The
Luxury of Austerity
Posted on September 28, 2023 (5784) By Rabbi
Yaakov Menken | Series: Lifeline | Level: Beginner
On the Mitzvah of dwelling in a Sukkah,
the Torah says, “In order that your generations will know that I placed the
Children of Israel in Sukkos when I brought them out of the Land of Egypt; I am Hashem Your G-d” [Lev. 23:43].
What is the “knowledge”
that we gain by living in a Sukkah? The Sages say: “Go out from your fixed
dwelling, and sit in a temporary dwelling” [Sukkah 2a]. My wife’s grandfather, Rav Tzvi Elimelech Hertzberg zt”l, explains that
in so doing a person can merit to realize that all that we acquire in this
world, what we imagine to be fixed and permanent, is in the end only temporary.
With this, a person can
subdue his own wants and desires for things of this world, since they are, in
the end, of little consequence.
Thus, he says, by living
in a Sukkah a person can merit to achieve true humility, where it might seem
that he has “fallen,” but Hashem is the support and
helper of the fallen. In fact, hinting to this idea, the Rebbe of
Koritz says that the Hebrew letters of “Sukkah” are themselves an acronym for
“support and helper of all fallen.”
The other major holidays, Pesach and Shavuos, recall
particular events (the Exodus from Egypt and the Giving of the Torah,
respectively) and come at the same time as those events. Sukkos alone is not
tied to a particular event that happened on a particular day. So perhaps Rav Hertzberg teaches us why Sukkos is found on
the calendar just a few days after Yom Kippur, a day when we reflect upon our
failings, how low and lacking we are, and commit to doing better. Sukkos is a
happy festival, but living in a Sukkah means being more exposed to the
elements, and taking a step down from the comfort of our own dining room and
warm house.
Especially as this is the
time, in an agrarian society, where people would enjoy the harvest of their
crops, Sukkos redirects us to spiritual uplift
and enjoyment, rather than physical. This is a lesson we can carry with us
throughout the year—so that while we enjoy the Sukkos holiday, we take away
lessons that will bring us to the next Yom Kippur with fewer regrets over times
we lost sight of what is truly important in life.
Miraculously the Streak Continues
Posted on October 8, 2014 (5775) By Rabbi Label
Lam | Series: Dvar
Torah| Level: Beginner
For a seven
day period you shall dwell in booths. Every resident among the Israelites shall
live in booths, in order that your generations should know that I had the
Children of Israel live in booths when I took them out of the Land of Egypt. I
am HASHEM, your G-d. (Vayikra 23:42-43)
I proudly
built a quaint little Sukkah for educational purposes at the Yeshiva this week.
The kindly janitor, who assisted me, asked me what this whole Sukkah thing was
about. Before explaining how real security does not come from the brick and
mortar of our solidly build home, I told him in a whimsical fashion, “I don’t
think I have time to explain because it’s a 3327 year old story.” That’s long time
for a nation to survive and thrive.
When we
consider Lou Gehrig’s streak of playing in 2,130 consecutive baseball games, a
record that stood for 56 years, it is heralded as a remarkable accomplishment,
and it is. That fete was enough to earn him the title “Iron Horse”. The sheer
physical strength, endurance, resilience, and mental fortitude required are
qualities worth marveling at and emulating in our own universe activity. There
must have been plenty of fortuitous bounces and some good old fashion luck at
play as well to have lasted so long and remained so strong throughout. When he
suddenly retired because of a sudden serious illness that would take his life
in two years-time, he stood before an adoring crowd at Yankee Stadium and
humbly and sincerely declared, “Fans, for the past two weeks you have been
reading about the bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest
man on the face of this earth… So, I close in saying that I may have had a
tough break, but I have an awful lot to live for.”
Now, in
contradistinction, when we study at the duration of the Jewish People as a
Torah Nation, the disproportionality eclipses any faint comparison. Rabbi
Yaakov Emden noted almost three hundred years ago, and a lot of water and blood
too has traveled over the dam in that time: “Many have tried to injure us or wipe us out. While all the great
ancient civilizations have disappeared and been forgotten-The Nation of Israel
who clings to HASHEM is alive today! What will the wise historian
answer when he examines this phenomenon without prejudice? Was this all purely
by chance? By my soul, when I contemplated these great wonders of our continued
existence, they took on greater significance than all the miracles and wonders
that HASHEM, Blessed Be He, performed for our fathers in Egypt, in
the desert, and when they entered the Land of Israel. And the longer this exile
extends, the miracle of Jewish existence becomes more obvious to make known
G-d’s mastery and supervision over nature and history.
Somehow the
Sukkah brings into focus the entirety of our history. How had we made it this
far?! Under what conditions have we endured!? What are the logical odds of us
having arrived at this point and time!? How did it all happen and in spite of
waves of tragedy? These are questions that beg persistently for answers as we
repose under the flimsy covering of the Sukkah.
In a certain
crude way we can reflect on the words of that “iron horse” of baseball when he
emotionally delivered his farewell address, “Fans, for the past two weeks you
have been reading about the bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the
luckiest man on the face of this earth… So, I close in saying that I may have
had a tough break, but I have an awful lot to live for.” Wow!
For the past
two thousand years you’ve been reading about our bad breaks. Yet today, as we
sit in our Sukkah, we can each say, I consider myself the luckiest one on the
face of the earth…… So I close in saying that we may have had many tough breaks
but we sure have an awful lot to live for- and miraculously the streak continues!
DvarTorah, Copyright © 2007 by
Rabbi Label Lam and Torah.org.
Parshas Haazinu
Posted on October 1, 2017 (5780) By Rabbi
Pinchas Avruch | Series: Kol
HaKollel | Level: Beginner
Twice the Torah records
songs composed by Moshe describing the relationship between the
People of Israel and the Master of the Universe. The first is the joyous Song
at the Sea (Shemos/Exodus 15:1-19). This euphoric song of thanksgiving
of the Jewish nation upon their salvation from the clutches of death at the
hands of the Egyptians was sung moments after the Egyptians drowned as the
water of the Sea of Reeds returned to their natural state after having been
miraculously split. The second comprises the majority of this week’s Torah
portion, but is a somber prophecy of the future of the Jewish people. Like much
of the Book of Devarim/Deuteronomy, Moshe once
again warns the Children of Israel, on this last day of his life, that, despite
their unique relationship with G-d and all
that He has done for their well being throughout their sojourn in the desert,
their economic success in the Land of Israel will lead to their straying from
the way of G-d, leading to idolatrous practices. The Divine
response will be G-d’s “withdrawal” of His presence from the Land, which will
allow conquerors to enter and exile the Jews. But, in due time, the People of
Israel will return to G-d’s way and be restored to their glory while their
enemies are punished.
In understanding G-d’s
relationship with Israel, Moshe’s alludes to an eagle and its young. “Like an
eagle arousing its nest hovering over its young; he spreads his wings, he takes
it, he carries it on his wings.” (32:11) What is it about eagles that they carry their young on their
wings? Rashi (R’ Shlomo Yitzchaki, 1040-1105, the
commentator par excellence, whose commentary is considered basic to the
understanding of the text) elucidates that other birds carry their young from
place to place in their talons because they fear the eagle which soars over
them, but the eagle fears nothing but the arrow, so it carries its young on its
wing to protect them from attack from below.
As the Jews approached Mount
Sinai, G-d reminded them (Shemos 19:4) that
they were carried from Egypt on the wings of eagles, and Rashi elucidates
this refers to the moments before the splitting of the Sea when the Egyptians
caught up to the Jews and G-d placed a Cloud of Glory
between the two nations to absorb the arrows and stones hurled by the
Egyptians. The Jewish people are eternally the young of the most powerful,
highest soaring Being in the heavens who “personally” protects us while
delivering us to accept His service.
But how do the young get
on the back of the eagle? Other birds are picked up by the talons in which they
are held during flight…but what about the eaglets? Explains Rabbi Matisyahu
Salomon, Mashgiach Ruchni/Spiritual Mentor of Beth Medrash Govoha,
the Yeshiva of Lakewood, NJ, that to be assured of the safe journey provided by
the powerful parent, they have to jump on. They have to make the move that puts
them into the position of safety. So, too, we have to “jump on”, making the
commitment to cling to our Father and His Torah while He shields us from
danger.
We recently discussed the
wisdom of our Sages in coordinating the calendar with the weekly Torah
portions. The festival of Succos (Succot/The Feast of the Tabernacle) is a
multifaceted celebration with many observances, the holiday’s name is drawn
from the Succah booths we build and utilize as temporary dwellings for seven
days. By moving out of our houses into flimsy structures lacking solid
roofs, especially at a time when the summer weather is starting to wane, we
testify to our reliance on G-d for our security,
declaring the irrelevance of wood, mortar and brick in our ultimate protection.
Just as He provided our safekeeping in the Wilderness for forty years via the
Clouds of Glory, the “eagle” of old, only He provides us true security today.
On Yom Kippur, we “jumped
on” the eagle’s back, renewing our commitment to G-d and the
ways of the Torah. On Succos, we reaffirm our faith in the absolute protection
that only the eagle can provide, as we personally experience of the Divine
security offered by our contemporary Clouds of Glory. This week’s Torah portion
helps us appreciate how truly unique our opportunity is.
Have good Shabbos and a good Yom Tov.
Copyright © 2001
by Rabbi
Pinchas Avruch and Project Genesis, Inc.
Kol HaKollel is a
publication of the Milwaukee Kollel Center for Jewish Studies 5007 West Keefe
Avenue; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; 414-447-7999
Sweat,
Tears, Toil
Posted on October 17, 2019 (5780) By Rabbi
Naftali Reich | Series: Legacy | Level: Beginner
Yomim Noraim ( the ‘High
Holy days’) are always a most uplifting experience at Ohr Somayach. Standing
shoulder to shoulder with other mispallelim in the packed bais medrash as we pray for a good year,
one has an inkling of what it was like in the times of the Bais Hamikdosh when hundreds of thousands of
people converged in the Temple courtyard. Our sages tell us that they stood
‘tzefufuim,’ cramped like sardines and yet, when the time came for them to
prostrate themselves, there was suddenly ample space for everyone. Was this due
to miraculous Divine intervention? Undoubtedly. However, one might also explain
this phenomenon on a psychological level.
The Torah teaches us the mitzvah of Hakheil. Every seventh year, the
entire nation was commanded to ascend to Jerusalem. Not a soul remained behind.
In every corner of the land millions of people made the jubilant journey to
rejoice on the festival of Sukkos in Jerusalem.
Today, we can actually see
at the excavations of ‘Ir Dovid,’ the remnants of the city walls that
surrounded Jerusalem in those days. The entire city is no more than a square
mile and a half.
How was there room for
everybody? It boggles the mind to picture the spectacle. Millions of people
without air conditioning, bathroom facilities, garbage pickup service! The
streets must have resembled a solid moving mass of sweaty, agitated humanity.
What an ordeal it must have been.
Yet, remarkably, the sages
tell us that, on the contrary, that no man ever complained in Jerusalem about
the lack of space! The people were unperturbed by their meager accommodations.
Perhaps there was an element of the miraculous that unfolded in Jerusalem at
that time. But, on an essential level, the Jewish people were simply ecstatic
and filled with the joy of being in the presence of their Creator. When one
is in an ecstatic frame of mind, suffused with happiness and gratitude for
being able to be present at the most sublime moments of the year, the physical
conditions don’t matter.
When each one cares for
the other, there is enough for all. As our sages tell us, when a husband and
wife are devoted to one another, they can both sleep “on the edge of a knife”
but when there is no unity, even a palace will not suffice. Even if one is in
the east wing and the other in the west wing, there is no room for comfort.
However, when we stand together in harmony and are focused on helping one
another, there is always enough to go around. When happiness, appreciation and
love prevail, physical shortcomings simply do not play a role.
Wishing you a joyous chag and may soon all be reunited in
Yerushalayim with Moshiach Tzidkeinu.
Sincerely
Rabbi Naftali Reich
Text Copyright © 2013 by
Rabbi Naftali Reich and Torah.org.
Certainty
From Uncertainty
Posted on June 7, 2002
(5762) By Rabbi Dovid Green | Series: Dvar Torah| Level: Beginner
“In order that your generations
know that I caused the Children of Israel to live in Succos when I brought them
out from the land of Egypt.” (Leviticus 23:43)
It will soon be the
holiday of Succos (Tabernacles). The commandment is to live in a room with a roof
made from “sechach.” Sechach is any unprocessed plant growth which has been cut
from the ground, and arranged as the roof of the Succah. Generally we build a
small hut in the back yard, and cover it with sechach, and decorate it, and it
becomes our living quarters for seven days. Why? The reason is given in the
passage quoted above. It gives us the knowledge that the Children of Israel
lived in Succos when G-d brought them out from
Egypt.
What exactly does it mean
that our generations should “know” that the Children of Israel dwelled in
Succos when they left Egypt, and what knowledge do we gain from living in the Succah that we don’t get from
reading about it?
The Holiday of Succos
occurs in the fall, at the time that the crops which were harvested (in Israel)
at the beginning of the summer and were drying are gathered in to the
storehouses. The cycle of the hard work of farming has (hopefully) borne fruit,
and we are set for the year to come. At this point there is a very great
concern that we not attribute our success and security to the “edifices” of our
own efforts alone.
“Be carefully that you not
forget G-d…You may eat and be satisfied, building fine houses and living in
them…Your herds and flocks may increase…But your heart may then grow haughty and
you may forget G-d…and you may say ‘it was my own strength and personal power
that brought me all of this prosperity’. “ (Deuteronony 8:11-17)
“You shall make the Festival of
Succos for yourself when you gather in (the products) of your threshing floor and
wine vat, for seven days” (Deuteronomy
“16:15). Our sages comment on this passage “from the leftovers of your threshing floor and your wine
vat, you shall make the Festival of Succos.” This refers to the roof of the
Succah which is made from plant growth.
The message of the roof
being made from the byproduct of crops is important. It is easy to come to
believe that our security (our roof over our heads) is the result of our
material wealth, and the product of our personal efforts. In order to
internalize the fact that our security is from G-d alone we
live in a Succah, with a roof made not from the edible part of our crops, but
from the refuse. It is G-d and our relationship to
Him represented by our following His commandments (in this case living in the
Succah with its flimsy roof)) which brings us true security.
Just as G-d miraculously provided for our forefather’s
needs when they traversed the wilderness for forty years after they left Egypt,
the same is true now. We are _exactly_ the same as they were. Civilization has
the ability of creating an illusion that we are safe and secure, but that in
itself is a kindness from G-d. We are all more keenly
aware of this point now. Our safety and security or G-d forbid
vice-versa completely depends on G-d.
The Commandment of living
in the Succah for seven days is meant to foster this realization in our psyches
so we will live with this attitude for the whole year in all of our endeavors.
This point is so much more poignant at this juncture in time when there is so
much uncertainty in the current events of the world, when the “edifices” of
materialism we have relied upon have been toppled. Even more so do we need to
instill in ourselves that G-d is still alive and well,
and fully capable of providing for us even when the world economy has received
such a blow as it has recently.
We are not just
commemorating a great juncture of Jewish History when we enter our Succah for
seven days. We are reminding ourselves that in a real way we are there in that
same great juncture in our point in history with G-d providing
for our every need as well. We are coming to know – to connect – to the inner
reality – the soul and essence of our existence.
Chag Somayach!
