Daily Zohar # 1636 – Zohar Sukkot – Sukkah and Lulav
Hebrew translation:
820. וְאֵלּוּ לְעֻמָּתָם שִׁבְעָה כּוֹכְבֵי לֶכֶת, וְהֵם זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה. וּמִשּׁוּם זֶה נִקְרָאִים שֶׁבַע כְּפוּלוֹת, כְּמוֹ שִׁבְעָה קָנִים שֶׁל הַמְּנוֹרָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּהּ (תהלים קיט) שֶׁבַע בַּיּוֹם הִלַּלְתִּיךָ. כָּךְ (זכריה ד) שִׁבְעָה וְשִׁבְעָה מוּצָקוֹת. כָּךְ שֶׁבַע סְפִירוֹת כְּפוּלוֹת. וְשִׁבְעָה יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית לְמַטָּה, שִׁבְעָה לְמַעְלָה, (קהלת א) אֵין כָּל חָדָשׁ תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ.
821. לוּלָב זֶה צַדִּיק, שֶׁדּוֹמֶה לְחוּט הַשִּׁדְרָה, שֶׁבּוֹ שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה חֻלְיוֹת, כְּנֶגֶד שְׁמוֹנָה עָשָׂר נִעְנוּעִים שֶׁל הַלּוּלָב. וְהֵם כְּנֶגֶד שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה בִּרְכוֹת הַתְּפִלָּה, כְּנֶגֶד שְׁמוֹנָה עָשָׂר שֵׁמוֹת שֶׁל (תהלים כט) הָבוּ לַה’ בְּנֵי אֵלִים, כְּנֶגֶד שְׁמוֹנָה עָשָׂר שֵׁמוֹת שֶׁל קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע. וְנִעְנוּעַ לְשִׁשָּׁה צְדָדִים, בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן ו’. וּשְׁלֹשָׁה נִעְנוּעִים בְּכָל צַד, הֵם שְׁמוֹנָה עָשָׂר.
Zohar Sukkot
The Lulav is a branch of a Palm tree bonded together with three myrtle branches and two willow branches. The six elements is the aspect of Zeir Anpin on a physical level. The seventh element is the Etrog, which is a citrus fruit and the aspect of Malchut. We use the Lulav and Etrog during the prayer of the Halel. The Halel connects us to the Sefirot of Zeir Anpin and with the Lulav and the Etrog as tools we maximize on drawing the Light that is available for us during the seven days of Sukkot.
The Ushpizin are special ‘guests’ that we invite during a meal that we do in the Sukkah. They are the chariots of the Seven Sefirot and on each day we invite a different one corresponding the the Sefira of that day. The first day is Chessed and we invite Abraham, then Isaac for Gevurah, Jacob for Tiferet, Moses for Netzach, Aaron for Hod, Joseph for Yessod and David for Malchut.
The word for Sukkah סוכה has the numerical value of 91 and represents the unification of the upper name יהוה YHVH with the lower name אדני ADNY as יאהדונהי.
Exodus 25:20
“וְהָיוּ הַכְּרֻבִים פֹּרְשֵׂי כְנָפַיִם לְמַעְלָה, סֹכְכִים בְּכַנְפֵיהֶם עַל-הַכַּפֹּרֶת, וּפְנֵיהֶם, אִישׁ אֶל-אָחִיו; אֶל-הַכַּפֹּרֶת–יִהְיוּ, פְּנֵי הַכְּרֻבִים”
“The cherubim shall spread out their wings above סֹכְכִים, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be.”
The word used to describe the action of the cherubim over the Ark is the same as the word used for the cover of the Sukkah, סככ (100) and ים that is numerically 50 is for Binah. Rabbi Ashlag reveals that the Cherubim are the secret of Zeir Anpin and Malchut.
The entire process and tools are for us to manifest in our lives and for the coming year the Light of Binah that we drew few days earlier on Yom Kippur.
It is important to know that studying the deep secrets and the spiritual aspects of the holidays, as well as every precept in the Torah, are a way to connect to the root energy of the events or the precepts. The root of our souls is in the Torah and the secrets revealed by the Zohar shines that Light in our soul, correct it and cleanse it.
That aspect is what makes the study of the Zohar so valuable to our souls. Even if we miss on some precepts or holidays we can fill the gap with the study of the Zohar.