A study of the chapters concerning the Festivals, reveals striking differences between the number of bulls sacrificed during Sukkot and the number sacrificed during the other Festivals. On Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur and Shmini Atzeret, we sacrifice one bull; on Pesach and Shavuot – two; yet on Sukkot, the number changes each day. What symbolism can be found in the number of bulls sacrificed during Sukkot? By answering this question, we will gain a deeper understanding of meaning of Sukkot.
Sukkot is the Festival that connects between two contrasting units - The Three Festivals on the one hand and the Festivals of the month of Tishrei on the other hand. Sukkot belongs to the cycle of the Three Festivals and it also takes place in the month of Tishrei. One would therefore have expected that three young bulls would be sacrificed during Sukkot – two to represent the Three Festivals, and an additional one to represent the Festivals of Tishrei, totaling twenty-one bulls over this seven day Festival. What is the justification for the seventy bulls offered on Sukkot?
The Torah is attempting to count the days from Sukkot to Shmini Atzeret in parallel to Counting the Omer from Pesach to Shavuot. Without taking into account, the three young bulls we are commanded to sacrifice daily, the number begins at ten young bulls on the first day and decreases to four on the seventh day. These numbers were chosen to ensure that the total number of additional bulls sacrificed during Sukkot is 49, the exact same number of days of Counting the Omer.
Just like we count the 49 days from Pesach to Shavuot and the 50th day is the Festival of Atzeret , so too we sacrifice 49 bulls from Sukkot to Shmini Atzeret and the 50th bull is sacrificed on Shmini Atzeret.
In the same way as Counting the Omer symbolizes progress – from the Exodus on Pesach to Receiving the Torah on Shavuot, the counting of the bulls has the same symbolism. During Sukkot we start by dwelling under cover of the clouds of glory in God's dwelling place and we end the Festival on Shmini Atzeret by returning to our permanent homes together with God and His Torah.