The bare walls of our outdoor succah remind us of what we want to achieve inside
I like the bare or almost bare succah most. Its bareness pulses with otherworldly energy, its roaring silent message that there really is nothing but Hashem, and our mission in life is to emulate His ways, to create a “succas shalom,” a succah of peace in the world.
The succah is, at its essence, a reminder of that purpose. Its lack of accoutrements reminds us that our daily interactions matter on the cosmic level. There’s no hiding from that in this rectangle, no obscuring of the truth in this tiny square.
But once we leave the succah, the atmosphere of “succah of peace” — no matter how much we love its symbolism or absorb its message — easily eludes us. How do we transfer this peacefulness into our daily life, to make sure our homes don’t ring with: “Why don’t you help with the kids when you see I’m busy with the baby?” “Why can’t you get up earlier so you can have the kids ready on time?” “I want you kids to stop fighting NOW! Eat your breakfast! Take that plate off the table! No, you can’t have a granola bar for snack. Hey, stop pulling her hair!”
Fortunately, there are things we can do to bring our lofty goals down here to earth. Yes, there’s plenty of work to be done to elevate our behavior in emulation of our Creator.
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