You shall dwell in Sukkot seven days, every citizen in Israel shall dwell in Sukkot, so that your descendants shall know that in sukkot I caused the Children of Israel to dwell when I brought them out of the land of Egypt.
(Leviticus, 23:42, 43)
It is said that six months before Israel came out of Egypt, their yoke of bondage was removed. They lived securely in their homes, which were filled with plenty, for the Egyptians sought their friendship and bestowed all manner of good upon them. Even the evil Pharaoh and his servants sought to persuade Israel not to leave Egypt, promising them all the good of the land if they would remain.
The day of redemption came, however, and, as the verse states:
And the Children of Israel traveled from Ramses to Sukkot, six hundred thousand men on foot, aside from children. And a mixed multitude also went with them, with sheep and oxen (Exodus 12:37,38).
There were six hundred thousand men between the ages of twenty and sixty. Add an additional six hundred thousand children and elderly, and we arrive at one million, two hundred thousand males alone.
To this figure one must add a similar number of women, as well as adding the "mixed multitude" who accompanied them, hence, some three million people left their homes and their cities, abandoned their possessions and followed G-d into the wilderness, where there were neither homes nor shade, neither food nor water, but only great and terrible desolation and snakes and scorpions!
They did not ask G-d, "Where are You bringing us? Where will we find protection from heat and cold? How will we find sustenance?"
And the Children of Israel traveled from Ramses to Sukkot.
The distance between Ramses and Sukkot is 120 mil [roughly 75 miles], a distance which would take the average person three days to traverse. It would certainly take at least twice as long for the women, the aged, and the children, and all of the people burdened with their baggage. Nevertheless, they arrived at Sukkot on the very same day that they left Ramses, as it is written:
And I carried you on eagles' wings (Exodus 19:4).
This teaches us that one who follows in the path of G-d and places his trust in Him is not forsaken by G-d, and experiences His miracles.
When they arrived at Sukkot, they encamped there until the following day. Our Sages teach that G-d made Sukkot for the Children of Israel there. Some maintain that G-d provided them with actual booths for shelter; others say that the Sukkot he made for them consisted of seven clouds of glory which enveloped them and served as their protection.
One cloud was placed under their feet like a carpet, one was above their heads like a shelter, four encircled them from each side, and the seventh cloud went before them to show them the way. All Israel dwelled in one sukkah - the sukkah of the clouds of glory.
And, our Sages say, "both views are the words of the living G-d." At first He made actual booths for them, and then - in reward for forsaking their homes in Egypt, and for having dwelled in temporary Sukkot, without complaining to G-d - the Children of Israel merited that G-d should surround them with His clouds of glory.
