Parashat HaShavua - Ha’Azinu/Sukkot

Among our shalosh regalim - our three chagim of pilgrimage to Jerusalem - Sukkot stands out as the one with its own special addition in birkat hamazon: “May the compassionate one reestablish the fallen Sukkah of David for us / Harachaman hu yakim lanu et sukkat David ha’nofalet / הָרַחֲמָן הוּא יָקִים לָנוּ אֶת סֻכַּת דָּוִד הַנּופֶלֶת.” Because of the context of this chag, one would think this refers to rebuilding the Temple so we can bring the offerings that our ancestors brought in the past. 

But there is a major catch to this understanding: the Temple was built not by King David but actually by his son, King Solomon! Then what is this passage talking about? The language itself is from the prophet Amos, who foretells our doom in God’s name, and then our salvation: “In that day,” God says, “I will reestablish the fallen sukkah of David; I will mend its breaches and set up its ruins anew. I will build it firm as in the days of old / בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא אָקִ֛ים אֶת־סֻכַּ֥ת דָּוִ֖יד הַנֹּפֶ֑לֶת וְגָדַרְתִּ֣י אֶת־פִּרְצֵיהֶ֗ן וַהֲרִֽסֹתָיו֙ אָקִ֔ים וּבְנִיתִ֖יהָ כִּימֵ֥י עוֹלָֽם׃” (Amos 9:11). At that time the Temple still stood, and so Targum Yonatan very logically interprets this language to mean “the kingdom of the House of David / מלכותא דבית דוד” (Rashi).

In other words, despite the very physical details of this passage in its original form and in our birkat hamazon rendition, it is better understood as metaphorical language. But: for those of us who do not yearn for a return to monarchy any more than a Temple, now what? Again the idea of messianic times can be understood here. A better approach for our times, I think, is to understand this as a tefillah for a model of leadership the Sukkah represents: humble; understanding one’s vulnerabilities; aware that one’s role is temporary and in the service of sheltering others; connected with and respectful of one’s natural environment. King David himself was far from perfect, and sought forgiveness for his mistakes, as he admits: “I sinned against the Lord / חָטָ֖אתִי לַיהֹוָ֑ה.” (II Sam. 12:13)

The Maharal beautifully views the vulnerability and temporary nature of the Sukkah as its strength: unlike a house, he says, “the Sukkah is not a finished and fixed house, and so it can easily be made to stand again, and therefore if it falls the idea of returning it to its original form is still relevant / אבל הסוכה, שאינו בית שהוא בנין גמור וקבוע, ובקלות הוא חוזר ומעמידו, לכך אם נפל שייך בו הקמה, והוא חוזר לענין הראשון בקלות. “Even if it falls,” he adds, it is still called a Sukkah, since it can be established again with relative ease / ואף בשעת נפילתה יש עליה שם 'סוכה', כיון שהסוכה עומדת להקים אותה, וקרוב מאוד הוא להקימו בקלות.” (Netzach Yisrael 35)

May we see the values of the Sukkah in our leaders this Sukkot and beyond, and emulate them in ourselves as well; and when we fall, let us hope that our commitment to those values remains strong enough to readily reestablish them as a Sukkah in our lives.

Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach!

Rabbi Jack Nahmod
Middle School Judaic Studies Head
Rabbinic Advisor