RV’S OR MANSIONS
Every one of our holidays commemorates an historic event. Succos is unique in that it commemorates the duration of our travels through the desert and that HaShem placed us in huts. Alternatively, there is an opinion that Succos commemorates HaShem’s protecting us with the Clouds of Glory. The question therefore is why was the 15th day of Tishrei chosen more than any other day?
According to the opinion that we commemorate the Clouds of Glory we can understand that this was the date when the Clouds first returned to us after they were taken away when we sinned with the Golden Calf. However, according to the first opinion to commemorate the huts in which we lived in the desert, what significance does this date have?
To appreciate the answer that my dear friend Reb Simcha Baer offered, we must point out that these huts were temporary structures built with the simplest of materials. In fact, the laws governing the structure of a succah are based on the principle that they must be temporary in design.
When Moshe descended from Har Sinai with the second Tablets indicating HaShem’s complete forgiveness to His people, he also gave us the instructions from HaShem to build a Mishkan. The next four days there was a massive campaign during which the people raised all the gold, silver, copper and other materials necessary for the construction of the Mishkan. It was on the fifth day that we were ready to begin the construction.
The amount of precious metals necessary for the building of the Mishkan is astounding. From where did the people have this material? Our Sages teach us that our ancestors were fabulously wealthy from the booty they took when they left Egypt. It was from this gold and silver and other material that they contributed to the Mishkan.
Let us pause for a moment; if our ancestors were so fabulously wealthy why did they live in such simple housing? Of course, we know that they were on the move, nevertheless, there were stations along their journey where they stayed for extended periods of time. There was actually one place where they encamped for 19 years! Could they not create more permanent structures? There was no shortage of funds.
Reb Simcha suggests that the lesson HaShem taught us by placing us in temporary structures was that life in this world is temporary in nature. We are not residents of this passing world of fleeting moments. Nobody knows for how long they are here. The only real property that the Jew owns is his connection to HaShem and His Mishkan. Just like our people who resided in Kadeish for 19 years did not know when they were moving next, we also do not know when our next move along our journey will be.
Therefore, it is on the 15th day of Tishrei after our people gave so much of their gold and silver to the Mishkan, that we celebrate how our ancestors traveled 40 years in temporary housing and did not bother spending their gold and silver on anything more permanent.
Have a very wonderful Shabbos and a very joyous Yom Tov.
Paysach Diskind