What Is the Connection Between Sukkos and Chanukah?

By Mayer Maier

So, what is the connection between Sukkos and Chanukah? There are many, many connections, and I have come up with six.  

1) On both holidays, Sukkos and Chanukah, we celebrate by reciting a full hallel, including Shemini Atzeres.  

2) A crucial element in both Sukkos and Chanukkah is the pursuma nesim, the publicizing of the miracles. On Sukkos we leave the comfort of our home and we trust in Hshem's protection in the spirit of the Clouds of Glory that protected the Jews from their trials and tribulations in the desert and the Chanukah candles are displayed in a public domain to show our faith in Hashem's saving the Jewish people from the enemies of assimilation and spiritual destruction.  

3) The last time one may bring Bechuri, one opinion holds is Succos (Bechurim 6) while the other argues that Channuka is the deadline.

4) The haftorah of the second day of Sukkos is the dedication of the Beis Hamikdash, and Chanukah represents the commemoration of the rededication of the mishkan and the Bais Hamiskdash.  

5) According to Bais Shamai the candles we light are decreased each day of Chanukah, similar to the number of bulls on the mizbeach on each day of Sukkos, which decreased daily

6) Both a sukkah and a menorah cannot be above 20 ammos.

I am working on a seventh connection between Sukkos and Chanukah, which is that in Parshas Matei, Moshe says that on Sukkos the Satan comes before G-d and condemns the Jewish people, "They study the Torah but will not complete it because they will be caught up in the festivities of Sukkos and will neglect the study of the Torah." And G-d says to the Satan, "They have completed it." Satan answers, "Even though they have completed it they will not begin it anew (i.e. Israel does not begin a new cycle of Torah reading immediately shows a lack of respect). As soon as Israel begins the new cycle of Torah from Bereshis, G-d responds, "But they have begun it! And Satan retires in defeat. 

On Chanukah, Satan has succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. The temple has been destroyed and the Jewish people are in deep mourning, forgeign influences have taken over with their philosophy, and the Jewish people seem to be in dire straits. It is now that G-d produces the miracles of the continuity of the Jewish people with the miracle of the oil that lasts long enough for the people to continue the temple services as Satan machinations are defeated again. 

What are the two differences between the last six days of Sukkos and Pesach? 

1) We recite a full Hallel on the final days of Pesach but not on Peasch. 

2) We recite the blessing of the Sukkah even for the last six days of the holiday, but on Pesach the blessing on eating matzah is only said on the first nights. 

And, last but not least, where in the Torah is the possible hint of eating matzah in the sukkah?  The pasuk says that the Jews baked and ate their matzah in the Sukkah (Shemos 12-40). (This is a joke as this was the name of the place where they were when they ate the matzah.)