The rabbi writes about the challenge of ritual impurity, and the problems with translation of the term tamei. He challenges the concept of contamination from contact with a corpse, instead writing about the beauty of a peaceful death.
Rabbi Sacks cites Rashbam, who interpreted Succot as a reminder of the humble origins of the Jewish people, an antidote to the risks of affluence. The real challenge to the Israelites was not the dangers of the wilderness, but the sense of wellbeing and security they would develop after they settled in the Promised Land.