Sukkos Thoughts

Help!

There are three levels of help; ‘ozer’, ‘moshia’ and ‘magen’. The ‘ozer’ assists, helping together with the person’s own efforts. The ‘moshia’ takes over and saves from harm, and the ‘magen’ – greatest of all – protects from harm in the first place.

Until the Jews left Egypt, Hashem had been assisting them and saving them, but not forestalling harm. In the Desert, – either through the Clouds surrounding the Jews or by having booths to protect them, – Hashem upped the level, acting as a ‘Magen’. He shielded from coming to trouble. This has continued ever since. How often are we protected from trouble!

The problem in relating to ‘magen’ is that we tend to appreciate things lost and regained, or almost lost. How do we appreciate that trouble never started??

One suggestion is to devote one minute a day to thanking Hashem for all that He has done for us today. Some days there will be much to thank for, and on some days there will be little. Since you need to fill a full minute, you find yourself thanking Hashem for routine things, like your body’s functioning. At first this will feel fake and contrived. With enough repetition, it will become sincere. You will actually appreciate the things going right, the lifelong chassadim that Hashem does with us.

Sukkos represents Hashem acting to us as a protector, not content with bailing us out, but protecting us from getting into trouble in the first place. What love and caring! Sukkos is called ‘the time of our happiness’; rejoice in Hashem’s care!

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Just By Being

The Four Species, Chazal say, represent the four types of Jews; 1. the Esrog type are those who have both Torah and good deeds, just as an Esrog has a nice smell and can be eaten too, 2. those who have only Torah are like the lulav, which produces dates, but has no good smell, 3. Haddasim Jews, who only produce good deeds, like the Haddas which smells wonderfully, but has no fruit, and 4. those who have neither Torah nor good deeds. They resemble Aravos, which have neither smell nor fruit.

Why do we need to represent those with neither Torah nor good deeds; what do they contribute to the Jewish people?!

The Shlah says that Hashem and His nation are a match, and therefore must be compatible. As Hashem is perfect and whole, he can only connect to a whole. Only when the Jewish nation is complete, when all are present and included, does Hashem truly dwell upon us, and is His Sh’china really present. Perhaps that is why we represent all Jews, the complete nation, because all are necessary and vital.

Another thought; the Jewish nation, is an entity created by all Jews. This whole is greater than the sum of all its parts, for it owns great spiritual assets: the nation who accepted the Torah and walked wholeheartedly after Hashem into the desert. Our greatness is as Klal Yisroel. We represent the whole of the nation in our Four Species, for therein is our power, and therein our glory.

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That Too?

Sukkos commemorates the Sukkos we had leaving Egypt. Why do we remember the Sukkos/clouds of glory more than the Mon or Miriam’s Well?

1. The Mateh Ephraim answers that taking the Jewish people to the desert obligated Hashem with giving them the necessities of life; after all, He didn’t take them out to die! Food and drink, the Mon and the Well, were basics. Clouds surrounding them in grand style, however, were NOT essential. They were a luxury. Extras deserve special thanks.
2. The Maaseh Hashem suggests was that the Sukkah symbolizes austerity: we advertise that we have no claim to temporal goodies. The Sukkah, the barest accommodation, means that our place here is temporary and sketchy; barely enough to get by on. The world’s goodies are Esav’s portion, our part is only the World-To-Come. Yaakov and Esav divvied; Esav claimed physical goods and Yaakov took the spiritual ones. So the special message of Sukkos is that your true world is yet to come. For now appreciate whatever you get. And be glad of it….
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Bitachon – What Its All About

The general theme of Sukkos applies year-round: Hashem is our shield. He is forever helping us and making things turn out okay. Our lives ought to be one disaster after the other, yet surprisingly, simchos abound, and tragedies are far and in between. Baruch Hashem!

The Gemarah in Brachos (60) tells that one day Hillel was walking into his town, when he heard a shout go up from one of the houses. Obviously, something terrible had happened. Hillel remarked, ‘I’m sure that its not in my house’. The Gemarah considers this remark Bitachon: ‘He does not fear evil tidings; his heart firmly trusts in Hashem’.

The Gemarah goes on to say that a worrier is a sinner – one ought not to worry at all. Moreover, as one fears, so does it occur: tracht gut, un s’vet zein gut!

The Chazon Ish challenges this: Who promised us that tragedy will not occur?? On what basis can we trust?? (He concludes that true bitachon is not to expect success, but rather to accept that all is in our ultimate good. However, the Gemara above seems to contradict his view directly.)

The lesson of Sukkos is: Hashem Is Good. He WANTS to do good, He is making things tick right, despite all. He is a Helper, a Savior and a Shield. That’s His essence. Anything bad – frequent or infrequent – is atypical, not in sync with His generous Nature.

Once we know that, we have every right to be optimistic, to carry an expectation of things working out. Hillel could say with confidence ‘Hashem has not caused tragedy in my home’, bespeaking his trust in Hashem. We need to be surprised when bad things happen. Evil runs counter to His nature; it happens only because something forced His hand, so as to speak.

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First-Time Sukkos

We recite a blessing when meeting a friend after a year of separation; ‘Blessed are You Hashem, who revives the dead!’ ‘The Dead’?? Who died?

The Rishonim explain that we forget. After a year, all is new. That friend that has been out of contact for a year is dead to us, and the acquaintance renewed is like reviving the friend from the dead. Similarly a person need not return an object lost over a year, for the owner has given up on it; after a year it is dead to him.

YomTovim are not a continuation of the past year, but a new event, celebrated for the very first time. When we remind ourselves that Hashem sheltered us in a Sukkah when we left Egypt, we do not remember from last year. Last year is gone, dead and forgotten. We do it anew.

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On The Nature Of Sukkos

Moreh Nevuchim (3:43) explains the general purpose of YomTov. Its 1. a vacation, a fun time, and 2. a social event, where people get to know each other better and forge friendships, creating unity among us all.

Amazing statement! Yomtov is a social event? (I don’t learn enough Moreh Nevuchim to judge whether the Rambam means that this is indeed a primary goal of YomTov, or that this is the meaning of YomTov from a strictly humanistic viewpoint.)

Sukkos is a harvest festival, similar to harvests celebrated by all nations. People celebrate when they have the leisure of a successful harvest behind them. In addition, he says, Sukkos is at an ideal time, for the weather is neither too hot nor too cool. (In contrast with the Tur’s statement that our Sukkos is at a time when normally people leave their Sukkahs!) That’s why this time was chosen for Sukkos.

What is Sukkos’ message? We commemorate how Hashem helped us while we were in the desert.

What are moral lessons to take from Sukkos? Remember your humble roots even when prospering. Although we now have Eretz Yisroel, we recall when we were living in tents out in the desert.

We leave the Sukkah on Shmini Atzeres/Simchas Torah in order to celebrate more fully, which cannot be done in the homely confines of a Sukkah.

The Lulav and Esrog accentuate the transition between the time of hardship we endured in the desert, represented by the Sukkah, and the present prosperity, represented by the refreshing fruit, branches and leaves of the four minim.

Why are these four chosen? 1. They each excel in a different area – one looks nice, another tastes, and another smells, wonderful. 2. They are cheap, common, and easily found in Eretz Yisroel, and 3. don’t spoil easily, lasting all YomTov.

So the Moreh Nevuchim. No standard fare!

Kuzari (2:50) explains that the Torah ensures that each human trait receive its due, unlike other systems. Indeed, our service to Hashem involves them all. Hashem is no more pleased by someone crying out to Him on Yom Kippur, than by someone rejoicing on Sukkos. (!!) The Torah prescribes both, gives definition to its expression, and all are necessary. The thing to realize is, that each part of us – even the part having fun, – should be serving Hashem thereby.

The Kuzari is emphatic that there are many paths leading to Hashem; no power or facet in our lives ought to be suppressed. Some people today rewrite Judaism, limiting it to certain activity. Not so…

Sefer HaChinuch: We naturally become happy at seeing the fresh, splendid, green Lulav, Hadasim, and Aravos. We cannot help it; that’s just a human response. Once we arouse a happy feeling, now we attach it to Mitzvos. The result is that we become joyous about Mitzvos.

Once we have aroused any given emotion, happy, sad, anxious or energetic, it is easy to awaken that same emotion towards another issue, because that energy is already aroused and moving. This is the principle behind taking the Lulav and Esrog. They awaken joy, so we use them as a tool to enjoying Mitzvos. I think it’s also a tool for everyday use. When something sad occurs, think of the Churban. If we get excited, think of a learning seder. Put that energy to work for you!

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True Simcha

Here is a thought: Is there a word in the Torah for having fun? For enjoying?

Perhaps the Torah uses the word ‘simcha’ to describe enjoyment. Accordingly, ‘v’samachta b’chagecha’ means that we ought to ENJOY ourselves on YomTov, hence Chazal understand this to refer to meat and wine. So enjoy! The Mitzva is: have fun!

How to be happy: Live the moment. Appreciate the present. Quit living in the future or the past, and your life will be more mindful and happy.

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First In Sin

Succos is referred to as “the First day” in the Torah. Chazal understand this to mean the first in the reckoning of sin. Is there carte blanche for sin in the days from Rosh Hashanah/ Yom Kippur to Succos?

The Tanchuma who explains it as follows: a vassal state did not pay the king his dues. After sending three collectors, the king realized that unless he went there himself, he will never collect. So he gathered troops, and marched upon them. The vassals took fright, and sent their dignitaries out to greet him on the road. They met the king, and asked forgiveness. The king was kind, and good-heartedly cancelled half the debt.

Coming closer, the general citizenry marched out to greet the king, too. They described their difficulties in paying, and the king forgave another quarter of the debt. When the king actually arrived, the entire populace threw themselves at the king’s feet, begging for a reprieve. The king declared “Alright, I can forgive your debt, but you had better pay every time, from now on!”

So too, when tzaddikim fast in the Aseres Yimei Tshuva, Hashem forgives much of our debt. When we fast and repent on Yom Kipur Hashem, He forgives the rest. And When we praise Him on Sukkos, then he is completely appeased, and says, “Forget the past sins, the sins of last year. But from now on, the ticker is ON!”

So Sukkos is the finish to Yom Kippur; on Yom Kippur Hashem forgives us, but we are not yet friends again, until Sukkos. Then, forgiveness is complete. The medrash isn’t discussing the sins of the interim at all, rather that Sukkos marks the end of the atonement cycle.

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Idolized

The pasuk in Hallel claims that the idols are worthless – they have eyes but cannot see, ears but do not hear and so on. It seems that the pasuk is saying that this is silly. However everyone knows that the idols are not meant to be alive, rather they merely represent natural forces. So what if the symbol cannot see or hear?

Perhaps the idea is entirely different. The pasuk is calling our attention to the fact that no one dictated the form the idols are to take. Who decided that they need ears or eyes – do they hear or see?? The answer, of course, is that idols have ears because they are a human projection. We assume a God looks like a person, although there is no reason that this be so.

This is the point of the pasuk; these idols are made with ears and eyes, though they cannot use them. Obviously its a fabrication. So too, the idea that those forces exist as independent entities, or are influenced by your service, is all fabrication….

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