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The plain reading of Vayikra 23:43 says that Yisrael dwelt in sukkot while they were in the wilderness. Rashi on this verse says that the "sukkot" that Israel dwelt in were the divine clouds of gl...
#1: Initial revision
by
Monica Cellio
·
2020-10-05T17:30:40Z (about 4 years ago)
What does it mean that Yisrael dwelt in sukkot in the wilderness?
The plain reading of Vayikra 23:43 says that Yisrael dwelt in *sukkot* while they were in the wilderness. Rashi on this verse says that the "sukkot" that Israel dwelt in were the divine clouds of glory -- by implication, not physical booths. But this Rashi in turn seems to be referring to Rashi on Bamidbar 10:34, which talks about the divine clouds *by day* and when they were traveling. Daytime protection is not necessarily the same as night-time shelter. And I don't think of people who are on the move as "dwelling" somewhere, so I'm confused about how to apply Rashi's interpretation to the verse that says God caused Yisrael to dwell in *sukkot*. We know from Bilaam's famous blessings (and probably elsewhere) that Yisrael had *tents*. There's even an interpretation somewhere (I forget where) that they were especially mindful of their neighbors' privacy by setting them up so that doors didn't face other doors -- so that sure sounds like physical, opaque dwellings that they chose how to erect, not divinely-placed clouds. Ibn Ezra on this verse seems to be saying they lived in actual booths "following the custom of all military camps". I'm not aware of military camps using booths (as opposed to tents), however, unless he means constructing temporary buildings (for longer stays) -- which tend to be more, not less, sturdy than the tents they replace. (And I don't know if this was done in that time.) Yet aren't *sukkot* supposed to be more fragile? Did Yisrael actually dwell in physical *sukkot* (booths) at any time while they were in the wilderness? Always, or just during Sukkot each year, or maybe just after the Exodus?