You shall dwell in a Sukkah for seven days; all that are part of the Jewish people shall dwell in Sukkahs (Leviticus 23:42)

There is a fascinating halacha regarding the mitzvah of yeshivas sukkah which many people struggle to understand. The gemara derives from the above verse that one’s dwelling in the Sukkah should be similar to how one lives at home – teishvu k’ein taduru. Generally, if a sukkah becomes uninhabitable due to external factors, such as rain or snow, one is exempt from sitting in the sukkah. The Rama addresses a specific case: if there isn’t enough room in the sukkah for a person to stretch out comfortably, is one still obligated to sleep in the sukkah? He answers that such a Sukka remains habitable. However, rain is different. On the first night of Sukkos, the halacha mandates eating a kazayis in the sukkah, even if it’s raining and the sukkah is uninhabitable.

Many meforshim struggle with this ruling, as it contradicts the concept of “teishvu ki’ein taduru”. People wouldn’t live in a house where rain was pouring in! In fact, on all other days of Sukkos, one is exempt under such conditions!

Some explain that on the first night it is a special mitzvah of yeshivas sukkah – one must eat there even when the sukkah is not inhabitable.

Rav Elazar Menachem Man Shach (1899-2001) provides an explanation, which I will illustrate with a parable. Imagine a child eager to play outside in the rain. His parents permit it, but only if he wears a coat. The boy doesn’t want to wear a coat, but he puts it on, as he really wants to play in the rain. This act of obedience, though not the child’s preference, fulfills his parents’ command.

Another example hits closer to home. During missile attacks, we were cramped into shelters or sealed rooms, under conditions far from ideal – sometimes outright uninhabitable. Yet in those times of stress, our safety necessitated remaining there, and so we did.

Rav Shach explains that, while normally we dwell in our sukkah as we do in our homes, on the first night Hashem says, “You must be there, rain or shine”. This is how we are supposed to live: following Hashem’s will. During the rest of Sukkos we leave our Sukkah when it rains, because that, too, is what Hashem wants. On the first night, however, Hashem wants us to be in the Sukkah, regardless of whether it’s raining.

Here in Eretz Yisrael inclement weather rarely forces us out of the sukkah. Yet, we must understand that our dwelling in the sukkah is ultimately because it fulfills Hashem’s command. Whether we enjoy it or not is secondary; the question is: Are we fulfilling Hashem’s will? This is a very appropriate continuation of the Yomim Noraim.

May we merit to fulfil the mitzvah of sukkah this year without any difficulty, and may it be a catalyst to bring us to the ultimate seudah in the Sukkah of leviathan, speedily in our days.