Without the opportunity to sit, eat, or even sleep in the sukah, our observance of Sukot feels a bit empty. Without having the structure, the specific location, the holiday feels incomplete. But if we remember that our sukah is meant to be a temporary structure, one that can be easily knocked over by the wind, we are reminded that what is most enduring about Judaism is our celebration of time-things that last, instead of the things that we create. By designating the Book of Ecclesiastes for reading and study on the days of Sukot, our rabbis showed that they understood this idea. Ecclesiastes, like our sukah, reminds us that life is fragile and constantly changing.
Life is fragile and delicate, just like our sukah.
Therefore, we must make the most of the time that we are given and sanctify every day. My kids love Sukot. We encourage them to decorate the sukah, and in many ways they are the hosts. We even came up with our own little song last year. You will know the tune.