The Simcha of Sukkos: A Simcha that breaks through all Masks
By Rabbi Shimon Raichik
The first Mitzvah we do after Yom Kippur is to begin building the sukkah. We build the walls and put the branches of schach for cover and live in the sukkah for seven days. We daven, learn, eat, drink, talk and socialize, all inside the sukkah. We don't do this mitzvah only once a day like the other mitzvah of lulav and esrog rather we are immersed in a constant 24 hour a day 7 days a week experience as the Torah says; “Teishvu k’eyin taduro, live there as if it were your permanent dwelling”
What lesson can we take with us from the mitzvah of sukkah throughout the rest of the year? The sukkah relates and encompasses two opposite messages. On one hand we were told to leave the comfort of our permanent dwelling and to take up temporary residence in a less comfortable structure. On the other hand we are told to live there as if it were our permanent home. How is it possible to do both of these things simultaneously? Does Hashem want us to feel temporary or permanent?
The answer is that the sukkah serves as a reminder for us to look at the entire physical world and be reminded that its’ only temporary. The world is constantly changing. What we thought was permanent yesterday we find out was only temporary when it's gone. It is however specifically within this temporary place, this physical world, that Hashem desires for a permanent home and dwelling place. We see and experience this truth on Sukkos by the mitzvah of the sukkah.
Making Hashem’s dwelling place is not only by learning davening and doing mitzvos. The Torah teaches us that we make this physical world a dwelling place on regular weekdays under a regular circumstances by doing our routine activities. This is because everything is connected to Hashem. By the mitzvah of sukkah lasting the entire cycle of the week it serves as a reminder that everyday we integrate every mundane activity into the service Hashem as it says; “Kol ma’asecha yeiheu l’shem Shomayom, All of your activities should be for the sake of Heaven”.
This message is also the common thread that flows through all the Yomim Tovim of Tishrei, from Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur and into Sukkos. On Rosh Hashana we crown Hashem as King. At the same time we pray for a physically good and sweet year. We eat good meals with wine and meat one of the most spiritual days of the year. In this way we unite the kingship of Hashem into all that we do even on the most physical level. Every Jew represents that unity by acting like a Jew in all aspects of his or her life.
Yom Kippur is the holiest and most spiritual day of the year which is spent fasting. Each and every Jew reaches the greatest possible state of spiritual purity. Nevertheless, as we are taught, after Yom Kippur a heavenly voice comes out and announces to us to go home to eat and celebrate. What is the purpose of a heavenly voice to go home and eat? The message is to tell us that we need to take the holiness and spirituality reached on Yom Kippur with us into the physical world. We take it home with us and let it effect and permeate all of our behaviors; how we eat, act, talk and relate to one another.
On Sukkos we bring this theme out into the open. When a Jew looks out at the world he or she can become frightened. After all the Jewish people are only a minority and the smallest of the nations. When we are in our spiritual environment of the shul we can daven and feel our bond with Hashem and live like a Jew. When we're out in public however it's an entirely different challenge of how to be a proud and openly live truly as a Jew in our social interactions and in the mundane affairs of our lives. We can feel embarrassed about being openly committed to Hashem and our purpose.
The Yom Tov of Sukkos drives home the message that the physical world is a temporary place. We do not need to have any fear because the Torah and mitzvos are eternal and our souls are a ‘Chelek Eloka, a G-dly portion of Hashem. We are empowered to do everything that is necessary to fulfill our purpose. Hashem knows our struggles and challenges and has nevertheless given us the mission of making a permanent place for His presence in this temporary physicality. It can surely be accomplished and we are successful by the way we sleep, eat, act and live throughout the entire year.
I'm wishing everyone a healthy and joyous Sukkos. We should all enjoy, appreciate and utilize Zman Simchasenu in a way that affects every aspect of our lives throughout the coming year. May we all merit to rejoice together with Hashem with a simcha that breaks all pandemics. Even though this year we are required to wear masks, may we be together with Moshiach when we will see Hashem with no covering; no masks.
A good Shabbos, a Good Yom Tov
Adapted from Sichos on Sukkos 5713