The word “ushpizin” transports me back in time to when I was a young boy celebrating Sukkot with my Zeidy. The same scenario would play out annually in our sukkah: The men would arrive home from shul, my mother would finish setting the table, my brothers and I would fight over where everyone was sitting, and then we would wait. Inevitably, someone would ask, “What are we waiting for? Let’s say kiddush!” To which my grandfather would respond “Nu! Ushpizin!”
My Zeidy took the recitation of ushpizin very seriously. Perhaps it was tradition, the way he celebrated Sukkot in Europe with his father and grandfather. It may have been an attempt to impart the importance of welcoming guests to our yuntif table. It could have also been more spiritual, highlighting the unique and divine energy that each ushpiz brings every night of Sukkot that helps inspire us for the year ahead. In all likelihood, it was probably a combination of all three of these important elements.
Admittedly, in my own home, I need a reminder to recite ushpizin. It’s all too easy to get caught up in a myriad of other distractions while preparing to eat in the sukkah. However, this year, before rushing into other aspects of the evening I will mentally heed Zeidy’s reminder. “Nu! Ushpizin!“
