WEDNESDAY
The Simchah of Sukkos
Based on a drashah by Hagaon Harav Moshe Sternbuch, shlita, Raavad of Yerushalayim.
By Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis
The High Point
While every Yom Tov is a
time for simchah, Sukkos marks
a high point of joy. In the Beis
Hamikdash, Sukkos was cele-
brated with music, dancing and
all kinds of rejoicing. Chazal
tell us, “Whoever did not see
the Simchas Beis Hasho’evah
never saw simchah in his life.”
Why was the joy of Sukkos so
much greater than any other
time of year?
During Elul, Rosh Hashanah,
Aseres Yemei Teshuvah and
Yom Kippur, every Jew would
do teshuvah, reaffirming his or
her commitment to the Torah.
However, such a undertaking
entailed the risk a person would
be left feeling overburdened by
the responsibility of keeping
613 mitzvos.
For this reason, right after
Yom Kippur the Torah gave us
the festival of Sukkos, which is
celebrated in a spirit of merri-
ment. Seven days of non-stop
celebrating in the Beis
Hamikdash was more than
enough to help anyone realize
that our commitment to Torah
and mitzvos is not a burden. On
the contrary, we cannot contain
our joy for this privilege.
On Sukkos we leave our per-
manent homes to enter tempo-
rary ones. Our relocation to
makeshift huts symbolizes the
recognition that our stay in this
world is fleeting. Lasting fulfill-
ment can only be had in the
World to Come.
This concept is beautifully
illustrated in the story of a
wealthy individual who visited
the house of the Chofetz Chaim
in Poland. The guest asked his
host why his home was so bare
of furniture and comforts. The
Chofetz Chaim asked his guest
where all of his furniture was.
The traveler answered that he
was just passing through, and
most of his belongings were at
home. “I too am just passing
through this world on the way
back to my real home, and I also
do not want to overburden
myself with belongings on my
travels,” the Chofetz Chaim
responded.
This perspective shows us
how we can obtain true joy on
Sukkos. By temporarily “leav-
ing behind” all of the furniture
and conveniences that fill our
homes, we hope to taste the
eternal pleasures waiting the
World to Come. With this out-
look, we can experience the
pleasure of Sukkos all year
long.
Special Korbanos
On Sukkos we are command-
ed to bring a total of seventy
sacrifices, which Chazal tell us
are for the benefit of the seven-
ty nations of the world. Why is
Sukkos the time when we bring
korbanos for the non-Jews?
We can understand this
directive through the following
story. Avraham ben Avraham
came from a family of gentile
12 TISHREI 5770 Divrei Hisorerus SEPTEMBER 30, 2009 HAMODIA D43
aristocracy, yet he decided to the beauty of Klal Yisrael. This
give up his status to become a is symbolized by bringing all
righteous convert. His family, the minim together.
who were very devout in their Yet while unity is extremely
religious beliefs, ordered him to important, a talmid chacham
renounce his Jewish faith or be must maintain some level of
burned at the stake. Rav separation. His place is with
Avraham refused to compro- Hashem; and if he gets too close
mise, and chose instead to die al to others he will lose his elevat-
kiddush Hashem. ed level. Therefore the esrog is
Rav Avraham was very close held in a different hand than
to the Gaon of Vilna, who told the rest of the arbaah minim.
him that he could release him Sukkos is a time when all
using one of the names of Jews rejoice in the knowledge
Hashem. The righteous Rav that we are close to Hashem
Avraham refused the offer, after Yom Kippur. Every Jew
explaining that if he was freed can reach an unparalleled level
people might think that he had of simchah that he cannot feel
agreed to renounce his faith. He the rest of the year.
was not willing to risk such a Let us hope that this year we
misconception. will celebrate Sukkos in
As the holy Rav Avraham was Yerushalayim with the building
being led to his death, those of the Beis Hamikdash and the
about to carry out his sentence coming of Moshiach tzidkeinu.
trembled — they were con-
cerned about Divine retribu- Rabbi Travis is Rosh Kollel of
tion. They begged Rav Avraham Kollel Toras Chaim in
to renounce any claim before Yerushalayim and is the author of
the Heavenly Court against Shaylos U’Teshuvos Toras Chaim
them. and “Praying With Joy – A Daily
Rav Avraham responded Tefilla Companion,” a practical
sharply, “Do you think that daily guide to improving one’s
when I get to Heaven I will prayers, available from Feldheim
spare a thought for you? I will Publishers. For more information
be basking in the Divine about his work contact
Presence and will be complete- dytravis@actcom.com.
ly distanced from this world!”
Sefarim say that when Rav
Avraham made the blessing on
kiddush Hashem, the universe
shook as a result of the huge
sanctification his act caused.
After the purification of Yom
Kippur, every Jew who did
teshuvah properly sits in the
shade of the Shechinah — in his
sukkah — and experiences the
World to Come. There is no
greater joy to be had in this
world.
A Jew sitting in his sukkah
exists in an entirely different
dimension than members of the
other nations who dwell on
Earth. Therefore, the Torah
commands us to bring the sev-
enty sacrifices during Sukkos in
order to show that this seeming-
ly massive offering that is
brought in their merit is a drop
in the bucket compared to the
reward that we experience in
this world and the World to
Come. Like Rav Avraham, the
righteous convert, we are in a
class of our own and have no
real connection to them at all.
Separate But Together
On the Yom Tov of Sukkos we
hold the lulav, hadassim and
aravos in one hand, and the
esrog in the other. What is the
deeper meaning behind this
division?
The Midrash explains that
each of the minim represents a
different type of Jew. The lulav
is a Jew who is strong in Torah
learning and weak in mitzvos;
hadassim, a Jew strong in
mitzvos but weak in Torah, and
aravos represent a Jew weak in
both areas. The esrog symbolizes
the true talmid chacham, who
excels in both Torah and
mitzvos.
Chazal stress the importance
of all of these Jews living
together. Their unification is