Special Days

75: Living in a Sukkah

"You shall sit in Sukkos for seven days..." (Vayikra 23:42)

We are commanded to eat, drink, and sleep in a sukkah for the entire seven days of Sukkos. On the first night of Sukkos, one is obligated to eat a meal with bread in the sukkah. Over the rest of the holiday, one may not eat a meal with bread outside of the sukkah.

The Torah explains that the significance of this mitzvah is "in order to know that Hashem provided us with protection when He took us out of Egypt" (Vayikra 23:43). This serves as a reminder that Hashem is always protecting us. As Moshe Rabbeinu said: "Hashem, You are as a dwelling for us" (Tehillim 90:1). As we pray in maariv: "Spread over us the sukkah of Your peace."

Text Copyright © 2008 by Rabbi Moshe Goldberger and Torah.org.