Today is the 6th day of Sukkot.
One of the most meaningful ways to celebrate Sukkot is to invite guests to enjoy a meal in our Sukkot. Commonly associated with the tradition of inviting ancestral ushpizin, guests, to the Sukkah, inviting living guests to share in the bounty of the harvest represents an evocative way to imbue our Sukkot celebrations with the mitzvah of hachnasat orchim, hospitality toward guests.
According to the Talmudic sage, Rabbi Judah, showing hospitality toward guests is even more important than welcoming God into our midst. As proof, he recalls the tale of Abraham, suggesting that Abraham abandons the Divine Presence to approach three strangers and invite them to his tent for a meal. Meanwhile, the Book of Jubilees, an ancient Jewish text left out of the Hebrew Bible, suggests that this tent was, in fact, the very first Sukkah, reminding us of the need to open our Sukkot to all who might find themselves in need of nourishment.
We hope this Sukkot has given you the chance to celebrate with guests and to enjoy the beauty of welcoming ushpizin into your temporary dwellings.
—Rabbi Josh Knobel