(33) God spoke to Moses, saying: (34) Say to the Israelite people: On the fifteenth day of this seventh month there shall be the Feast of Booths to God, [to last] seven days. (35) The first day shall be a sacred occasion: you shall not work at your occupations; (36) seven days you shall bring offerings by fire to God. On the eighth day you shall observe a sacred occasion and bring an offering by fire to God; it is a solemn gathering: you shall not work at your occupations.
(17) But Jacob journeyed on to Succoth, and built a house for himself and made stalls for his cattle; that is why the place was called Succoth.
דתניא (ויקרא כג, מג) כי בסוכות הושבתי את בני ישראל ענני כבוד היו דברי ר' אליעזר ר"ע אומר סוכות ממש עשו להם.
As it is taught“I made the children of Israel to reside in sukkot”; these booths were clouds of glory, this is the statement of Rabbi Eliezer. Rabbi Akiva says: They established for themselves actual sukkot.
(1) God appeared to him by the terebinths of Mamre; he was sitting at the entrance of the tent as the day grew hot. (2) Looking up, he saw three figures standing near him. Perceiving this, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them and, bowing to the ground, (3) he said, “My lords! If it please you, do not go on past your servant. (4) Let a little water be brought; bathe your feet and recline under the tree. (5) And let me fetch a morsel of bread that you may refresh yourselves; then go on—seeing that you have come your servant’s way.” They replied, “Do as you have said.” (6) Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quick, three seahs of choice flour! Knead and make cakes!” (7) Then Abraham ran to the herd, took a calf, tender and choice, and gave it to a servant-boy, who hastened to prepare it. (8) He took curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared and set these before them; and he waited on them under the tree as they ate. (9) They said to him, “Where is your wife Sarah?” And he replied, “There, in the tent.” (10) Then one said, “I will return to you next year, and your wife Sarah shall have a son!” Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, which was behind him.
“And the Lord appeared to him by the terebinths of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day” (Genesis 18:1). The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of “the heat of the day”? Rabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says: That day was the third day after Abraham’s circumcision, and the Holy Blessed One, came to inquire about the well-being of Abraham. The Holy Blessed One, removed the sun from its sheath in order not to bother that righteous one with guests, i.e., God made it extremely hot that day to allow Abraham to recover from his circumcision, as he would not be troubled by passing travelers whom he would invite into his tent. Despite the intense heat, Abraham wanted to invite guests. He sent Eliezer his slave to go outside to see if there were any passersby. Eliezer went out but did not find anyone. Abraham said to him: I do not believe you... Abraham himself went out and saw the Holy Blessed One, standing at the entrance to his tent. This is as it is written: “My Lord, if now I have found favor in your eyes, do not leave Your servant” (Genesis 18:3), i.e., God’s presence was there, and Abraham asked Him for permission to attend to the travelers... This is as it is written: “And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, three men stood over him; and when he saw them, he ran to meet them”... Who are these three men? They are the angels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael: Michael, who came to announce to Sarah that she was to give birth to a son; Raphael, who came to heal Abraham after his circumcision; and Gabriel, who went to overturn Sodom.
וכן אתה מוצא באברהם שבמדה שמדד בה מדדו לו אברהם רץ לפני מלאכי השרת שלש ריצות... אף המקום נתן לבניו שבעה ענני כבוד במדבר אחד מימינם ואחד משמאלם ואחד לפניהם ואחד לאחריהם ואחד למעלה מראשיהם ואחד לשכינה שביניהם ועמוד ענן שהיה מקדים לפניהם הורג נחשים ועקרבים ושורף סירים וקוצים ואטד [משפיל] להם את הגבוה ומגביה [להם] את השפל ועושה להן דרך מיושר דרך [סרט] מושך והולך
And so it is found that Abraham was treated [by God] with the same midot that he exemplified. Because Abraham hurried three times to help the angels... So to G!d gave his children seven clouds to
guard them when they were in the desert. One to the right, one to the left, one before, one behind, one above their heads, one that dwelt amongst them and one cloud that advanced before them. It raised every lowland, lowered every highland and thus turned them all into level ground. As that cloud advanced it also killed snakes and scorpions and swept and sprinkled the road before them.
(כא) והיא הרתה ללדת בן ונשוב בחודש השביעי ונמצא את שרה הרה לפנינו...
(כז) ויבן שם מזבח לה אשר הציל ושמח אותו בארץ מגוריו ויעש חג שמחה בחודש הזה שבעת ימים אצל המזבח אשר בנה בבאר שבע ויבן סוכות לו ולעבדיו בחג הזה:
(כח) ויעש את החג בראשונה על הארץ:
(21) and she would have conceived a son. And we returned in the seventh month, and found Sarah with child before us...
(27) And he built there an altar to the Lord who had delivered him, and who was making him rejoice in the land of his sojourning, and he celebrated a festival of joy in this month seven days... And he built booths for himself and for his servants on this festival,
(28) and he was the first to celebrate the feast of tabernacles on the earth.
(ז) רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר פָּתַח (ואמר), (ירמיהו ב׳:ב׳) כֹּה אָמַר יקוק' זָכַרְתִּי לָךְ חֶסֶד נְעוּרַיִךְ וְגוֹ'. הַאי קְרָא עַל כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְּמַר, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דַּהֲוַת אַזְלָא בְּמַדְבְּרָא עִמְּהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. זָכַרְתִּי לָךְ חֶסֶד: דָּא עֲנָנָא דְּאַהֲרֹן, דְּנַטְלָא בְּחָמֵשׁ אָחֳרָנִין, דְּאִתְקְשָׁרוּ עֲלָךְ, וּנְהִירוּ עָלָךְ. אַהֲבַת כְּלוּלוֹתָיִךְ, דְּאִשְׁתָּכְלָלוּ לָךְ, (ס''א וכלהו אשתכללו בך) וְאֲעְטָּרוּ לָךְ, וְאַתְקִינוּ לָךְ כְּכַלָּה דְּתַעְדֵּי תַּכְשִׁיטָהָא. וְכָל כַּךְ לָמָּה. בְּגִין לֶכְתֵּךְ אַחֲרַי בַּמִּדְבָּר בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא זְרוּעָה.
(ח) תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּבַר נָשׁ יָתִיב בְּמָדוֹרָא דָּא, צִלָּא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא, שְׁכִינְתָּא פַּרְסָא גַּדְפָהָא עָלֵיהּ מִלְּעֵילָּא, וְאַבְרָהָם וַחֲמִשָּׁה צַדִּיקַיָּיא אָחֳרָנִין שַׁוְיָין מָדוֹרֵיהוֹן עִמֵּיהּ. אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, אַבְרָהָם וַחֲמִשָּׁה צַדִּיקַיָּיא, וְדָוִד מַלְכָּא, שַׁוְיָין מָדוֹרֵיהוֹן עִמֵּיהּ. הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב, בַּסֻּכּוֹת תֵּשְׁבוּ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים. שִׁבְעַת יָמִים כְּתִיב, וְלָא בְּשִׁבְעַת יָמִים. כְּגַוְונָא דָּא כְּתִיב, (שמות ל״א:י״ז) כִּי שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים עָשָׂה יקוק' אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְגוֹ'. וּבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְמֶחְדֵּי בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא, בְּאַנְפִּין נְהִירִין, בְּאוּשְׁפִּיזִין אִלֵּין דְּשַׁרְיָין עִמֵּיהּ.
(ט) וְאָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, כְּתִיב בַּסֻּכּוֹת תֵּשְׁבוּ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, וּלְבָתַר יֵשְׁבוּ בַּסֻּכּוֹת. בְּקַדְמִיתָא תֵּשְׁבוּ, וּלְבָתַר יֵשְׁבוּ. אֶלָּא, קַדְמָאָה לְאוּשְׁפִּיזֵי. תִּנְיָינָא, לִבְנֵי עָלְמָא. קַדְמָאָה לְאוּשְׁפִּיזֵי, כִּי הָא דְּרַב הַמְנוּנָא סָבָא, כַּד הֲוָה עָיֵיל לַסּוּכָּה הֲוָה חַדֵּי, וְקָאִים עַל פִּתְחָא לַסּוּכָּה מִלְּגָאו, וְאָמַר נְזַמֵּן לְאוּשְׁפִּיזִין. מְסַדֵּר (נ''א נסדר) פָּתוֹרָא, וְקָאִים עַל רַגְלוֹהִי, וּמְבָרֵךְ, וְאוֹמֵר בַּסֻּכּוֹת תֵּשְׁבוּ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים. תִּיבוּ אוּשְׁפִּיזִין עִלָּאִין, תִּיבוּ. תִּיבוּ אוּשְׁפִּיזֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא, תִּיבוּ. אָרִים (ס''א אסחי) יְדוֹי, וְחַדֵּי, וְאָמַר זַכָּאָה חוּלָּקָנָא, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, דִּכְתִּיב, (דברים ל״ב:ט׳) כִּי חֵלֶק יקוק' עַמּוֹ וְגוֹ', וַהֲוָה יָתִיב.
(י) תִּנְיָינָא, לִבְנֵי עָלְמָא, דְּמַאן
(א) דְּאִית לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא בְּעַמָּא וּבְאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, יָתִיב בְּצִלָּא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא, לְקַבְּלָא אוּשְׁפִּיזִין, לְמֶחְדֵּי בְּהַאי עָלְמָא וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי וּבָעֵי לְמֶחְדֵּי לְמִסְכְּנֵי. מַאי טַעֲמָא. בְּגִין דְּחוּלָקָא דְּאִינּוּן אוּשְׁפִּיזִין דְּזַמִּין דְּמִסְכְּנֵי הוּא. וְהַהוּא דְּיָתִיב בְּצִלָּא דָּא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא, וְזַמִּין אוּשְׁפִּיזִין אִלֵּין עִלָּאִין, אוּשְׁפִּיזֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא, וְלָא יָהִיב לוֹן חוּלָקֵיהוֹן, כֻּלְּהוּ קַיְימֵי מִנֵּיהּ, וְאַמְרֵי (משלי כ״ג:ו׳) אַל תִּלְחַם אֶת לֶחֶם רַע עַיִן וְגוֹ', אִשְׁתְּכַח דְּהַהוּא פָּתוֹרָא דְּתַקִּין, דִּילֵיהּ הוּא, וְלָאו דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, עָלֵיהּ כְּתִיב (מלאכי ב׳:ג׳) וְזֵרִיתִי פֶרֶשׁ עַל פְּנֵיכֶם וְגוֹ', פֶּרֶשׁ חַגֵּיכֶם, וְלָא חַגַּי. וַוי לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִלֵּין אוּשְׁפִּיזֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא קַיְימֵי מִפָּתוֹרֵיהּ.
Rabbi Elazar opened with a verse: 'I remember the love of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the desert, through a land not sown.” The love of your youth: This verse is speaking about the Shechinah. At the time when she was wandering in the desert with Israel. How as a bride you loved me and followed me through the desert: The cloud is Aaron. The five clouds travel with him because they are connected to you (Shechinah) and shine on you. How as a bride you loved me: All of the clouds are included in you, crowned by you, and adorn you like a bride adorned with jewelry. And why is all of this? In order to follow me through the desert, through a land not sown. Come and imagine: At the moment when a person comes to sit down in her sukkah (aka. the shade of faith), the shechinah envelops her wings around her and upon her. Abraham and five other tzaddikim settle with him. Rabbi Abba said: Not only Abaraham and the five tzaddikim, but also King David. This is proved by the verse (Seven days you should dwell in the suk- kah). It says “seven days” and not “for seven days” (which suggests the read- ing – “Seven Days, Y’all dwell in the sukkah!). This is like (in creation when it says), “Six days created the heavens and the earth” (and does not say, “for in six days”). A person must be joyous in the shining faces of these holy guests. Rabbi Abba said: It first says “Y’all shall dwell in Succot – Seven Days” and afterwards it says “They will dwell in Succot.” First is says Y’all shall dwell and then They will dwell. Y’all shall dwell in sukkot: first the (supernal) guests and then people of the world. First the supernal guests, As Rav Hemnuna Saba used to do, when he fist entered into the sukkah, he would become happy and stand in front of the sukkah facing in and say, “Let us welcome the guests!” He arranged the table and stood up and blessed (for sitting in the succah) and he would say, “Seven Days, (come) dwell in the suk- kah. Sit, supernal guests sit! Sit, faithful guests, Sit!” He raised his hands and he was joyful and said, “How happy are the lots of Israel, because we have a piece of G!d, (Deuteronomy 32)” and then he would sit down. Then the people of the world... One receives guests will receive joy in this world and the in the world to come. One need to bring joy to the poor. Why is this? It is because the portion of food that is for the (supernal) guests is for the poor. And if someone sits in the shadow of faith and welcomes in the supernal guests of faith, and they don’t give them any food, all of the guests stand and they say, “Do not eat the bread of one who has an evil eye and do not desire his delicacies.” Neither they nor G!d stay there.
Some have observed that all the Avot were "wanderers" who required hospitality in some way:
- Avraham left his father’s home for the land God promised to show him;
- Isaac went to Grar during a famine;
- Jacob fled from Esav to the home of Lavan;
- Yoseph was sold to merchants and taken to Egypt;
- Moses fled to Midian after killing an Egyptian;
- Moses and Aaron wandered the Sinai for forty years;
- David hid from Saul in the wilderness.
First day: Abraham – Chesed (חסד, "loving-kindness")
Second day: Isaac – Gevurah (גבורה, "strength")
Third day: Jacob – Tiferet (תפארת, "splendor')
Fourth day: Moses – Netzach (נצח, "eternity")
Fifth day: Aaron – Hod (הוד, "glory")
Sixth day: Joseph – Yesod (יסוד, "foundation")
Seventh day: David – Malchut (מלכות, "sovereignty")
- Ruth, Chesed (Love) – pure kindness and trust, devoting herself entirely to being God's instrument and Naomi's support, the one who chooses to be Jewish (to speak anachronistically) without any advantage or self-interest, motivated strictly from within herself, like Abraham
- Sarah, Gevurah (Judgment) – the one who demands that Hagar be thrown into the wilderness, judgment that overcomes mercy, she is even called g'virati by Hagar
- Rivkah, Tiferet (Beauty, Balance) – she is the wily one, like Jacob, who knows how things must turn out, who can create the reality that needs to exist, and who can draw on mercy or harshness as needed to accomplish her purpose
- Miriam, Netzach (Victory, Eternity) – prophet, bearer and bringer of water (the right side), Moshe's sister, the one who knows how to celebrate victory over Pharoah's army
- Devorah, Hod (Majesty) – warrior and prophet, the greatest female ruler in Israel.
- Netzach and Hod are called Einei Hashem, "the eyes of God", and represent the power of prophecy, so Miriam and Devorah as prophets fit here pretty clearly, but the distinctions between Netzach and Hod in Kabbalah are pretty nebulous, so the order between them is tentative. The connection between Miriam and Moshe makes Miriam fit with Netzach well, but one could also argue for Devorah as Netzach, the victorious one.
- Tamar, Yesod (Foundation) – the one who sits at the crossroads of Einei Hashem (i.e. between Netzach and Hod), who embodies the fullness of sexuality (as does Yesod), who joins with Judah (who represents Malkhut – this reverses the masculine and feminine assignments of these Sefirot), who is tzadkah, the righteous one, just as Yosef is tzadik.
- Rachel, Malkhut (Kingdom) – the Shekhinah who goes into exile with her children and pleads for their return.
Chayyim Vital would sit on the evening before sukkot and collect a great deal
of tzedakah for the poor because Rachel is called ‘tzedek’ and this arouses ‘tzedakah.’ He was careful not to say anything other than Torah in the Sukkah because one is forbidden to benefit from the walls of the sukkah. Poor would eat at his table because the Guests’s portion is given to the poor . He would stand up to make Kiddush... He would bless and he would sit in the sukkah and on the first day he would say the blessing shehechianu. After the meal he would study Masechet Sukkah. He would sleep in the sukkah and he would not abstain for this even if it caused great hardship.
(א) תִּיבוּ תִּיבוּ אוּשְׁפִּיזִין עִילָאִין, תִּיבוּ תִּיבוּ אוּשְׁפִּיזִין קַדִּישִׁין, תִּיבוּ תִּיבוּ אוּשְׁפִּיזִין דִמְהֵימְנוּתָא, זַכָּאָה חוּלְקֵיהון דְיִשרָאֵל דִּכְתִיב כִּי חֵלֶק יקוק עַמּו יַעֲקב חֶבֶל נַחֲלָתו:
(ג) יְהִי רָצון מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יקוק אֱלקַי וֵאלקֵי אֲבותַי שֶׁתַּשְׁרֶה שְׁכִינָתְךָ בּינֵינוּ וְתִפְרוס עָלֵינוּ סֻכַּת שְׁלומֶךָ בִּזְכוּת מִצְוַת סֻכָּה שֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ מְקַיְּמִין לְיַחְדָא שְׁמָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּהּ בִּדְחִילוּ וּרְחִימוּ לְיַחֲדָא שֵׁם י"ה בו"ה בְּיִחוּדָא שְׁלִים בְּשֵׁם כָּל יִשרָאֵל, וּלְהַקִּיף אותָם מִזִּיו כְּבודֶךָ הַקָּדושׁ וְהַטָּהור נָטוּי עַל רָאשֵׁיהֶם מִלְּמָעְלָה כְּנֶשֶׁר יָעִיר קִנּו, וּמִשָּׁם יוּשְׁפַּע שֶׁפַע הַחַיִּים לְעַבְדֶּךָ פב"פ אֲמָתֶךָ. וּבִזְכוּת צֵאתִי מִבֵּיתִי הַחוּצָה וְדֶרֶךְ מִצְותֶיךָ אָרוּצָה יֵחָשֵׁב לִי זאת כְּאִלּוּ הִרְחַקְתִּי נְדוד, וְהֶרֶב כַּבְּסֵנִי מֵעֲונִי וּמֵחַטָּאתִי טַהֲרֵנִי, וּמֵאוּשְׁפִּיזִין עִלָּאִין אוּשְׁפִּיזִין דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא תִּהְיֶינָה אָזְנֶיךָ קַשּׁוּבות רַב בְּרָכות, וְלָרְעֵבִים גַּם צְמֵאִים תֶּן לַחְמָם וּמֵימָם הַנֶּאֱמָנִים, וְתִתֶּן לִי זְכוּת לָשֶׁבֶת וְלַחֲסות בְּסֵתֶר צֵל כְּנָפֶךָ בְּעֵת פְּטִירָתִי מִן הָעולָם, וְלַחֲסות מִזֶּרֶם וּמִמָּטָר, כִּי תַמְטִיר עַל רְשָׁעִים פַּחִים, וּתְהֵא חֲשׁוּבָה מִצְוַת סֻכָּה זוּ שֶׁאֲנִי מְקַיֵּם כְּאִלּוּ קִיַּמְתִּיהָ בְּכָל פְּרָטֶיהָ וְדִקְדּוּקֶיהָ וּתְנָאֶיהָ וְכָל מִצְות הַתְּלוּיִם בָּהּ. וְתֵיטִיב לָנוּ הַחֲתִימָה, וּתְזַכֵּנוּ לֵישֵׁב יָמִים רַבִּים עַל הָאֲדָמָה אַדְמַת קדֶשׁ בַּעֲבודָתֶךָ וּבְיִרְאָתֶךָ. בָּרוּךְ יקוק לְעולָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן:
(ה) בלילה ראשון כשנכנס לסוכה קודם שישב לאכול ובכל יום קודם סעודתו יאמר זה:
(ו) אֲזַמִין לִסְעוּדָתִי אוּשְׁפִּיזִין עִילָאִין אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק יַעֲקב משֶׁה אַהֲרן יוסֵף וְדָּוִד:
(ח) ביום הראשון אומר:
(ט) בְּמָטֵי מִינָךְ אַבְרָהָם אוּשְׁפִּיזִי עִילָאִי דְיַתְבֵי עִמִּי וְעִמָּךְ כָּל אוּשְׁפִּיזֵי עִילָאִי יִצְחָק יַעֲקב משֶׁה אַהֲרן יוסֵף וְדָּוִד:
(י) ביום השני אומר:
(יא) בְּמָטֵי מִינָךְ יִצְחָק אוּשְׁפִּיזִי עִילָאִי דְיַתְבֵי עִמִּי וְעִמָּךְ כָּל אוּשְׁפִּיזֵי עִילָאִי אַבְרָהָם יַעֲקב משֶׁה אַהֲרן יוסֵף וְדָּוִד:
(יב) ביום השלישי אומר:
(יג) בְּמָטֵי מִינָךְ יַעֲקב אוּשְׁפִּיזִי עִילָאִי דְיַתְבֵי עִמִּי וְעִמָּךְ כָּל אוּשְׁפִּיזֵי עִילָאִי אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק משֶׁה אַהֲרן יוסֵף וְדָּוִד:
(יד) ביום הרביעי אומר:
(טו) בְּמָטֵי מִינָךְ משֶׁה אוּשְׁפִּיזִי עִילָאִי דְיַתְבֵי עִמִּי וְעִמָּךְ כָּל אוּשְׁפִּיזֵי עִילָאִי אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק יַעֲקב אַהֲרן יוסֵף וְדָּוִד:
(טז) ביום החמישי אומר:
(יז) בְּמָטֵי מִינָךְ אַהֲרן אוּשְׁפִּיזִי עִילָאִי דְיַתְבֵי עִמִּי וְעִמָּךְ כָּל אוּשְׁפִּיזֵי עִילָאִי אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק יַעֲקב משֶׁה יוסֵף וְדָּוִד:
(יח) ביום הששי אומר:
(יט) בְּמָטֵי מִינָךְ יוסֵף אוּשְׁפִּיזִי עִילָאִי דְיַתְבֵי עִמִּי וְעִמָּךְ כָּל אוּשְׁפִּיזֵי עִילָאִי אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק יַעֲקב משֶׁה אַהֲרן וְדָּוִד:
(כ) ביום השביעי אומר:
(כא) בְּמָטֵי מִינָךְ דָּוִד אוּשְׁפִּיזִי עִילָאִי דְיַתְבֵי עִמִּי וְעִמָּךְ כָּל אוּשְׁפִּיזֵי עִילָאִי אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק יַעֲקב משֶׁה אַהֲרן וְיוסֵף:
(1) Sit, sit, [you] lofty guests; sit, sit [you] holy guests; sit, sit [you] guests of faith. Worthy is Israel's portion, as it is written (Deuteronomy 32:9), "For the Lord’s portion is His people, Jacob His allotment."
(3) May it be Your will in front of You, Lord, my God and God of my fathers, that You have Your Divine Presence rest upon us, and that You spread out Your sukkah of peace upon us, in the merit of the commandment of sukkah that we are fulfilling in order to unify the name of the Holy One, blessed be He and His Divine Presence - with fear and love - to unify the name, Yod Hay, with Vav Hay on behalf of all of Israel; and to surround them with the radiance of Your holy and pure glory, spread over their heads above 'like an eagle protecting his nest.' And from there, may the flow of life flow to Your servant, [one's name], the child of [one's mother's name], Your maidservant. And in the merit of my going out of my house - 'I eagerly pursue Your commandments' - let this be considered as if 'I wandered far away' (thus suffering the atonement of exile), and 'wash me thoroughly of my iniquity and purify me of my sin.' And 'let Your ears pay heed' to many blessings of the lofty guests, the guests of faith; and give the hungry, even the thirsty, their bread and their dependable water. And give me the merit to sit and be sheltered 'in the hidden shade of Your wings,' at the time of my leaving the world, and to be 'sheltered from the torrential rain,' when 'You rain down blazing coals upon the wicked.' And let this commandment of sukkah that I am fulfilling be considered as if I had fulfilled it with all of its details, its exact specifications, its conditions and all the commandments that depend upon it. And make the sealing [of judgement] good for us, and give us the merit to dwell many days upon the ground, the holy ground, in Your service and in Your awe. 'Blessed is the Lord forever, Amen and Amen!'
(5) On the first night when one enters the sukkah before sitting to eat, and on every night before the meal, one should say:
(6) I am inviting the lofty guests, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joseph and David.
(8) On the first day, one says:
(9) If you please, Abraham, my lofty guest, may all of the exalted guests - Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joseph and David - sit with me and you.
(10) On the second day, one says:
(11) If you please, Isaac, my lofty guest, let all of the exalted guests - Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joseph and David - sit with me and with you.
(12) On the third day, one says:
(13) If you please, Jacob, my lofty guest, may all of the exalted guests - Abraham, Isaac, Moses, Aaron, Joseph and David - sit with me and you.
(14) On the fourth day, one says:
(15) If you please, Moses, my lofty guest, may all of the exalted guests - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Aaron, Joseph and David - sit with me and you.
(16) On the fifth day, one says:
(17) If you please, Aaron, my lofty guest, may all of the exalted guests - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joseph and David - sit with me and you.
(18) On the sixth day, one says:
(19) If you please, Joseph, my lofty guest, may all of the exalted guests - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, and David - sit with me and you.
(20) On the seventh day, one says:
(21) If you please, David, my lofty guest, may all of the exalted guests - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron and Joseph - sit with me and you.