NAALEH.COM and YU TORAH Exalted Entourage By: Mrs. Shira Smiles

There is a well known custom of inviting seven special guests, seven shepherd of our nation, into our succot, one on each night of Succot. What is this custom based on? The Torah commands, “You shall dwell in booths for a seven day period; every native in Israel shall dwell in booths.” Our Sages pick up on the seeming redundancy with several explanations. The Otzar Hatorah quotes the idea that first the great tzadikim are commanded to sit in the succot, and then they are to be joined by all of Israel. The Zohar adds a different, somewhat cryptic, interpretation. The Zohar claims that the subject of the first “sit’ is seven days – The seven days shall sit and then be joined by all of Bnei Yisroel. According to the Zohar, each of these special shepherds of our people, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moshe, Aaron and David, is considered a day to which the holiday is dedicated, and all of Israel then joins them. Click here for Summary Channie Koplowitz Stein.