When Shabbos and Yom Tov coincide, we recite in our prayers and in Kiddush the blessing, Mekadeish haShabbos v’Yisrael v’hazemanim — “Who sanctifies Shabbos, Yisrael, and the festivals.” The rabbis noted that Shabbos is mentioned in this blessing first, before Am Yisrael and the festivals, because Shabbos is the source of all other kedushah. Hashem made Shabbos sacred, and this is what enables us to become sacred people and the festivals to become sacred occasions. Shabbos is the source of all holiness.

This leads us to the conclusion that all the Yamim Tovim are, somehow, rooted in Shabbos. Within the themes and observances of Shabbos we can find elements of all the festivals, because Shabbos is the source of their holiness.

Rav Chaim Palagi, in his Nefesh HaChaim, notes the question raised by Rav Binyamin HaLevi as to why we do not eat in a succah every Friday night. In our Friday night prayers, we proclaim that Hashem “spreads a succah of peace” upon us — haporeis succas shalom aleinu. As such, Rav Binyamin HaLevi asked, it would seem appropriate to observe the mitzvah of succah each and every Friday night.

I once had the opportunity to discuss this question with Rav Yaakov Hillel, Rosh Yeshivas Ahavas Shalom in Jerusalem. I noted that this question, at first glance, seems peculiar. Would we really consider fulfilling the mitzvah of succah every week? Isn’t this notion farfetched, even for a fleeting moment’s consideration?

Rav Hillel explained that to the contrary, the Friday night experience closely resembles the protection provided by the “Clouds of Glory” in the Wilderness, which we commemorate on Succos through the mitzvah of succah. The Zohar teaches that when Shabbos begins, G-d hovers over the Jewish nation like a mother bird hovering over her nest to protect her chicks. Hashem actually spreads over us a succas shalom to protect us, much as He spread the “Clouds of Glory” around our ancestors to protect them in the Wilderness, as we commemorate on Succos.

This concept is developed by Rav Chaim of Tchernovitz, in his work Sidduro Shel Shabbos, where he emphasizes that the peace and security lovingly granted to us by Hashem on Friday night resemble the serenity enjoyed by the Jewish people as they journeyed under the protection of the miraculous “Clouds of Glory” in the Wilderness. Every week, on Shabbos, we reside in the tzilusa d’mihemnusa, “the shadow of faith,” just as on Succos. Rav Chaim of Tchernovitz proceeds to cite an additional teaching of the Zohar, that when women light the Shabbos candles on Friday night, they banish all the negative forces that are generated by the stress and anxiety of the workweek. Evil dwells amid sorrow and angst, whereas kedushah takes hold when there is joy and positivity. And thus, with the onset of Shabbos, when the woman lights the candles that spread joy and serenity, the negative forces are blocked from entering our homes. As in the Wilderness, we are protected by a special spiritual covering that prevents harmful, negative forces from reaching us.

On Shabbos, as opposed to all other special occasions, we have seven aliyos, calling seven men to the Torah. The seven aliyos of Shabbos correspond to the seven Ushpizin, the “guests” that visit our succahs. The concept of Ushpizin is relevant to Shabbos because Shabbos is a weekly Succos, when we are given special protection and experience special joy and serenity.

Many people fail to recognize the unique kedushah of Shabbos, and to realize that the holiness of Shabbos exceeds that of Yom Kippur. Ironically, many Jews who disregard the kedushah of Shabbos make sure to observe Yom Kippur. The Brisker Rav suggested that the reason for this is because people see observant Jews treating Yom Kippur with special sanctity, and so they, too, treat Yom Kippur as a special day. If we raise our awareness of, and sensitivity to, the unique, unparalleled sanctity of Shabbos, then we will not only enhance our own Shabbos experience, but will also influence our fellow Jews to treat Shabbos the way it is meant to be treated.

Let us, then, make sure to contemplate and think about this unique aspect of Shabbos: the special protection, the succas shalom, in which Hashem envelops us each and every week when Shabbos begins.

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Reprinted from Embrace Shabbos by Rabbi David Sutton with permission from Artscroll Mesorah.