The Torah in Parashat Emor issues the command to reside in a sukka during the seven-day holiday of Sukkot: “You shall reside in sukkot for seven days; every citizen of Yisrael shall reside in sukkot” (23:42).
The Netziv, in his Ha’amek Davar commentary, offers an insightful explanation for the why the Torah emphasizes that this mitzva applies equally to “kol ha-ezrach be-Yisrael” – “every citizen of Yisrael.” Sukkot is known as the “chag ha-asif,” as it celebrates the completion of the gathering of the harvested produce. The process of harvesting begins in the spring, and at the end of the summer, the farmer completes the work of collecting and storing his grain. The mitzva of sukka, as the Netziv (among many others) explains, is intended to remind the farmer, who feels content and gratified over the large amounts of produce in his warehouse, that he is but a “foreign resident” in God’s land. As the Netziv writes: “The purpose of the mitzva, on the level of peshat, is that one leaves his permanent residence into a temporary residence in order for those who have collected their produce to be aware that they are still only like foreigners, and not permanent residents.” As such, one might have concluded that a poor person who does not own land – in the Netziv’s words, the “ani ha-nodeid” (“wandering poor man”) – is not included in this mitzva. He is assuredly mindful of his status as a “foreigner.” People lacking financial security and whose lives are unstable are well aware of their dependence on God, and can never make the mistake of viewing themselves as masters over the land. The Torah must therefore emphasize that “kol ha-ezrach be-Yisrael yeishvu ba-sukkot,” that even the “ani ha-nodeid” must reside in a sukka during this holiday.
The question naturally becomes as why this is the case. If, as the Netziv claims, the mitzva of sukka is aimed at reminding the wealthy landowners of their status of transience in God’s world, then why does it apply to even to downtrodden, helpless paupers?
The answer, the Netziv explains, is provided in the very next verse: “In order that your future generations shall know that I had the Israelites reside in sukkot when I took them from Egypt.” This is commonly understood as explaining the reason for the entire mitzva of sukka, but according to the Netziv, on the level of peshat, it refers specifically to the application of this mitzva to the poor. He explains:
In order that they not despair from living a good life even if they do not own land or experience natural joy, they will learn from the mitzva of sukka, for they will remember their residence in sukkot when God took them [from Egypt]…and they nevertheless experienced immense joy. And, [as the verse concludes,] “I am the Lord your God” – who leads and watches over you always, and there is nothing that can prevent Him from bestowing goodness and blessing, even without ownership over land.
According to the Netziv, the commemorative aspect of sukka, as reminding us of the experience in the wilderness, is intended specifically for the poor. They are to be shown how Benei Yisrael enjoyed contentment and happiness even when traveling through an uninhabitable wilderness without food or water. God can provide our needs under all conditions and all circumstances, and thus we have no reason to feel anxious or despondent when our material conditions fall short of our aspirations. The message of the sukka is that joy need not and must not be contingent upon material prosperity, or even on financial security. Even the “ani ha-nodeid” must rejoice on Sukkot, as he contemplates the experience of our ancestors in the wilderness which demonstrates God’s ability to care for us and provide our needs under all circumstances.