B”H
The Building of the Sukkah
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”
– Ecclesiastes 3:11, JPS 1917 Tanach
During the first ten days of the new year on the Hebrew calendar, we are preoccupied with tikkun hanefesh, renewal of the soul. Throughout those days, our teshuvah is meant to foster a reconciliation between us and G-d. Our tefillah (prayer) serves to remind us of the continuous connection possible, when we focus on Him. Our tsedokah, acts of charity, sustain the intent of diminishing ourselves, by way of being considerate of others. All three teshuvah, tefillah, and tsedokah, specifically, during this time, might influence the course of the year ahead of us for the good, by appealing to H’Shem’s Attribute of Mercy. After the neilah service, at the end of Yom Kippur, we are sealed in regard to the amount of blessings and curses, so to speak, that we will receive, throughout the rest of the year.
Now, that we have made our best efforts to start off the new year on the right foot, we begin building a sukkah, in preparation of the holiday of Sukkot. This is essentially the first constructive activity of the new year, aside from the reconstruction of our souls that have kept us busy, traditionally, throughout the month of Elul, and the ten days of awe. The sukkah is understood as symbolic of the Clouds of Glory that sheltered us in the wilderness for forty years. We are reminded of the nature of our own existence, without all of the extra amenities that we attach to ourselves.
Yet, for those of us who are not able to construct a sukkah in our backyards, or on our balconies, or rooftops, how might we spend these days, until the actual holiday begins? This might be an even more crucial question to address, when many of us have much time to occupy. Even so, simply “occupying time” may be in direct contrast to “occupying space,” something the sukkah allows us to do once built. How may we reckon time between Yom Kippur and Sukkot? The issue at hand is the maintenance of a sacred perspective: if we have been making our best effort to improve ourselves, through tikkun hanefesh, then the maintenance of the soul should continue to be emphasized in our lives. Thus, in doing so, we may also occupy our neshama (soul), instead of neglecting that essential aspect of ourselves.
Akin to building a sukkah, perhaps, symbolically, this may also be likened to restructuring our lives to be more in accord with godly pursuits, as opposed to anything that may not enhance our lives, or even take us further away from our spiritual aspirations (G-d forbid). The key intent of the various means prescribed to bring in the new year may very well be the spiritual recharge that will keep us on the derech (path). So, we may hope to preserve the sanctity of our lives throughout the entire new year, sparking a renewal that will continue to refresh our souls as the days, weeks, and months ahead of us are lived out with sacred intention.