Living in Hashem's Embrace

Torah Thoughts on Sukkos-Simchas Torah-Bereshis by Rabbi Moshe Revah, Rosh HaYeshiva, HTC

The Gemara in Sukkah details seemingly in an incidental manner a long list of possible ‘decorations’ that one may place in the Sukkah. “If one…decorated his Sukkah with colorful curtains and sheets, and hung in it ornamental nuts, almonds, peaches, and pomegranates, grape branches, and wreaths of stalks of grain, wines, oils, and vessels full of flour, etc.” Why does the Tanna need such a long list, or any list for that matter, delineating how one can decorate his Sukkah? Merely writing ‘it was decorated’ should suffice!

The Be’er Yosef answers that the Tanna is teaching us that decorating the Sukkah is not merely a form of beautifying a mitzvah. Rather, it becomes part of the mitzvah itself. The entire purpose of the Sukkah is to remind ourselves of how we lived in the wilderness, and while the Sukkah itself commemorates either the Anannei HaKavod or the huts, we also remember how Hashem provided us with everything else we needed. Food and clothing grew out of the walls!! Therefore, with every added item with which we decorate the Sukkah, we are recognizing another thing that Hashem did for us, and our thanks to Him grows to even greater levels.

There is a halachah that if one is uncomfortable in the Sukkah he may leave. The reason for this ‘heter’ is that our job in the Sukkah is to remind ourselves of the beauty of living in Hashem’s embrace. We say: “This is how it was back then!” But if it is uncomfortable now, then we cannot possibly fulfill the mitzvah of remembering the good times.

Over Sukkos we try to deepen our relationship with Hashem. We start by recognizing how much Hashem loves us. When someone feels loved he reciprocates in kind. We act differently if we feel needed, if we feel loved. We must be as cognitively aware of the love as possible. Going into the Sukkah and not feeling Zman Simchoseinu because of the great love of Hashem for us would be missing Sukkos! Look around our sukkah, understand how much Hashem did for us, feel yourself currently in Hashem’s embrace, and you will be excited to start a fresh exhilarating year of Avodas and Ahavas Hashem!