How is Succos a continuation of the deep levels of teshuvah that we reached on Yom Kippur?

During Elul and the High Holidays we focused on change — on becoming a different person than we were before.

We worked to develop a new attitude and greater sensitivity towards an area of life that had been previously neglected.

On Yom Kippur we committed to a small action in the direction of change. Implementing such an enormous shift in the way we think can be quite difficult.

To let go of previous assumptions and adopt new perspectives challenges the essence of who we are and forces us out of our comfort zone.

How are we to combat this innate resistance to change? With the succah!

The Sages (Sukkah 2a) tell us that for the seven days of Succos one is to leave his permanent dwelling and reside in a temporary one.

Feeling safe and snug at home makes it difficult to truly consider new options.

To solidify the new direction we began on Yom Kippur we leave the safety of our home and enter a reality with less stability.

And amidst the instability it becomes possible to reveal the “new me” and live accordingly. This is the gift of the succah!

This Succos, as you sit in your succah away from the comfort indoors, ask yourself: What’s one thing I can do to further implement the new direction I’ve committed to?

Chag Sameach,

Rabbi L.