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By Rabbi Naftoly Bier
The most used word describing סוכות, Sukkot, is “אסיף”, “gathering”. In פ’ משפטים, כי תצא we are introduced to the “חג”, festival of “האסיף”, “the gathering of the harvest”. in פ’ אמור, the Torah describes the festival as חג הסוכות, the time period when we celebrate by living in a Sukkah. Nevertheless, the Torah states “…when you gather the crop… you should celebrate… and you should take… four species… and rejoice before Hashem (to celebrate the harvest). In פ’ ראה once again the holiday is called Sukkos, but it states, “seven days you shall rejoice… for Hashem will have blessed you in all your crop… and you shall be completely joyous.”
The repeated idea of “the harvest… crop” is for us to direct our attention to Hashem who is the loving benefactor of all that we possess; He determines the ultimate success of our harvest. To inculcate this profoundly important idea, the Torah instructs us to leave our comfortable, secure homes and reside in the Sukkah. For forty years in a barren, inhabitable desert, Hashem provided us with all our needs, thereby imbuing us with a recognition of His eternal, endless love, compassion, and connection to the Jewish nation.
But there is more! the word חג, stems from the word חוג, a circle. The Torah is imparting the need to form a “circle,” every part of a circle is equally distant from the center. The lesson is, that every single person in Klal Yisrael is important to Hashem. If Hashem would judge us relevant to who is greater; then all of us would be absolutely nothing; for we are incomparable to Him (שפת אמת). This idea is reinforced by the Mitzvos of Sukkos. The לולב, four species represent different levels of spiritual development. We are commanded to take all four, thereby articulating the importance and value of every single Jew. In contradiction that one must own the four species; one can live in another Sukkah and fulfill the Mitzvah; we all being one cohesive unit. Additionally, the word אסיף symbolizes the idea of everyone gathering in unity. when one truly recognizes that we have a beautiful world, health, family… the greatest gift Torah… all a largesse of Hashem; one logically and unequivocally recognizes that we are all one cohesive family completely dependent on one benefactor, the Almighty. This in turn engenders a disposition of unity, one that earns us Hashem’s infinite beneficence and protection.
On Sukkos, the sacrifices we offer to Hashem are unique. There are a total of seventy bulls corresponding to the seventy nations, we Klal Yisrael protecting the gentile nations from affliction and ensuring their needs are taken care of. Yes, we are taught to think of all of Hashem’s creations! We also offer 98 lambs to ward off the calamities that befall the Jewish people; but we will always adhere to Hashem’s will.
After developing this unmitigated understanding of being a nation that sincerely cares and respects one another, and our responsibility to the human race, we enter into the Yom Tov of שמיני עצרת, the eighth day, a time of intimate connection to Hashem. The sacrifices are minimal, it’s a time of unmitigated love and the epitome of Hashem’s connection to us. The Medrash teaches that just as there is a cycle of 7 days of Yom Tov on Pesach, and then a conclusion of Shavous forty-two days later due to the need of time to absorb the lessons of Pesach in order to elevate ourselves to the spiritual level of Shavuot, so to “עצרת” should have been forty-two days after Sukkos. The reason it’s not is due to that time after six weeks, would be during the rain season and the roads would be difficult to traverse. Instead, Hashem lovingly infuses us with a metaphysical gift- join me one more day and I will inculcate my dear children with a supreme level of spirituality. This all takes place together after הושענא רבה, a special day of judgment for the Jewish people, wherein Hashem has boundless mercy, compassion and love for us. We take the ערבה, willow, which represents the mouth and the person who, like the willow has no smell and taste- as the conduit to being embraced by Hashem. How? By talking to Hashem. Yes, maybe we don’t have Torah and Mitzvos of helping others, but every Jew knows that Hashem cares about them, and He says to us- just talk to me, sincerely recognizing how much I care for you!
And then last Shabbos, the tremendous unfathomable tragedy on the last day, שמיני עצרת, שמחת תורה which as just explained is the day we feel His love at such a high level.
The Vilna Gaon explains that we naturally are content with one’s spiritual state. One is resistant to change true self- introspection. There are two emotions that can facilitate and actualize a transformation; שמחה and דאגה, enthusiasm and a painful experience. These can be delineated as gifts that enable one to honestly contemplate and scrutinize one’s focus, character, actions and thoughts. though seemingly contradictory, they simultaneously bring us closer to Hashem. Simcha; the knowledge and feeling that Hashem is with us every moment, the true understanding that all one succeeds is doing is all from Him. This in turn engenders enthusiasm and self-respect, the segue to all personal development. Shocking events cause one to reevaluate who one is; do I live in my self-centered world? Do I commiserate with another’s’ pain, anxiety and needs? Do I commit myself to search for the undeniable, truthful path of life? Am I honest? The trait needed to arrive at the correct answers! Both these emotions cause one- if one is honest- to reconnect to Hashem. If we truly with total conviction and dedication passionately embark on such a journey we will buy definition, create a unified Klal Yisrael, one that respects, adores, assists, and compassionately cares about everyone. This is the lesson of Sukkos; If we are all one family, all of us sons and daughters of Hashem, brothers and sisters to one another, He will lovingly care for us.
As we stated on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur “תשובה ותפילה וצדקבת מעבירין את רועה הגזרה”, returning to Hashem, beseeching Him and selfless assisting others will remove harsh decrees. Hashem loves us, עמו אנוכי בצרה, He feels our pain; He wants us to achieve greatness and awakens us to fulfill our potential. We have no time to analyze how and why did this happen; we can only unite together and turn to Hashem whose love of us is the greatest love that exists.
