Sukkos: The Light of True Connection: A Lesson from the Sukkah’s Shade
Liluei Nishmas Ita bas Chanoch Aharon Bistritzky
One of the fundamental laws of a sukkah is that it must provide more shade than sunlight. The Gemara states that if there’s more sunlight than shade, the sukkah is invalid. At first glance, this seems like a strange Halacha. From a spiritual perspective, the sun symbolizes light and revelation, while shade represents a blocking or limitation of that revelation. Why then, does the Halacha insist that a kosher sukkah requires the blocking of this light?
This question becomes even more puzzling when we consider another Halacha. The Gemara also teaches that the shade must not be complete; there needs to be enough open space to see the stars through the sukkah's covering. On the one hand, we are blocking sunlight, but on the other, we are required to see the starlight. Why does the Halacha demand that we block the sunlight but still see the stars?
Chassidus explains this through the concept of relationships. Whether it's between spouses, parents and children, or friends, how do we know if a relationship is genuine and deep, rather than superficial? The answer can be found in the laws of the sukkah: is there more shade than sun, and can the stars still be seen?
In the early stages of any relationship, there’s a lot of “sunlight.” There’s excitement, chemistry, and sparks that fuel the connection. However, a true bond is formed when the initial excitement settles down, and both parties need to make sacrifices for each other. This is the "shade" in a relationship—putting oneself aside, even when it’s uncomfortable, for the sake of the other. It’s easy to show up when everything is bright and exciting, but the strength of a relationship is tested when times are challenging. True friendship, for example, isn't measured by how much fun you have together when everything is going well, but by whether you stand by your friend when they are going through tough times. Can you lift them up even when it’s not convenient for you?
This idea also runs through Chassidus in the relationship between a Chassid and their Rebbe. There are two terms used to describe this connection: "mekurav," meaning someone who is close to the movement, and "mekusher," meaning someone who is truly connected. What’s the difference between being close and being connected? A "mekurav" enjoys the warmth, inspiration, and “sunlight” of the Rebbe’s teachings. But a "mekusher" is someone whose relationship remains steadfast even when there’s more “shade” than sunlight. When times are difficult or the inspiration isn’t as palpable, a "mekusher" stays committed and connected, showing up even when it’s uncomfortable and demanding.
To illustrate this idea, there’s a story involving a few followers of different Chassidic Rebbes. Each one shared a miracle story about their Rebbe: one described how his Rebbe blessed him and his wife after 15 years of childlessness, and they were finally able to have a child. Another told of how his Rebbe’s blessing transformed his struggling business into a success. A third recounted how his child had strayed from Judaism, but his Rebbe helped bring the child back. One follower, however, remained silent. When asked what miracle his Rebbe had performed, he explained that he had once consulted the Rebbe Rashab of Lubavitch about an investment opportunity. The Rebbe Rashab advised him to take it, but it failed, resulting in significant financial loss. The others, puzzled, asked, "So what was the miracle?" He replied, “The miracle is that despite the loss, I remain his follower, and he remains my Rebbe.”
This story powerfully demonstrates the depth of a true, enduring connection—one that lasts even when the relationship is tested by adversity, when there’s more “shade” than “sunlight.”
In our relationship with Hashem, the sukkah teaches us the same lesson. Shade doesn’t signify darkness; rather, it signifies a deep, concealed connection. It’s not void of light—it may be lacking the superficial sunlight, but it still contains starlight. Stars, though distant, are often much larger and more radiant than the sun. While the sun’s light is obvious and bright, the light of the stars is subtle, distant, and nuanced, yet in many ways more powerful.
This is the kind of light we are meant to see from the sukkah. The light of the sukkah isn’t flashy or glamorous, because the sukkah represents the deep, meaningful relationship with Hashem that we’ve been developing through Elul, Rosh Hashana, and Yom Kippur. It’s not a relationship based on superficial excitement, but one that runs as deep as the shade and the distant starlight in the night sky. Just like in a relationship, it’s not the grand gestures that sustain the bond, but the small, everyday acts of commitment that truly matter.
As we sit in the sukkah, we are reminded that it is these small, subtle acts—like seeing the distant stars—that build the deep, lasting connection between ourselves and Hashem.
Adapted from “Life Talks on the Parsha”