Comentário sobre Levítico 23:43

כי בסכות הושבתי THAT I MADE [THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL] ABIDE IN BOOTHS — This does not mean literally “booths” but, “the clouds of Glory" by which they were sheltered (cf. Onkelos; Sifra, Emor, Chapter 17 11; Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:35:1; Sukkah 11b).

THAT I MADE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL TO ABIDE IN BOOTHS. “This means the clouds of Glory” [which surrounded the camp of the Israelites during their stay in the wilderness]. This is Rashi’s language. And in my opinion this is the correct interpretation [even] according to the literal sense of Scripture, for He commanded that the generations should know all the great deeds of the Eternal which He did wondrously with them, that He made them dwell in the clouds of His Glory like in a booth, similar to what is said, And the Eternal will create over the whole habitation of Mount Zion, and over her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory shall be a canopy. And there shall be a ‘succah’ (pavilion) for a shadow in the day-time from the heat etc.⁴⁹³Isaiah 4:5-6. And since Scripture has already explained that the cloud of the Eternal was upon them by day⁴⁹⁴Exodus 40:38. and the pillar of fire by night,⁴⁹⁵Ibid., 13:22. He just says here, that I made the children of Israel to abide in booths, [without explaining what kind of booths, but meaning] “I made them booths out of the clouds of My Glory to protect them.” Thus He commanded that at the beginning of the summer season we are to remember the exodus from Egypt by [calling] its month [the first of the months],⁴⁹⁶See Ramban in Exodus 12:2 (Vol. II, pp. 16-7). and by observing its festival [of Passover], and He further commanded the remembrance of the continuous miracle which was done for them throughout the days of their stay in the wilderness, at the beginning of the winter season. And according to the opinion of the Sage who says⁴⁹⁷This is Rabbi Akiba (Succah 11 b).That the succoth were “clouds of Glory” [mentioned above] is the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer (ibid.). that they made themselves booths in the literal sense, [we must explain that the reason why this commandment is to be observed at the onset of the winter season], is because they began to make them at the beginning of the winter, on account of the cold, as is customary in camps, and therefore He commanded [that we also make] them at that time. The sense of the remembrance is that they should know and remember that they were in the wilderness, and did not live in homes, and they found no city of habitation⁴⁹⁸Psalms 107:4. for forty years, but G-d was with them and they lacked nothing.⁴⁹⁹See Deuteronomy 2:7.

אני ה' אלוקיכם, the meaning of the statement, repeated again and again, is that the reason that G’d requests these symbolic deeds from us is that by performing them we insure that He will not ever turn His benevolent eyes away from us.