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Honorable Mensch-ion

Sukkah Clouds


Eating in a sukkah with a winter coat and gloves was the norm growing up in the northeast. I grew up to believe that a sukkah provided warmth even on the coldest days. As an adult eating in a sukkah in extreme heat, my children are taught that a sukkah brings shade even on the hottest days. Fortunately, our tradition teaches us that my childhood self and my adult self do not contradict; we are both right. The covering of the sukkah symbolize the annei kavod, clouds of glory that God would protect the Jewish people with in the wilderness.

There is a small but deep comment found in the difference between a sukkah simply being a hut to dwell in, and a could of glory. A hut is built by the human being. A cloud of glory is provided by God. Dr. Shawn Zeli Aster of Yeshiva College teaches the most important lesson; clouds of glory are not eternally provided by God. Yes, the sukkah is a Godly presence, but it takes our own effort to build. The circumstances in which we build may differ each year, but the mitzvah is to build. Whether it protects us from the sun, or gives warmth to the cold, the clouds of glory can appear anywhere and everywhere; but we must build them.

Chag Samech!

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