Q&A: They go from strength to strength; each appears before God in Zion. Don’t preparations for the holy Sabbath also count as going from one sacred thing to another?
They go from strength to strength; each appears before God in Zion. Don’t preparations for the holy Sabbath also count as going from one sacred thing to another?
Question
People make havdalah at the end of Yom Kippur, and it is preferable to begin building the sukkah immediately — “they go from strength to strength,” and so on.
And if it is on Friday evening? [As this year.] Then one should build, at least until midday.
Question: Why aren’t the preparations for the Sabbath itself enough? He makes havdalah and begins preparing for the needs of the Sabbath — isn’t that also “they go from strength to strength”?
Answer: Since in most years there is no Sabbath between Yom Kippur and Sukkot, it would not be appropriate to establish the commandment of preparing for the holy Sabbath as something to which “they go from strength to strength” applies. Therefore this was established specifically regarding the effort for the sukkah and the four species. And therefore it is proper to be occupied with this even on Friday until midday.
Is the question a good one? And the answer?
Answer
The answer correctly assumes that there is no general law/custom of going from one sacred thing to another. It was said only here, and apparently this is a specific custom. True, the respondent assumes that there is some idea of sharpening or emphasizing this “from strength to strength,” and they chose the sukkah as the “sacrifice” for that. Of that I am not at all sure, but it makes no difference. Practically speaking, he is correct.