Rabbi Elazar opened [to explain the scripture "Go and call out in the ears of Jerusalem...] Thus says G‑d; I remember your chesed, the devotion of your youth...[your following Me in the desert ";(Jeremiah 2:2) but Jerusalem was not in the wilderness, and why is this addressed to the feminine?]This verse was said about the Congregation of Israel [the Shechinah, for she is the secret of the supernal Jerusalem] when she was walking with Israel in the wilderness. "I remember your chesed" refers to Aaron's cloud that traveled with another five [clouds that corresponded to the chasadim of gevura, tiferet, netzach, hod, and yesod] that joined [and surrounded] you and shone upon you.
"I remember your chesed" refers to Aaron's cloud...
"Your love as a bride": that improved you [and built up your partzuf/face], adorned you [with holy consciousness] and bedecked you like a bride wearing her jewelry. Why all that? [Why did the Shechinah receive to merit the chasadim from the 6 extremities of Zeir Anpin?] Because, "you went after Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown" [because the Shechinah followed Israel when they were traveling in the wilderness, even though they were not yet fit for Her indwelling over them. Nevertheless, She pursued after them in the love of her Beloved/Zeir Anpin].
Come and see, when man sits in this [temporary] residence in the shade of complete faith [when the Sukkah has become his fixed home, while his usual [temporary] residence becomes his casual abode, during the Festival of Sukkot] the Shechinah [Imma Ila'ah – bina consciousness] spreads her wings over him from above [in the secret of Her ohr makif/encompassing light] and Abraham [representing the encompassing light of chesed], and five other tzadikim [Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joseph, each representing one of the other 5 sefirot] fix their dwelling with him.
Rabbi Abba said Abraham and the five tzadikim, and King David [the secret of the surrounding light of the Shechinah and representing malchut] come to dwell with him. This is the meaning of, "You shall dwell in booths (Sukkot) seven days." (Lev. 23:42) It is written, "seven days," instead of, 'for seven days'. Similarly it is written, "for six days G‑d made heaven and earth." (Ex. 31:17) [The 6 sefirot: chesed, gevura, tiferet, netzach , hod, and yesod are called "6 days", and through them, G‑d made heaven and earth. Similarly, you shall dwell in booths (Sukkot) together with the 7 tzadikim, called the Ushpizin/Guests, whose source are the 7 sefirot that rule over each day.]
One should rejoice throughout each and every day [of Sukkot]...
One should rejoice throughout each and every day [of Sukkot] and show a joyful countenance, a shining face to those Ushpizin that dwell with him [each day's particular guest leading the other 6.] Rabbi Aba said, it is written, "You shall dwell in booths ('Sukkot') seven days," and then, "they shall dwell in booths." (Lev. 23:42) First: "You shall dwell" and then, "they shall dwell." The first verse is a commandment to the spiritual Ushpizin. The second verse is a commandment to people in this physical world.
The first is for the [spiritual] guests. Rav Hamnuna Saba, for example, when he entered the Sukkah, used to stand happily on the inner threshold of the Sukkah and say, Let us invite the guests [the Ushpizin]. He would set the table, and stand up (in honor of the Ushpizin) and bless [the blessing of dwelling in the Sukkah (thus drawing the Shechinah into the Sukkah) and then said [to the Ushpizin], "You [the 7 surrounding lights that dwell in the Sukkah] shall dwell in booths seven days." Sit down, lofty guests, sit down. Sit down, guests of faith/the Shechinah, sit down. Afterwards he would raise his joyfully on high (to connect all 10 sefirot hinted at by the 10 fingers) and said, 'Happy is our lot, happy the lot of Israel, as written, "for G‑d's portion is His people." (Deut. 32:9) Then he would sit down [and eat inside the sukkah].
The second verse quoted above: "they shall dwell in booths" is for those of us (Jews) in this physical world, for those who are a part of the Holy People and have a portion in the Holy Land sits in the shade of true faith with the Ushpizin, to rejoice in this world and in the World to Come (where his soul will be elevated to bina, the place of rejoicing).
And we must gladden the poor, for the portion of the [spiritual] guests he invited comes from the enjoyment felt by the poor when they eat [and it is as if he has placed it before the Ushpizin].
BeRahamim LeHayyim:
These spiritual guests should be greeted with conscious awareness...
These spiritual guests should be greeted with conscious awareness since these Holy lights that come to the Sukkah are an extra aspect of holiness unique above all the other Festivals.Therefore, there is a custom to say a prayer upon entering the sukkah each night inviting and greeting the Ushpizin, creating a vessel to receive these Guests who embody the sefirot of the world of Atzilut/Nearness.
So far so good. Now add to this human guests you've invited, and they help to plug the Sukkah into an even higher voltage of receptivity. Whether these physical guests are truly poor, either materially or spiritually, or not – when we gladden him or her with a meal, the joyous aspect of bina pours down even more. Say words of Torah about the supernal guest, or sing songs in their honor. Tell stories about them. You get the message.
Bracketed annotations from Metok Midevash and Sulam commentaries
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