In Hilchos Rosh Chodesh (O”C 417), the Tur quotes his brother, R’ Yechiel, who says that each of the Three Festivals (referring to the three biblical holidays besides Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur) correspond to one the three Patriarchs, Avraham, Yitzchok and Yaakov. Pesach corresponds to Avraham who served matzos (on Pesach, see B’raishis 18 and Rashi on 19:3); Shavuos corresponds to Yitzchok, since the shofar whose sound was heard when the Torah was given came from the ram that was offered in his place at the Akeidah (see B’reishis 22:13); and Succos corresponds to Yaakov who, upon returning from Charan, built huts for his cattle (B’reishis 33:17).
In Iyun Haparasha (Yerach Ha’eisanim, Succos 6), the question is posed as to the significance of the huts Yaakov built for his animals vis-à-vis the holiday of Succos. Since matzos are a major part of Pesach, Avraham serving them creates a clear connection between him and that holiday. Since Shavuos is “Z’man Matan Torahseinu,” when the Torah was given, using the horn of the ram that was offered instead of Yitzchok to create the sound that contributed to that awesome experience (see Sh’mos 19:16) also connects Yitzchok with that holiday. But does the mere fact that Yaakov built huts for his animals and that we live in huts on Succos constitute enough of a connection to say that Yaakov corresponds to Succos? (Especially since he built regular houses, not just huts, for himself and his family!) Is there something more than just both having some connection to “huts”?
Several years ago (see pg. 3 of http://www.aishdas.org/ta/5765/vayishlach.pdf), I discussed why Yaakov called the name of that place “Succos” after the huts he built for the animals, seemingly giving the animals more significance than the people (for whom he also built structures, and more permanent ones at that). I referenced the Malbim (B’reishis 33:17), who says that Yaakov built permanent structures for himself and his family so that they could serve G-d, and temporary structures for the livestock since they were secondary. I suggested that Yaakov purposely took the time to live there (18 months), rather than returning home sooner, so that the family would live under conditions that made it clear to them that cattle-raising was secondary to serving G-d, in order to counter any incorrect impression that his having worked non-stop with cattle for the previous 20 years – seven each for Rachel and Leah and six more to accumulate his own cattle – may have been left. After all, the only thing his children knew, for their whole lives, was their father working day and night raising cattle. Therefore, Yaakov spent a year and a half living in a way – with the animals living in temporary dwellings while they lived in permanent housing – that would ensure that his family’s priorities would be properly aligned before he returned home.
Rejoicing over the successful harvest that G-d has bestowed upon us brings with it a danger that we will put too much emphasis on our material success, at the expense of our spiritual growth. Therefore, right after the summer harvest, we are commanded to leave our comfortable permanent residences and move into temporary structures, reminding us of the temporary nature of this world, that it shouldn’t be our primary focus.
With this being one of the themes of the holiday of Succos, Yaakov having built temporary huts for his animals in order to de-emphasize the importance of material success corresponds very nicely.
