There are two important novelties in the festival of Sukkot celebrated by those who returned from the Babylonian exile. First, it seems that they were hearing of the mitzva of the festival of Sukkot for the first time in their lives. How could that be?
The second novelty is the Biblical comment that since the days of Yehoshua bin Nun the festival of Sukkot had not been celebrated in such a grand manner. Is it true that the people of Israel did not celebrate the festival of Sukkot in such an embellished way during the days of David, Shelomo, and the other righteous kings? What was special about the sukkot that were erected in the days of Ezra and Nechemya?
It may be suggested that the novelty in the celebration of Sukkot in the days of Nechemya lies in the unique intensity of the way the festival was celebrated.
When the people of Israel dwell in Jerusalem across from the Temple, when they occupy themselves with the Torah and accept it upon themselves anew – as they had done at Mount Sinai – the Shekhina rests around them and upon them.
