The Rebbe Shlita's Drasha For Seuda Shlishit

Based on the Divrei Torah of the Rebbe Shlita - Shaleshudes תשס"ו

Yaakov called the place SUCCOS [Breishis 33, 17]. Yaakov represents Succos. The Tur says that Avraham corresponds to Pesach, Yitzchak - Shvuos and Yaakov - Succos.

What is the connection?

In order to disqualify a Succah you need 4 amos of pasul schach from the side, four tefachim in the middle of the succah but only 3 tefachim of empty space. This teaches that emptiness, wasting time, is in a sense worse that even doing aveiros [symbolized by pasul schach]. The Chiddushei HaRim said that wasting time is as bad [or maybe worse] than having relations with a married woman.

Whoa.

Yaakov never wasted time. He spent 14 years where he never lay down to go to sleep. He might have been overcome by sleep at times but he maximized every possible waking moment. When he worked for Lavan he never wasted a second. Day and night he did his job. והיה ביום אכלני חורב וקרח בלילה ותדד שנתי מעיני - Hot by day, cold by night. Minimal sleep. 

The Sfas Emes writes that better a person who works ten hours and learns one hour but never wastes time than  person who learns 10 hours but wastes one.

על חטא שחטאנו לפניך בבלי דעת  - On the sin we sinned before you without דעת

Sfas Emes - This refers to bittul Torah when we didn't learn and use our דעת

  על חטא שחטאנו לפניך בפריקת עול - The sin we sinned by throwing off the yoke. Sfas Emes - This may also refer to bittul Torah. 

Yaakov was Succos which is daas - למען ידעו דורותיכם. He used his דעת to accept upon himself the yoke. Yaakov said ויהי לי שור וחמור - I had an ox and a donkey. The gemara in Avoda Zara says that one must accept upon himself the yoke of Torah כשור לעול וכחמור למשא - Like an ox to a yoke and like a donkey to his burden. That was Yaakov. Constant קבלת עול. Never wasting a second.

MAY WE FOLLOW IN HIS FOOTSTEPS:-)