After weeks of inner growth from Elul through Yom Kippur, we arrive at Sukkot — when everything spiritual becomes real. On Rosh Hashanah we crowned Hashem as King. On Yom Kippur we were purified. And on Sukkot, we live that connection through emunah — stepping out of our solid homes into Hashem’s shade, trusting His roof more than our own.

This mirrors Moshe Rabbeinu’s final day. After forty years of open miracles, he stood on the mountain and saw the Land that would demand hidden faith. Hashem showed him “עד הים האחרון” — which Chazal read as “עד היום האחרון” — the final day, the time of Techiyat HaMeitim. Moshe saw all of Jewish history until Geulah. That vision is the message of Sukkot: to look at nature and see Hashem through it. Even when the miracles are hidden, His Presence surrounds us.

Centuries earlier, Yaakov Avinu gathered his sons to bless them. He wished to reveal the end of days, but the Shechinah departed. As Rav Dessler explains: “If the end were known, there would be no test of emunah.” The hidden ketz gives meaning to faith — trusting Hashem’s plan without needing to see it. Moshe then continued the blessing where Yaakov left off — “וזאת.” What Yaakov could not reveal, Moshe could only see.

We read about Gog u’Magog, the war before Mashiach, in the haftarah. The name Gog shares the letters of gag — a roof, symbolizing man’s illusion of control. The test of the final generation is whether we live beneath man-made ceilings or under the open shade of emunah. Chazal teach that in the time of Mashiach, the nations will be tested with the mitzvah of Sukkah and fail. But Am Yisrael chooses the sukkah, to live under Hashem’s protection.

The Arizal teaches that our joy for the entire year flows from Sukkot. Real simcha doesn’t come from possessions — that’s why we read Kohelet, calling them hevel havalim. Joy comes from connection to our Source. The Gemara says that one who never saw the Simchat Beit HaSho’eva never saw joy in his life. It was the joy of emunah — celebrating a life in Hashem’s hands. Simcha is the outer expression of bitachon.

We finish the Torah with V’zot HaBracha. Moshe continues the chain of blessing from Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov. Each generation carries that flame forward. Moshe couldn’t cross into Eretz Yisrael, but his bracha did — guiding us through history toward redemption.

Chazal teach that in the time of Mashiach, Hashem will make a sukkah for the righteous from the radiant skin of the Livyatan. When we choose His shelter over our own — seeing Him in all things and trusting His care — we merit the ultimate closeness: to sit in that sukkah and join Him at the Seudat Livyatan.

We began Elul searching for Hashem. We crowned Him on Rosh Hashanah, were cleansed on Yom Kippur, and now sit in His embrace. Reaching levels of simcha, only this connection can bring.

May it be Your will, Hashem: just as we sit in the sukkah — the tzeila d’heimnuta, the shade of emunah — may we soon merit to sit in the sukkah made from the skin of the Livyatan. Next year in Yerushalayim.