Shabbos Chol Hamoed

 Good Shabbos and Happy Sukkos!  The Torah says: “Vsamacta Bechageca - One should rejoice on the festivals.”  This is the positive commandment that on Pesach, Shavous, and Sukkos - one is obligated to be happy.

I can understand that on Pesach we should rejoice.  Our people had been slaves for hundreds of years and we were finally redeemed by G-d to be free men and women.  Obviously, this is a great reason to rejoice.

I can understand that on Shavous we should rejoice.  This is the time that we received the Torah which connects us mortal limited men and women to the Infinite and Almighty Omnipotent G-d.  Logic would say that there is no connection between infinite and finite, so if G-d forged a connection with us through the Torah on Shavous, this is certainly a reason to rejoice. 

Sukkos doesn’t really recount anything. It does commemorate our 40 years of our being protected by G-d while we wondered in the desert but there is no single occurrence that would be an obvious justification or a reason to rejoice.    

Upon further examination, the word “Simcha” refers an ongoing, long-lasting state of happiness rather than a short lived burst of joy. With this understanding, Sukkos does indeed represent a great reason to rejoice for it commemorates G-d’s protection to us over the long term and by extension throughout all of the generations. 

I have only one question.  In the book of Koheles which we just read, King Solomon tells us that joy is meaningless…….  joy is futile…..  joy is madness…….

So as soon as we get into the mood to celebrate this festival with joy, we read the book Koheles which says joy is meaningless.  How can we make sense of these contradictory messages? 

I came across another question in reading today’s portion.  The first set of 10 Commandments which G-d gave us in the presence of over 3 million people, with lightning and thunder and great special effects, did not last but a very short time.  Today we read of the 2^nd set of tablets.  These were given to Moses alone.  No man was allowed to be with him.  Not even Aaron or the elders.  Yet, these tablets somehow survived throughout all of the generations.  What enabled the 2^nd set of Tablets endure through time, while the first barely lasted at all?

I now know the answer to both these questions, for they were taught to be by a young lady from Brooklyn over the last 24 hours.  Let me explain:

Many of you know that this past Sunday was my birthday.  What you may not know is that my son, Chaim, called me from New York and asked me how I planned to celebrate my birthday?  I answered I had nothing particular planned, so he asked if I would fly to New York to spend the day with him and meet a young lady whom he wished to marry.  I think the best present I ever received is Fraidy Raskin and her lovely family, who will be merging with our own and we welcome them wholeheartedly.

Over the last 24 hours, having talked to Fraidy and having gotten to know her a bit better, I have come to realize

• 1. the meaning of this week’s portion,
• 2. the message of the Koheles, and
• 3. the way which the Sages intended for us to celebrate and rejoice.

There are 2 kinds of joy.  One kind of joy happens when the stock market goes up.  Everyone is excited.  Everyone is joyous.  The world is beautiful, and, all is good.  Sukkos is not about that they type of joy.

Sukkos was chosen to be celebrated at this particular time of year, because this is also the harvest season during when we have much reason to be thankful to G-d.  Whenever things are good in our lives we should acknowledge that the source of all goodness is Almighty G-d.  Sukkos tells us to leave our homes and all the beautiful things that we have within them and to go out into the Sukkah where our sole source of protection is G-d.    

Do I love “things”?  Of course I do.  We all do.  But, the lesson of Sukkos is to cherish family and health and love more that physical possessions.  And, I have to say I learned this lesson over the last 24 hours from my daughter-in-law to be, Miss Fraidy Raskin.  Fraidy is a beautiful woman but even more importantly, she is beautiful on the inside and has a beautiful spirit and the types of characteristics that should be cherished by all.  I am extremely happy for both Chaim and Fraidy and wish them every type of joy and happiness in their future lives together. 

The first set of tablets were given in front of all of Israel with much pomp and circumstance.  But they did not last. The second set were given to Moshe alone.  The Sages explain  “Ein Lecha Yafa Min Haztinius” - there is no better quality that modesty. 

And, the same can be said regarding joy.  True joy does not come from having a fancy car or a long fur coat.  Such joy, King Solomon tells us is meaningless. 

True joy is realizing that the best things in life are those things that can’t be bought.  True joy comes from the things that make us happy on the inside - such as love, family, self respect, and feeling G-d.

Other nations build building and palaces to mark their strength. We refer to the monarchy of David as the “Sukkah” of King David for we realize the source of our success and our joy comes not from what we amass such as our homes  - but from   G-d, commemorated by the Sukkah. 

We therefore hope and pray that all of the holidays be times of rejoicing and that very soon G-d rebuilds fallen Sukkah of David so we can all then rejoice with the greatest feelings of joy, and let us say, AMEN. 

Tags: Chaim and Fraidy, Joy, koheles

This entry was posted on Saturday, November 8th, 2008 at 9:33 pm and is filed under Torah. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.