Ushpizin
The Zohar teaches that our Sukkos guests include not only those who visibly partake of the festive meals, but also guests from the spiritual realm. On Sukkos we are joined in the sukkah by seven Ushpizin (“honored guests”): Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Moshe, Aharon, Yosef, and King David.4
In addition, the Previous Rebbe taught that our sukkos are also visited by chassidic Ushpizin. In fact, he would actually point to particular places in his sukkah and say,5 “Here sits the Baal Shem Tov; here, the Maggid of Mezritch; here, the Alter Rebbe; here, the Mitteler Rebbe; here, the Tzemach Tzedek; here, the Rebbe Maharash; and here, the Rebbe Rashab.”
Although these Ushpizin visit our sukkos together on every day of the holiday, on each of the days of Sukkos the influence of one of the Ushpizin is dominant,6 and his qualities teach us lessons to apply in our service of G‑d.[1]
The above series follows the order given in the Zohar (III, 103b), which enumerates the Ushpizin according to the sequence of the Sefiros which they represent. Elsewhere, significantly, the Zohar (I, 261a) enumerates the Ushpizin in chronological order. In a third place (III, 255a), the Zohar substitutes King Shlomo for Yosef. In regard to differences of opinion among our Sages we find the expression (Eruvin 13b), “These and these are the words of the living G‑d.” Hence, though our discussion of the Ushpizin follows the order of the Sefiros, all of these perspectives are relevant to one’s divine service.[1]