The reason that animals and beasts die prematurely is that people do not properly observe the mitzvah of sukkah. This is because sukkah is the aspect of “IMma (Mother) hovering over her children,” the aspect of “IM you call to Binah” (Proverbs 2:3).
This is also the aspect that differentiates human beings from animals, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “Bless God, O my soul, and do not forget all His favors” (Psalms 103:2)—that He made her breasts in the place of Binah (Berakhot 10a). An animal, on the other hand, draws nourishment from animal breasts down below. This is what differentiates between human beings and animals: human beings nurse from human breasts, which are in the place of Binah, the aspect of “Im you call to Binah”/ sukkah. Animals, on the other hand, nurse from animal breasts, which are down below.
Therefore, when a person blemishes the mitzvah of sukkah, he falls from the aspect of human breasts, which are in the place of Binah, the aspect of sukkah, and descends to the aspect of animal breasts, drawing sustenance from there. Thus it is that he draws sustenance from the bounty of the animals. He feeds on their vitality, and they die as a result—because he takes their bounty from them.
And the extent of his fall, and of the bounty that he takes from the animals—causing the deaths of the animals and beasts, as well—is commensurate with his blemish of sukkah. This is the aspect of “and he made sukkahs for his livestock” (Genesis 33:17)—the sukkah is for the sake of his livestock, as mentioned above.
2. In addition, this causes harm to those who work in construction, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: Someone who engages in building becomes poor (Sotah 11a). This is because the building must be built with wisdom and intelligence, in which case it does not harm him. And then it is right that he build the building—as it is written (Proverbs 24:3, 4), “A house is built with wisdom and is established by understanding; and through knowledge the rooms are filled”— {for he has a place into which to bring the bounty}.
However, when a person builds without intelligence, he is harmed by it. Therefore, he “becomes poor,” since this is his punishment for blemishing wisdom; for by right he should have built the building with wisdom, as explained above. Thus, his punishment is that he becomes poor, which is the aspect of a blemish of wisdom, the aspect of “The wisdom of the poor man is despised” (Ecclesiastes 9:16).
Thus, by means of the sukkah, which is the aspect of intelligence, the aspect of “Im you call to Binah,” as explained above—by means of this he is able to build the building, in the aspect of “A house is built with wisdom…,” as explained above.
3. This is also the aspect of Shavuot, for Shavuot and Sukkot are one. This is because the Torah emerges from Binah, which is the aspect of sukkah, as it is written (Proverbs 1:8), “and do not forsake the Torah of IMekha (your Mother),” the aspect of “IM you call to Binah,” which is the aspect of sukkah, as explained above.
Therefore, immediately after Sukkot is Simchat Torah, for the Torah emerges from the aspect of sukkah. Thus it is that by people entering the sukkah, they themselves become an aspect of Torah, for the Torah emerges from there, as explained above. And then the Torah begins, which is “Bereishit (In the beginning),” the aspect of BaYit (house)—i.e., the BeYT of Bereishit. This is the aspect of “Yaakov journeyed to Sukkot and built himself a bayit,” as explained above.
And this is the aspect of SiYVaN—the time of the Giving of the Torah; it is an acronym of “v’Yaakov Nasa Sukkotah Vayiven lo bayit…,” as explained above.
דַּע, שֶׁמִּיתוֹת בְּהֵמוֹת וְחַיּוֹת בְּלֹא זְמַנָּן, הוּא עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁאֵינָן נִזְהָרִין בְּמִצְוַת סֻכָּה כָּרָאוּי, כִּי סֻכָּה בְּחִינוֹת אִמָּא דִּמְסַכְּכָא עַל בְּנִין (תיקונים דף ג), בְּחִינוֹת: אִם לַבִּינָה תִּקְרָא (משלי ב׳:ג׳).
The reason that animals and beasts die prematurely is that people do not properly observe the mitzvah of sukkah. This is because sukkah is the aspect of “IMma (Mother) hovering over her children,” the aspect of “IM you call to Binah” (Proverbs 2:3).
וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינוֹת הַהֶבְדֵּל שֶׁבֵּין גֶּדֶר אָדָם לְגֶדֶר בְּהֵמָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ברכות י): בָּרְכִי נַפְשִׁי אֶת ה' וְאַל תִּשְׁכְּחִי כָּל גְּמוּלָיו – שֶׁעָשָׂה לָהּ דַּדִּים בִּמְקוֹם בִּינָה, אֲבָל הַבְּהֵמָה יוֹנֶקֶת מִדַּדֵּי בְּהֵמָה לְמַטָּה, וְזֶהוּ הַהֶפְרֵשׁ שֶׁבֵּין גֶּדֶר אָדָם לִבְהֵמָה – שֶׁהָאָדָם יוֹנֵק מִדַּדֵּי אָדָם, שֶׁהוּא בִּמְקוֹם בִּינָה, בְּחִינוֹת אִם לַבִּינָה תִּקְרָא, בְּחִינוֹת סֻכָּה; אֲבָל הַבְּהֵמָה יוֹנֶקֶת מִדַּדֵּי בְּהֵמָה שֶׁהֵם לְמַטָּה.
This is also the aspect that differentiates human beings from animals, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “Bless God, O my soul, and do not forget all His favors” (Psalms 103:2)—that He made her breasts in the place of Binah (Berakhot 10a). An animal, on the other hand, draws nourishment from animal breasts down below. This is what differentiates between human beings and animals: human beings nurse from human breasts, which are in the place of Binah, the aspect of “Im you call to Binah”/ sukkah. Animals, on the other hand, nurse from animal breasts, which are down below.
וְעַל כֵּן כְּשֶׁפּוֹגֵם בְּמִצְוַת סֻכָּה, אֲזַי נוֹפֵל מִבְּחִינוֹת דַּדֵּי אָדָם, שֶׁהֵם בִּמְקוֹם בִּינָה, בְּחִינוֹת סֻכָּה, וַאֲזַי נוֹפֵל לִבְחִינַת דַּדֵּי בְּהֵמָה, וְיוֹנֵק מִשָּׁם, נִמְצָא שֶׁיּוֹנֵק מִשֶּׁפַע שֶׁל הַבְּהֵמָה, וְעַל כֵּן יוֹנֵק אֶת חִיּוּתָם, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה הֵם מֵתִים, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁנּוֹטֵל מֵהֶם אֶת הַשְׁפָּעָתָם,
Therefore, when a person blemishes the mitzvah of sukkah, he falls from the aspect of human breasts, which are in the place of Binah, the aspect of sukkah, and descends to the aspect of animal breasts, drawing sustenance from there. Thus it is that he draws sustenance from the bounty of the animals. He feeds on their vitality, and they die as a result—because he takes their bounty from them.
וּלְפִי הַפְּגָם שֶׁפָּגַם בַּסֻּכָּה כֵּן הוּא נְפִילָתוֹ, וְכֵן נוֹטֵל אֶת הַשֶּׁפַע שֶׁל הַבְּהֵמוֹת, וּכְמוֹ כֵן גּוֹרֵם מִיתוֹת הַבְּהֵמוֹת וְהַחַיּוֹת, וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת: וּלְמִקְנֵהוּ עָשָׂה סֻכּוֹת (בראשית ל״ג:י״ז) – כִּי הַסֻּכָּה הוּא בִּשְׁבִיל מִקְנֵהוּ כַּנַּ"ל:
And the extent of his fall, and of the bounty that he takes from the animals—causing the deaths of the animals and beasts, as well—is commensurate with his blemish of sukkah. This is the aspect of “and he made sukkahs for his livestock” (Genesis 33:17)—the sukkah is for the sake of his livestock, as mentioned above.
גַּם הָעוֹסְקִין בְּבִנְיָן, מַזִּיק לָהֶם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סוטה יא): כָּל הָעוֹסֵק בְּבִנְיָן מִתְמַסְכֵּן; כִּי צָרִיךְ לִבְנוֹת הַבַּיִת בְּחָכְמָה וָשֵׂכֶל, וַאֲזַי אֵין מַזִּיק לוֹ הַבִּנְיָן, וַאֲזַי רָאוּי לוֹ לִבְנוֹת בַּיִת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (משלי כ״ד:ג׳-ד׳): בְּחָכְמָה יִבָּנֶה בָּיִת וּבִתְבוּנָה יִתְכּוֹנָן, וּבְדַעַת חֲדָרִים יִמָּלְאוּ, (כִּי יֵשׁ לוֹ מָקוֹם לְהַכְנִיס הַשֶּׁפַע).
2. In addition, this causes harm to those who work in construction, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: Someone who engages in building becomes poor (Sotah 11a). This is because the building must be built with wisdom and intelligence, in which case it does not harm him. And then it is right that he build the building—as it is written (Proverbs 24:3, 4), “A house is built with wisdom and is established by understanding; and through knowledge the rooms are filled”— {for he has a place into which to bring the bounty}.
אֲבָל כְּשֶׁבּוֹנֶה בְּלֹא שֵׂכֶל, אֲזַי מַזִּיק לוֹ, וְעַל כֵּן מִתְמַסְכֵּן, כִּי זֶה עָנְשׁוֹ עַל שֶׁפָּגַם בַּחָכְמָה. כִּי הָיָה רָאוּי לוֹ לִבְנוֹת הַבַּיִת בְּחָכְמָה כַּנַּ"ל. וְעַל כֵּן עָנְשׁוֹ שֶׁמִּתְמַסְכֵּן, שֶׁזֶּה בְּחִינוֹת פְּגַם הַחָכְמָה, בְּחִינוֹת: חָכְמַת הַמִּסְכֵּן בְּזוּיָה (קהלת ט׳:ט״ז).
However, when a person builds without intelligence, he is harmed by it. Therefore, he “becomes poor,” since this is his punishment for blemishing wisdom; for by right he should have built the building with wisdom, as explained above. Thus, his punishment is that he becomes poor, which is the aspect of a blemish of wisdom, the aspect of “The wisdom of the poor man is despised” (Ecclesiastes 9:16).
וְעַל כֵּן עַל יְדֵי הַסֻּכָּה, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת שֵׂכֶל, בְּחִינוֹת: אִם לַבִּינָה כַּנַּ"ל – עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה יָכוֹל לִבְנוֹת בַּיִת בִּבְחִינַת: בְּחָכְמָה יִבָּנֶה בָּיִת וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל:
Thus, by means of the sukkah, which is the aspect of intelligence, the aspect of “Im you call to Binah,” as explained above—by means of this he is able to build the building, in the aspect of “A house is built with wisdom…,” as explained above.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת: וְיַעֲקֹב נָסַע סֻכּוֹתָה וַיִּבֶן לוֹ בָּיִת (בראשית שם), כַּנַּ"ל:
This is also the aspect of “Yaakov journeyed to Sukkot and built himself a house” (Genesis, ibid.), as explained above.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת שָׁבוּעוֹת, כִּי שָׁבוּעוֹת וְסֻכּוֹת הֵם אֶחָד, כִּי הַתּוֹרָה יוֹצֵאת מִבִּינָה שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת סֻכָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (משלי א׳:ח׳): וְאַל תִּטֹּשׁ תּוֹרַת אִמֶּךָ, בְּחִינַת אֵם לַבִּינָה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת סֻכָּה כַּנַּ"ל:
3. This is also the aspect of Shavuot, for Shavuot and Sukkot are one. This is because the Torah emerges from Binah, which is the aspect of sukkah, as it is written (Proverbs 1:8), “and do not forsake the Torah of IMekha (your Mother),” the aspect of “IM you call to Binah,” which is the aspect of sukkah, as explained above.
וְעַל כֵּן תֵּכֶף אַחַר סֻכּוֹת הוּא שִׂמְחַת תּוֹרָה, כִּי מִבְּחִינַת סֻכָּה מִשָּׁם יוֹצֵאת הַתּוֹרָה. נִמְצָא עַל יְדֵי שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ בַּסֻּכָּה, נַעֲשִׂים בְּעַצְמָם בִּבְחִינוֹת הַתּוֹרָה, כִּי מִשָּׁם יוֹצֵאת הַתּוֹרָה כַּנַּ"ל, וְאָז מַתְחֶלֶת הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁהוּא בְּרֵאשִׁית, בְּחִינוֹת בַּיִת, הַיְנוּ בֵּית דִּבְרֵאשִׁית, בְּחִינוֹת: וְיַעֲקֹב נָסַע סֻכּוֹתָה וַיִּבֶן לוֹ בָּיִת כַּנַּ"ל.
Therefore, immediately after Sukkot is Simchat Torah, for the Torah emerges from the aspect of sukkah. Thus it is that by people entering the sukkah, they themselves become an aspect of Torah, for the Torah emerges from there, as explained above. And then the Torah begins, which is “Bereishit (In the beginning),” the aspect of BaYit (house)—i.e., the BeYT of Bereishit. This is the aspect of “Yaakov journeyed to Sukkot and built himself a bayit,” as explained above.
וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת סִוָון, שֶׁאָז הוּא זְמַן מַתַּן תּוֹרָה, רָאשֵׁי־תֵּבוֹת: וְיַעֲקֹב נָסַע סֻכּוֹתָה וַיִּבֶן לוֹ בָּיִת וְכוּ', כַּנַּ"ל:
And this is the aspect of SiYVaN—the time of the Giving of the Torah; it is an acronym of “v’Yaakov Nasa Sukkotah Vayiven lo bayit…,” as explained above.