Yet the Sukkah symbolizes our survival. We remain strong even during fragile times through communal support, connection to ritual and traditions, and a strengthening of faith through God’s Divine protection. When times are toughest, Sukkot reminds us of the power of what’s possible when we join in community, not only to rejoice, but also to rebuild when things fall apart. May this Sukkot be a source of much strength in difficult times. And even amidst the fragile, may we persevere together to build a sukkah of peace so all may enjoy its shelter.

Rabbi Corey Helfand is the rabbi at Ohr Kodesh Congregation in Chevy Chase.