The sukkah as testimony to Yom Kippur's forgiveness

הסוכה היא עדות על מחילת העונות ביוהכ"פ כדאיתא במלאכת המשכן שצוה הקב"ה אחר יוהכ"פ שהי' עדות שויתר להם על החטא.

The sukkah is a testimony to the forgiveness of sins on Yom Kippur, as is brought regarding the construction of the Mishkan: that Hashem commanded it after Yom Kippur, which was a testimony that He had pardoned them for the sin.

After the cheit ha'egel (sin of the golden calf), the command to build the Mishkan came right after Yom Kippur, showing that Hashem had forgiven them. The sukkah likewise testifies to that atonement.

כמו כן בכל שנה הסוכה עדות על המחילה שביוהכ"פ.

So too, every year the sukkah is a testimony to the forgiveness of Yom Kippur.

Just as it was at Sinai, each year the sukkah right after Yom Kippur bears witness that Hashem has granted us mechilah (pardon).

שהרי חל שם שמים על הסוכה כעין שהשרה שכינתו ביניהם במשכן.

For the Name of Heaven rests upon the sukkah, similar to the way He caused His Shechinah to dwell among them in the Mishkan.

The kedushah resting on the sukkah is a sign of Hashem's renewed closeness, just as the Shechinah dwelling in the Mishkan proved His forgiveness.

והכל בכח התורה ולוחות שניתנו ביוהכ"פ כמ"ש עלית למרום כו' לקחת מתנות הוא לוחות האחרונות שהיו בחי' מתנה.

And all of this is by the power of the Torah and the Luchos (Tablets) that were given on Yom Kippur, as it is written: "You ascended on high… You took gifts" (Tehillim 68:19) — this refers to the second Luchos, which were of the nature of a gift.

The second set of Tablets was handed down on Yom Kippur as a matanah (gift) — a token of love that flows from Hashem's forgiveness.

כמ"ש אוהבם נדבה.

As it is written: "I will love them freely" (Hoshea 14:5).

Hashem's love after the forgiveness is a free-flowing nedavah (freewill gift), given out of pure affection.

אעפ"י שחטאו מ"מ מסר להם התורה.

Even though they had sinned, nevertheless He handed over the Torah to them.

Despite the cheit, Hashem entrusted Bnei Yisrael with the Torah — the ultimate sign that the bond was not broken.

ובשבילה נמכר עמהם כמ"ש במד' בכל מקום שתלך קיטון אחד עשה לי.

And for its sake He was, as it were, "sold along with them," as the Midrash says: wherever you go, make for Me one small chamber.

The Midrash pictures Hashem telling Bnei Yisrael that wherever they journey in galus they should set aside a place for Him; through the Torah He goes with them everywhere, never abandoning them.

וזה בחי' הסוכה:

And this is the aspect of the sukkah.

The sukkah is exactly that "small chamber" — a dwelling that draws Hashem's presence down to be with us, a sign of His enduring love and the forgiveness of Yom Kippur.

Summary: The sukkah testifies to the mechilah of Yom Kippur, just as the Mishkan built after Yom Kippur testified to Hashem's pardon for the cheit ha'egel. Through the gift of the second Luchos, given on Yom Kippur out of pure love, Hashem demonstrates that even after sin He hands over the Torah and dwells among Bnei Yisrael — and the sukkah is the small dwelling place where that abiding closeness rests.