The Haftarah for the first day of Sukkot is the prophecy of Zecharya concerning the war of Gog and Magog, which will climax with the final redemption and acknowledgment by the nations that Hashem alone is the King and that Israel is His people. This realization will be celebrated on Sukkot, for, according to the prophecy, the surviving nations will join the Jewish people every year in celebrating the Sukkot festival. In his prophecy Zecharya declares, "And if the family of Egypt will not ascend and will not come...They will suffer the plague with which Hashem will afflict the nations, because they will not have ascended to celebrate the festival of Sukkot. This will be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that will not ascend to celebrate the festival of Sukkot."

As interesting as this may sound; it is difficult to imagine that in the future the nations of the world will be obligated to sit in a Sukkah and celebrate together with the Jews, and be punished for it if they don't!

During the Yom Tov of Sukkot, the Jew has two major mitzvot to perform: 1) Dwelling in a Sukkah for a period of seven days. 2) The taking of the four species; the etrog (citron), the lulav (palm branch), the hadassim (myrtle), and the aravot (willow).

The common factor in these two mitzvot is achdut - unity.

That the mitzvah of sukkah represents unity is obvious from the fact that many families may eat together in the same sukkah. In fact, the Gemara (Sukkah 27b) says that, "re'uyim kol Yisrael leisheiv besukkah achat" - "All of Israel are fit to sit in one sukkah" - which means that unlike other mitzvot (e.g. four species) where each one must have his own object, one can build a sukkah and let everyone use it to properly fulfill the mitzvah of dwelling in a sukkah. Thus, sukkah is a mitzvah through which Klal Yisrael becomes united.

According to the Midrash (30:12), the four species represent four different categories of Jews. The etrog, which is edible and has an aroma, represents the tzaddik, who studies Torah and performs mitzvot. The lulav, which only has taste but no aroma, represents the one who is mostly involved in Torah study. The hadassim, which have aroma but no taste, represent the Jew who is involved in doing good deeds but does not have the capability to study Torah. The arovot, which have neither taste nor aroma, represent the Jew who unfortunately lacks both Torah and mitzvot. The uniting of the four species together emphasizes that Hashem wants us to be a nation where all are united.

Zecharya's reference to the sukkah is an allegory. He does not mean that in Messianic times the gentile will be obligated to eat in the sukkah together with the Jew, and be punished if he does not fulfill the mitzvah. He means that the gentile world will be expected to practice the lesson conveyed by the mitzvot of the festival of Sukkot. They must forsake their striving for selfish gain and replace it with a sense of responsibility and sharing of privileges with all of humanity. Hence, Zecharya's words, "Lo ya'alu lachog et chag haSukkot" - "They have refused to go up to celebrate the festival of Sukkot" - can be explained to mean that they have refused to elevate themselves spiritually and realize the message that Sukkot teaches humanity.

Let us hope and pray that, speedily in our times, we merit the revelation of Mashiach and the rebuilding of the "sukkah of David" which has fallen - the Beit Hamikdash - and then all of mankind will enjoy the ultimate of harmony, peace, and tranquility.