The upcoming holiday of Sukkot overflows with underlying themes. Prayerful motifs accentuated by the waving of the Arba'a Minim and the T'filas Geshem on Sh'mini 'Atzeres, faith and trust in G-d highlighted by the dwelling in a temporary structure, the sukka, joyous exuberance demonstrated by the celebration of the Zeicher l'Simchas Beis haSho'eiva and ecstatic dancing on Simchas Torah, together with the Messianic yearnings expressed by the prayer of meriting the Sukkas 'oro shel Livyasan and the Haftoros' focus on the final apocalyptic battle of Gog and Magog which will usher in the long-awaited blessed Era of Redemption all blend together to form what can be described as a whirlwind of spiritually-elevating activities culminating the intense period of repentance immediately preceding this festival. Here, we focus on but one aspect of one mitzva of the manifold ideas inherent in each of the observances of the festival: the mitzva of dwelling in the sukka.
Many have noted that the main, but by no means the only, theme taught by the sukka is that of Divine Providence and Protection. Both R. Akiva's position that the sukka reminds us of the actual booths built by our ancestors in the Sinai Desert and R. Eliezer's position that it recalls the miraculous Clouds of Glory which surrounded and protected B'nei Yisrael in the Midbar (see Sukka 11b) both serve to underscore G-d's supreme role as Protector both through natural means and through supernatural intervention.
We may suggest that one of the three core fundamental religious beliefs as delineated by R. Yosef Albo in his Seifer Ikkarim, those of 1) Belief in G-d, 2) Revelation of Torah, and 3) Reward and Punishment through Divine Providence (Ikkarim notes that each of Rambam's 13 principles can be categorized under one of these three) are each highlighted in turn by one of the Shalosh R'galim (Three Festivals). Pesach commemorates the miraculous Exodus from Egypt which removed any doubts as to the Existence of an All Powerful Creator who, not subject to the Laws of Nature, could manipulate them at will (see Ramban, end of Parashas Bo, and Omissions of Minyan HaMitzvot l'HaRambam - Mitzvot 'Asei, No. 1). Shavuos of course is the festival commemorating Revelation and the Giving of the Torah. Sukkot completes the cycle by stressing Divine Providence and Protection. The Exodus was not a one-time Divine intervention in the affairs of Man but was evidence of an ongoing relationship that Hashem has with His creations as manifested by His revealed protection of the Jewish people in the desert for a full 40 years. Our trust in this protection even in periods where G-d's Hand is not openly revealed is based on the foundation of the Midbar experience. Indeed, at a later point in history, when the Jews questioned Hashem's ability to provide for their needs to enable them to pursue Torah study, the prophet Yirmiyahu showed them the sample of the mann stored as a remembrance to demonstrate that just as Hashem provided for their ancestors in the desert, so too does He continue to provide for them throughout history (see M'chilta, B'shalach 16).
The theme of constant Divine Providence is also stressed in T'filas 'Arvis (the evening prayer). Questioning the interlocution of the blessing of "hashkiveinu" between the blessing of "ga'al yisrael" and Sh'mone 'Esrei in seeming violation of the principle of "s'michat ge'ula li't'fila" (juxtaposing the blessing of "ga'al yisrael" to the 'amida), the Talmud (B'rachos 4b) answers that the blessing of "hashkiveinu" is part of a "ge'ula arichta", or one long praise concerning the Redemption. Maharal (N'sivos 'Olam, N'siv HaT'fila 7, s.v. "v'da 'od") explains that "ga'al Yisrael" praises G-d for the one-time Exodus from Mitzrayim. "Hashkiveinu" continues to praise and pray to Him for his continued protection of the Jewish people after that Exodus, for redemption without subsequent protection is incomplete. Based on this idea, it is readily understandable why the b'racha includes the phrase "u'fros 'aleinu sukkas sh'lomecha", "and spread forth upon us the sukka of your peace", and on Shabbatot and Yamim Tovim we substitute the normal ending of the b'racha with the phrase "Baruch ata Hashem, haporeis sukkas shalom 'aleinu v'al kol 'amo Yisrael v'al Y'rushalayim", "Blessed are you Hashem Who spreads forth the sukka of peace upon us and upon His entire nation and on Jerusalem". The "sukka" with its underlying motif of Divine Providence and Protection blends in readily with the main theme of the blessing.
The halacha mandating that the s'chach consist of material grown from the ground which has not been shaped into any kind of utensil can also be explained in accordance with this theme. On the one hand, Man is charged to "conquer the world," "v'kivshuha" (B'raishis 1), to utilize its resources and the Laws existent within the cosmos to discover the Wisdom of its Creator and channel its blessings to better and ease the human condition through advances in science and technology. On the other hand, Man must never lose sight of the Grantor of these gifts and never cease to thank Him and serve Him in order to elevate Man's true self by cleaving to His Creator. On the Festival of Providence, we use precisely as our roof, symbolic of protection, those elements which are clearly directly from G-d's blessings, natural materials unfashioned by human hands. This underscores the idea that all of the tools and inventions of mankind are also ultimately results of Divine gifts bestowed with love upon His creations. Rav S. R. Hirsch notes that 'Gog', king of 'Magog', the archenemy of the Jewish people about whom we read in the Haftoros of Sukkot, whose name and country are derived etymologically from "permanent roof", is the antithesis of the sukka-Jew. The Jew is charged to view even his permanent structures fundamentally as sukkot, flimsy and always in need of Divine Protection; Gog views everything as objects of his own accomplishment with no need for any Divine intervention. (See also, "On Makkot and Scientific Endeavors")
In our current world of uncertainty, when future world history hangs in the balance, let us all incorporate into our essential world-outlook this theme of sukka -- that of our essential need for Divine Protection and assistance for all the blessings of existence and all of human endeavors. As a result, may we merit the fulfillment of the b'racha of the Sukkas Shalom of Hashem Yisborach.