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Opinion & Comment
Succos in the Teshuvos of the Chasam Sofer

by Rav Yissochor Dov Rubin

An anthology from the teachings and doctrines of the rov of Klal Yisroel about matters concerning Yom Tov, the succah, the arba minim, Simchas Beis Hashoevo the last day of Yom Tov and more.

The combination of Middas Horachamim and Middas Hadin

"You shall dwell in succos seven days; every ezrach among the Jews shall dwell in succos; that your generations may know that I made Bnei Yisroel dwell in succos when I brought them out of the Land of Egypt. I am Hashem your G-d." (Vayikro 23:42- 43)

The question has to be asked: What is the meaning of "every ezrach"?

Moreover, why does it say, "They made for themselves actual Succos" (Succah 11b)? It is normal for travelers in the desert to live in tents and huts. So what special miracle was there to commemorate?

Also Chazal (Yalkut Shimoni, Emor 553) bring a reason for the mitzvah of succah: in case the Bnei Yisroel were liable to be exiled on Yom Kippur, leaving their homes to live in the succah can be considered as if they were exiled and this would atone for those things needing the punishment of golus. But apparently the posuk brings another reason for the succah — "for I made Bnei Yisroel dwell in succos"!

Another question: Every place in the Torah where it says, "I am Hashem your G-d", Chazal explain it as being a case of the combination of middas horachamim and din, but what does that mean in this context?

The Chasam Sofer explains: Hashem, in His great mercy, took Bnei Yisroel out of Mitzrayim before the actual time for their redemption had come. If they had been deserving, Hashem would have taken them out of Mitzrayim and then immediately into Eretz Yisroel. However, because Bnei Yisroel sinned with the Egel Hazohov, although they were saved from annihilation by Moshe's prayers they had to complete their allotted years of exile by wandering in the desert all their lives.

So we see that even though they did not die in the midbor before they reached the age of sixty (Rashi Shlach 14, 33), they wandered about all their lives from hut to hut and did not merit to set up a permanent home. And if they had been in Mitzrayim, they would have been enslaved to the Egyptians to their dying day, so their living in the succah in the desert is considered an exile.

And therefore certain mitzvos and days were foreordained for generations as a memorial for an event, which happened to our forefathers long ago. For example Yom Kippur is fixed for all generations as a day of forgiveness and atonement, to commemorate the day on which it was said, "And Hashem said, `I have forgiven as you have said.' " The day on which Bnei Yisroel received atonement for the sin of the egel. So also, the mitzvah of the succah is determined forever, in order to guard and protect us from golus, as Hashem did with Bnei Yisroel when they came out of Mitzrayim. After they sinned with the egel, sitting in their succos was considered as if they had been exiled.

On the face of it, it could be proven that "In the succos I made [the Bnei Yisroel] dwell" means "they made real succos for themselves" and not "anonei kovod," since if we do not say this, then why was the tribe of Dan also instructed to make succos? We know that the anonei hakovod would not accept the tribe of Don (Yalkut Shimoni, end of Ki Teitzei). If so, it must be that "they made real Succos for themselves" including the Tribe of Dan.

That is why it says "every citizen of the Jewish nation shall dwell in Succos" — to include those who were not accepted by the onon. The main reason for the mitzvah of succah is, "so that you generations may know that I made Bnei Yisroel dwell in succos," their dwelling in the succos was considered as if they had gone into exile.

"In order that your generations will know" — just as then the dwelling in the succah was an atonement for the punishment of golus which they were liable for, so too, for all generations to come, each and every year, if golus is decreed upon them on Yom Kippur, Bnei Yisroel will be able to atone for a punishment of exile by sitting in the succah on Succos.

*

"Will know" — refers to punishment, as, "and with them he taught the men of Succos" (Shoftim, 8:16). "When I took them out of the Land of Egypt" — before their time, and dwelling in the succos was considered as if they were in golus, to complete the passage of years they were obligated to be in golus, all the days of their lives.

"I am Hashem your G-d" — I combined middas hadin with middas horachamim and considered your dwelling in the succah as exile.

(Droshos of the Chasam Sofer, year 5555, [1795])

Anonei Hakovod, for the honor of Bnei Yisroel

"So that your generations will know that in Succos" (Vayikro 23, 43) — two sorts of Succos: anonei hakovod and actual succos during the battle of Sichon and Og. (Eliyohu Rabo, beginning of siman 625 in the name of the Rokeach).

On the face of it how would "your generations" know that the succah symbolizes simultaneously two types of succos? After all, everybody is commanded to sit only in one succah, and if so, maybe it symbolizes only one of them and no more.

Another question: Why is the great war and the wonders of the victory symbolized specifically by sitting in the succah? Is this not insignificant compared to weapons of war? Would it not have been more appropriate to commemorate the battle and the great victory with greater things symbolizing in greater measure the victory in the war waged with Sichon and Og?

The Bircei Yosef asks:

Why did the anonei hakovod merit commemoration for generations whereas the other presents they received in the desert, like the mon and the be'er, did not?

We therefore have to say, that the mon and the be'er were necessary for their survival and without them Bnei Yisroel would have died in the midbor from thirst and starvation. In contrast to this, the anonei hakovod were there only for the honor of Bnei Yisroel, and because of their great spiritual level and merits it was ordained to commemorate them forever.

You may say: The anonei hakovod were also for Bnei Yisroel's survival, for if they would not have been there they would have been harmed by sand storms, the sun, snakes, serpents and scorpions.

But the second reason for the mitzvah of succah proves it. After the battle of Sichon and Og, Bnei Yisroel left anonei hakovod and dwelt in actual succos and they still were not harmed. This is our proof that all the forty years in the desert the Jews could have survived without the anonei hakovod and Bnei Yisroel's survival was not dependent on the anonei hakovod. The anonei hakovod existed only for the honor and greatness of Bnei Yisroel.

We can now understand that the succah symbolizes both succos — the anonei hakovod and the huts that Bnei Yisroel dwelt in during the battle of Sichon and Og. And so "your generations will know" that I made Bnei Yisroel dwell in two types of succos, because the one proves the other and we cannot have one without the other.

(Droshos of the Chasam Sofer, year 5597 [1827])


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