Succos 5786
Rabbi Jablinowitz
The Gemara in Succah 29B teaches in the name of Rava that מאני משתיא, vessels that are used for drinking may be kept in the Succah, even after use. However, מאני מיכלא, vessels used for eating, must be removed from the Succah after use. Rashi explains that the difference is that plates after eating are filthy after use, and therefore, it is disrespectful for them to remain in the Succah. Cups which were used for drinking, though, are not considered unpleasant and inappropriate for the Succah.
Tosfos disagrees with Rashi and learns that the “eating vessels” are not the plates one eats off, but rather the pots and pans used for the preparation of food. And the reason for this halacha is not based on whether it’s respectful or not for the Succah, but rather because the Gemara teaches that we live in the Succah in the same manner in which we dwell on our home; תשבו כעין תדורו. Tosfos explains that larger pots and pans were kept in a special storage area and not in their living quarters. Therefore, the Gemara teaches us that they should not be kept in the Succah. But according to Tosfos, there is no difference between dirty plates or dirty cups, and they both may be in the Succah, just as they are in the house (עיין בהגהות אשר"י פ"ב סי יט).
The Mateh Moshe, who was a student of the Maharshal and an important source in Halacha, also wrote a section in his sefer on the reasons for the mitzvot. In explaining the mitzvah of Succah, he teaches that Succah represents Olam Haba. And he explains the reason for the distinction between eating and drinking vessels is that eating represents physical desire; the Succah is a place where there is no eating, just sitting and basking in the presence of Hashem. As the Gemara in Berachos 17A teaches regarding Olam Haba, צדיקים יושבים ועטרותיהם בראשיהם ונהנים מזיו השכינה. And the reason drinking cups are permitted is because the word כוס references the reward for Tzadikim in Olam Haba, as the pasuk says in Tehillim (Chapter 116, Pasuk 13), כוס ישועות אשא. This is also why any material which is מקבל טומאה may not be used for Schach. There is no place for impurities in the place which represents Olam Haba.
The Gemara in Succah 28B quotes the Mishnah which states, כל שבעת הימים אדם עושה סוכתו קבע וביתו עראי. All seven days a person must make his Succah permanent and his physical home temporary. The Mateh Moshe teaches that the seven days represent the seventy years of a person’s life, as the pasuk in Tehillim teaches (Chapter 90, Pasuk 10), ימי שנותינו בהם שבעים שנה. During a person’s lifetime, his Succah, i.e. his efforts on receiving his reward in Olam Haba should be permanent; it should be his essential focus throughout his life. While his physical well-being should be temporary; it should be his secondary concern in life.
The Sfas Emes brings the same idea as the idea as the Mateh Moshe that Succah represents Olam Haba. He explains this as the reason why Succos follows Yom Kippur. The Gemara in Berachos 5A teaches that three presents Bnei Yisrael receive only through suffering; ע"י יסורים, Torah, Eretz Yisrael, and Olam Haba. Since Succah represents Olam Haba, before the Chag of Succos we need the day of fasting and ענוי on Yom Kippur to merit Succos.
This also explains the pasuk in parshat Eikev (Chapter 8, Pasuk 3) ויענך וירעיבך...למען הודיעך כי לא על הלחם לבדו יחיה האדם כי על כל מוצא פי ד' יחיה האדם. The Sfas Emes learns that this pasuk references the fast of Yom Kippur. It is a day of fasting and עינוי; a day of affliction. And the point is to teach you about מוצא פי ד'. On Yom Kippur we need to learn to open our mouths and use them for prayer. Not only for eating, but the ultimate use of our mouths is to connect to Hashem. This is the Avodah of Yom Kippur, and this ultimately leads us to Succos.
Succos is a time when we commemorate all the experiences of our sojourn in the desert, as described in the pasukim above. The Be’er Miriam which travelled with Bnei Yisrael in the desert is commemorated through the mitzvah of Nisuch Hamayim. The Succah, itself, represents the clouds of glory which accompanied them in the desert. And the mahn is represented by the Lulav. By the mahn the pasuk says in Shemos (Chapter 16, Pasuk 4), הנני ממטיר לכם לחם מן השמים and by the Lulav the pasuk says in Vayikra (Chapter 23, 40), ולקחתם לכם ביום הראשון. The word לכם by both places indicates that Hashem is giving us something special. And that is דעת. The pasuk by the mahn above states למען הודיעך and by Succos it says למען ידעו דורותיכם. This transition form Yom Kippur to Succos also gives us an increased level of understanding of Hashem and our role in His world.
Therefore, there is an emphasis of prayer on Succos. There is an opening of the מוצא פי ד' with prayer and Hoshanos throughout the Chag. This culminates in the last day of Succos, Hoshana Rabbah. And Hoshana Rabbah is the sealing of the judgment of Yom Kippur. Since Succos is the result of the fasting and prayer on Yom Kippur, it is only natural that it also completes the process of Yom Kippur. Succos, ultimately, indicates how well we have internalized the lessons we were meant to learn on Yom Kippur.
Good Shabbos and Chag Sameach.
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