Back to basics: Do we need kavana when we sit in the sukkah?
Learn along with us! See the source sheet and guiding questions on Sefaria.
“You shall live in sukkot (booths) seven days; all citizens in Israel shall live in sukkot, in order that future generations may know that I made the Israelite people live in sukkot when I brought them out of the land of Egypt—I am the Lord, your God.”[1]
Why is it important to remember the sukkot?
The Talmud records a dispute regarding the nature of the sukkot the festival commemorates. According to Rabbi Eliezer, Sukkot commemorates the miraculous clouds of glory that protected Israel in the desert; Rabbi Akiva teaches that they are the actual sukkot the Israelites made for themselves.[2]
Rashi on the Chumash only brings Rabbi Eliezer’s opinion. Why?
Mizrachi, a supercommentary on Rashi, explains that Rashi rules according to Rabbi Eliezer based on the words “God caused them to dwell in sukkot” which indicates that Sukkot commemorates a Divine act – the clouds of Glory – and not man-made huts.[3]
Rashbam agrees with Rabbi Akiva that sukkot should be understood literally, and brings a prooftext from Devarim: “The festival of Sukkot, celebrate for yourselves seven days, when you harvest your threshing floor and your wine press.”[4] During the abundant harvest season we move out of our comfortable homes for a week to remember that we spent forty years in the desert, with no land of our own and no crops to harvest. This time of year we may be tempted to focus on the effort that we put into working the land, but just as Moshe reminds the people in Devarim Chapter 8, none of this would have been possible if God hadn’t given us the strength and the ability.[5]
Tur begins the laws of Sukkot by quoting the verse from the Torah that links the mitzvah of building a sukkah with the exodus from Egypt, concluding “I am the Lord your God.” He explains that many mitzvot are based on the exodus. Since the Israelites were physically there to witness the miracles no one can deny their experience, which demonstrates that God created the world and has total control over it. Sitting in the sukkah commemorates the clouds of glory that protected us from the heat and sun in the wilderness and reminds every generation of God’s might and wondrous deeds.[6]
Bach notes that Tur does not usually expound on biblical verses; he teaches halakha and custom. He explains that Tur goes into detail about Sukkot because one can’t properly fulfill the mitzvah of dwelling in the sukkah if they are not cognizant of its intent – to remember the exodus from Egypt: “in order that future generations may know that I made the Israelite people live in sukkot when I brought them out of the land of Egypt—I am the Lord, your God.” [7]
What if one sits in the sukkah without this intention?
Mishna Berura rules that the ideal way to fulfill the mitzvah of sukkah is to remember miracles of the exodus from Egypt and the Divine protection of the clouds of glory throughout forty years in the wilderness. Yet, if one just had intent to fulfill the mitzvah of sitting in the sukkah and did not remember these miracles they still fulfill the mitzvah.[8]
The question of whether “mitzvot tzrikhot kavana” – [to be fulfilled,] commandments need intention- is an ongoing dispute in Talmudic and Halakhic literature. Ultimately, Shulkhan Arukh rules that one may fulfill a commandment without intention.[9] While one needs to have intention to fulfill the mitzvah, as opposed to doing so accidentally, one doesn’t need to understand the deeper meaning of the mitzvah and have it in mind.
As we have seen, several halakhic authorities rule that sitting in the sukkah is different since the Torah gives us a reason: “in order that future generations may know that I made the Israelite people live in sukkot when I brought them out of the land of Egypt.” And because that reason is central to our faith.
[1] Vayikra 23:42-43 translation by The Contemporary Torah, JPS 2006 (Sefaria)
[2] TB Sukka 11b translation by Koren-Steinsaltz (Sefaria)
[3] Mizrachi Vayikra 23:41
[4] Devarim 16:13
[5] Rashbam Dvarim 23:43 Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash, Lambda Publishers (Sefaria)
[6] Tur, Orach Chayim 625:1 translation by Sefaria
[7] Bach, Orach Chayim 625:1
[8] Mishnah Berurah 625:1
[9] Orach Chayim 60:4
