We say in Maariv, "Hashem, spread out your Succah of peace over Bnei Yisrael." Rav Eliyahu Dessler asks in Michtav Me'Eliyahu - what does a succah have to do with peace?
Rav Dessler explains the following: a succah is a temporary dwelling. This temporary dwelling reminds us of a much greater temporary dwelling - namely, our existence in this world. Chazal tell us that this world is merely a corridor to the next; this world is a temporary dwelling for our neshamah. When we sit in the succah, a temporary dwelling, we are reminded that our existence in this world is merely temporary, as well.
Most arguments are built off of material things - money, power, fame. (Very rarely does an argument get started for purely spiritual reasons; and that is l'shem shamayim, something that is praiseworthy). Explains Rav Dessler, if we would be able to internalize this message of the succah, that we're all on this earth for a temporary time period, we wouldn't fight about trifle, physical pleasures. We would realize that these material goals are temporary, as well, and we'd look towards the future, towards the next world, with our pursuits. This would lead to Peace. Nobody would be fighting over money, possessions, or things of the like. So we daven every day: please Hashem, help us internalize the message of the succah. Help us realize that this world is only a corridor. Help us have peace between each and every one of us.
This also answers the question as to why Succos is placed right after Yom Kippur. As you may know, the miracle of Succos - whether it was the Clouds of Glory or actual physical booths that Bnei Yisrael sat in when they left Mitzrayim - that all happened in Nissan, right after Pesach. Why do we celebrate Succos now, in Tishrei? There are many answers, but one of them is this idea - we need a chag like this to steer us through a long winter. There aren't many holidays to remind us of the spiritual highs of the Yamim Noraim. How can we maintain the holiness, the pledges, the way of life that we chose during the Aseres Yimei Teshuva? How can we keep that going through the cold, dark winter? The holiday of Succos is a great way to kick us into that next level - we have more than a week of dwelling in a small hut, to remind us that this world is also a temporary existence. With Hashem's help, this chag we will internalize this message, and we will live this year with a constant remembrance of what this world truly is - a corridor to the next.
Hatzlacha Raba!
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