14 Oct OF SUCCAHS AND IRON DOME

Every day, from Rosh Chodesh Elul through
Shemini Atzeres, we recite Psalm 27,
“L’Dovid, HaShem, Ori V’yish’ee, HaShem,
is my light and my salvation, meemee eerah,
whom shall I fear?” We are living the words
of the psalm today. The psalm continues:
“Though an army would besiege me, my heart
would not fear, though war would arise against
me, in this I trust. Kee yitzpehnaynee b’succoh
b’yom ra’ah, He will hide me in His shelter on
the day of evil.” Dovid so eloquently writes
that often, when he is in danger, HaShem’s
succah, His shelter protects him.
Kee yitzpehnaynee b’succoh… Our enemies,
particularly Hezbollah and Iran, continue to
attack us with thousands of rockets, drones
and missiles. Unfortunately, we have suffered
injuries, including some seriously injured, and
even, rachmana litzlan, a few fatalities. Yet,
any rational person realizes that we are
witnessing nissim, true miracles, as HaShem
shelters us, protecting our people and our land
from more catastrophic results. All three of
Israel’s missile defense systems were put to
work – Iron Dome, David’s Sling and Arrow.
Each one designed to intercept a specific type
of enemy drone, tactical ballistic missile,

medium to long-range rocket and cruise
missile. What a miracle that all three systems
worked together. That a majority of the
missiles were intercepted, and so many fell
upon open spaces. We, having emuna and
bitachon, recognizing that these systems are
not merely military equipment, but are our
hishtadlus, our efforts, which through
HaShem’s guiding hands served as succahs to
protect His people. Just as Bnei Yisroel were
protected from their enemies by their succahs
in the desert, and Dovid felt HaShem’s
protection when he was threatened, we too,
are protected by HaShem’s miraculous
“succah”.
On Succos, we welcome the Ushpizin,
Aramaic for guests, to our succahs. The holy
neshamaos of the Raya Mehemna, Seven
Faithful Shepherds, leaders of our people,
Avrohom, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Yosef, Moshe,
Aaron, and Dovid.
There is a beautiful welcoming tefilla that is
recited upon entering the succah: “ Tivu, tivu
ushpizin iloyin, Be seated, be seated, exalted
guests; Be seated, be seated holy guests, Be
seated, be seated guests of faithfulness, be
seated in the shade of the Holy One, blessed is
He.”

While the neshamos of
all seven ushpizin grace
our succah, there is a
different honored leader
from amongst them for
each night. The first
night, Avraham, the
second night Yitzchok,
and so on.
It is written in the Zohar
that when we leave our
home and enter the
succah “l’shem
Shomayim – for the
sake of Heaven” (with
the intention to fulfil a mitzva), we merit that
the Shechina, Divine Presence and all seven
exalted shepherds join us in the succah.
Some have a custom of preparing an “ushpizin
seat”. They decorate a chair and place sefarim,
holy books, upon it, welcoming the honored
guests to their succah.
Succos is the only Yom Tov called Z’man
Simchaseinu, Festival of our Joy. The
ushpizin, our holy guests descend from Gan
Eden and rejoice together with us, bringing
blessing to our succah.
On Succos, we connect to our past. We recall
how our nation lived in succahs during their
forty years in the desert. They traveled to the
unknown, trekking through uncharted desert
sands. How did they survive? From where
did they muster their added strength? They
were fortified with emuna and bitachon,
faith and trust in HaShem. Although they
didn’t know what lay ahead of them, their
connection to HaShem remained strong and
steadfast.
Each of the ushpizin had their own personal
life journey. Journeys that gave them the
strong foundations needed to become leaders
of Am Yisroel.
Avraham answered HaShem’s call of “Lech
Lecha – Go for Yourself”. He left everything
familiar behind him, and went on a journey
of self-discovery and connection to HaShem.
A journey that led him to become the father
of the Jewish nation.
Yitzchok’s journey was to Har Moriah – site
of the Akeida. He was ready to sacrifice
himself to serve HaShem. A strength which
became embedded in our spiritual genes.
Yaakov had to live life “on the run”, escaping
from his brother Eisav. His journey led him
to the house of Lavan, eventually becoming
the father of the Shivtei Kah, the Twelve
Tribes.
Yosef had his own difficult life journey. As a
young boy, he was sold as a slave, ending up
in Egypt. By uncompromisingly clinging to
his faith, and always having the d’yukno
shel aviv – the image and teachings of his
father before him, he rose to become viceroy

to the Pharaoh.
Moshe and Aaron journeyed through the
desert with Am Yisroel, each one a leader in
his own right. Moshe was chosen by HaShem
to liberate the nation from Egypt. He became
Moshe Rabbeinu, a teacher and mentor for
generations. Aaron was the first kohein gadol,
and had the special virtue of being an ohev
shalom, a lover of peace, and a rodeph shalom,
a pursuer of peace.
Dovid had to run and hide from Shaul, and
ultimately became the progenitor of the
Malchus Dovid, the Davidic Dynasty. Dovid
HaMelech’s life journey came with challenges
and difficulties. Despite it, or precisely
because of it, Dovid composed Tehillim,
which to this day gives comfort to so many.
On Succos, we recall the faith and fortitude of
the generation of the Exodus. We remind
ourselves of the inner strength and trust of the
ushpizin. We leave our secure, comfortable
homes for just a little while, and enter the
succah. As we gaze through the schach to the
heavens above, we are reminded that HaShem
is watching over us, as a father watches over
his children, and we have nothing to fear.
It is a year since October 7, the start of the
Simchas Torah war. While our nation has
experienced miracles, we have also
experienced immense hardships. As of this
writing, there are still some 100 hostages
being held by Hamas in Gaza. This Yom Tov,
as we sit in our succahs and welcome the
ushpizin, let’s say a special tefilla, asking our
holy exalted guests to be melitzei yesharim, to
intercede with Avinu Sheh’bashomayim, our
Heavenly Father to bring this bitter war to an
end, to see the safe return of our hostages, and
shower blessings and shalom upon His holy
land and the Jewish people worldwide.
May the merit of the ushpizin be a protection
for us, guarding us from danger. May their
blessings be with us, our brave soldiers, the
injured, the families who have suffered
immeasurable pain, and the hostages.
As we recite in the Yom Tov Maariv, may we
see the realization of “Ufros Aleinu succas
rachamim, chaim v’sholom, and may HaShem
spread over us His shelter of compassion, life
and peace”.