Parshat Vayishlach
Rabbi Jablinowitz
Yaakov Avinu is associated with the Yom Tov of Succos. This is because we read in this week’s parsha (Chapter 33, Pasuk 17), V'Yaakov Nasa Sucosa Vayiven Lo BayisU'Lemiknehu Asa Succos. Yaakov went to a place called Succot and built for himself a house and for his livestock he built succot. Rashi explains that he built for himself succot as well for the summer and the house was just for the winter. The Sfas Emes learns the pasuk according to the simple meaning, that for himself he built a house and only for his cattle did he build succot. What is the significance of this place and how does this all relate to the Chag of Succos?
The first Mishnah in Messeches Succah teaches a disagreement between the Chachamim and Rabbi Yehudah. According to the Chachamim the maximum height of a Succah is twenty amos. According to Rabbi Yehudah there is no maximum height and a succah over twenty amos is kosher. Their disagreement is about the nature of a succah. According to the Chachamim, a succah is meant to be a “diras aroiy”, a temporary structure. Therefore, once it’s over twenty amos, it is no longer considered temporary. Rabbi Yehudah, though, holds that a succah is a permanent structure, “diras kevah”, and therefore a succah over twenty amos, and even higher, is also suitable.
The Sfas Emes explains the significance of this Machlokes in the following manner. The Chachamim held that when we move out to the succah, the whole point is to understand that our life in this world is temporary, a “diras aroiy”. By living in the spiritual environs of the succah, we appreciate the fleeting nature of the physical world. This is why they hold over twenty amos is pasul. Rabbi Yehudah, though, had a much loftier idea of what a succah is. For him, a “diras kevah” is appropriate. This is because he holds that the point of the succah is to establish the holiness of the succah as permanent in our lives. The kedushah of the succah in a permanent structure symbolizes making the succah the essence of our lives.
This is why, continues the Sfas Emes, Yaakov Avinu built for himself a house in Succot. Yaakov was on a level that for him, the dwelling in Succot was a house, i.e. a permanent structure. For him the kedushah was everlasting. But for his livestock, representing the average person, he built actual succot. For most of us, just to make the physical temporary is a major achievement. And of course, the halacha is like the Chachamim that we require a temporary structure, since in halacha, we follow the majority.
This understanding of Yaakov Avinu can help us understand a Gemara in Pesachim. The Gemara there 88A teaches that while Avraham referred to the place of the Beis Hamikdash as a mountain, or a “har” (Chapter 22, Pasuk 14), and Yitzchak called it a field, “sadeh” (Chapter 24, Pasuk 63), Yaakov in last week’s parsha called it a house , or a “bayis”. This is a reference to the pasuk in last week’s parsha (Chapter 28, Pasuk 19),Vayikra Shem Hamakom Hahu Beit El. Yaakov Avinu was the man who built permanent structures of kedushah. He built a permanent house in Succot and he referred to the Beis Hamikdash as a house. And Chazal teach that the first Beis Hamikdash corresponded to Avraham Avinu, the second to Yitzchak Avinu, and B’ezrat Hashem the third and final one, the ultimate permanent structure of Kedushah, to Yaakov Avinu. This was the Koach of Yaakov Avinu, and in his merit may we be zocheh to also merit the permanent and final kedushah of the third Beis Hamikdash.
Good Shabbos
Print this article