The Great Equalizer by Rabbi Yaakov Menken "You shall dwell in
Sukkos for seven days; every member of Israel shall dwell in
Sukkos. In order that you know, for all generations, that I
placed the Children of Israel to dwell in Sukkos, when I took
them out of the Land of Egypt; I am HaShem your G-d." [23:32-33]
In what "Sukkos," or booths, did G-d place the Children of
Israel? Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki) quotes from the Talmud:
this refers to the Clouds of Glory, which surrounded and
protected the Jewish nation during their forty years in the
desert. The holiday of Sukkos reminds us that we are not self-
reliant. This is the time of year when people pack up and move
inside, and (in agricultural communities) celebrate their good
harvest -- like Thanksgiving in the United States. At exactly
this time, G-d tells us that we must move out of our homes, and
live underneath an all-natural, unfinished roof that doesn't
even fully block the sun. Sukkos is a great equalizer -- whether
rich or poor, we are all living un