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B"H
LIVING WITH MOSHIACH
Weekly Digest About Moshiach
EREV SUKKOT, 5763
Tishrei 14, 5763
Sept. 20, 2002
SPECIAL FEATURE:
Your Sukkot - Simchat Torah Guide
Tishrei 14-23, 5763
Sept. 20-29, 2002
>> A Jewish Response To Terrorism <<
http://www.moshiach.net/blind/lwm-5762/269.htm
***************************************************
* Visit TruePeace.org *
* "http://www.truepeace.org" *
* Dedicated to educating the public regarding the *
* current situation in Israel, based on Torah *
* sources, with special emphasis on the opinion *
* and teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe *
***************************************************
Published Weekly By
Lubavitch Shluchim Conferences On The Moshiach Campaign,
Committee For The Blind
* * *
5763
****************************************************
* VISIT US ON THE WEB, AT: *
* http://www.moshiach.net/blind *
****************************************************
* TO RECEIVE THIS PUBLICATION VIA INTERNET: *
* E-Mail: yys@dorsai.org *
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* http://www.operationrefuah.org *
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* Get your own letter in a Sefer Torah! *
* http://www.kidstorah.org *
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* MOSHIACH - CHILDREN'S PAGE *
* http://www.moshiach.net/blind/children/index.htm *
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THIS PUBLICATION IS DEDICATED TO THE REBBE,
RABBI MENACHEM M. SCHNEERSON
OF LUBAVITCH
"I BELIEVE WITH COMPLETE FAITH IN THE ARRIVAL OF THE MOSHIACH.
"AND THOUGH HE MAY TARRY, I SHALL WAIT EACH DAY, ANTICIPATING
HIS ARRIVAL." Maimonides, Principles of the Faith, No. 12
*********************
* TABLE OF CONTENTS *
*********************
* Introduction.
* Pure Joy.
Transformations.
The Simchah (Joy) of a Mitzvah.
Levels of Joy.
Ultimate Victory.
* The Rebbe's Prophecy.
* Yud Gimel Tishrei.
* Sukkot.
* Paradise Found.
* The Lulav and Etrog.
* Simchat Beit HaShoeivah.
* Simchat Beit HaShoeivah, Some History.
* Is Everybody Happy?
* Shemini Atzeret.
* Simchat Torah.
* Feet of the Torah.
* Your Sukkot - Simchat Torah Guide.
* What Is Sukkot?
Clouds of Glory.
A Unique Mitzvah.
For Universal Peace.
* Observances of Sukkot.
The Sukkah.
The Ushpizin.
The Four Kinds.
Why Four Kinds?
* Simchat Beit HaShoeivah.
* The Intermediate Days of Sukkot.
Chol HaMoed.
Hoshanah Rabbah.
* What Is Simchat Torah?
A Transcendent Joy.
As the Circle Turns.
Children Dancing with Flags.
The Festive Meals.
* The Sukkot - Simchat Torah Calendar.
* Candle and Festival Blessings.
* Moshiach Matters.
* Moshiach Information Hotlines.
* Moshiach In The Air -- Electronic Media.
* Subscription Information for this Weekly Magazine:
Living With Moshiach.
****************
* INTRODUCTION *
****************
We are pleased to present, to the visually impaired and the
blind, our weekly publication, Living With Moshiach.
*
In this week's issue we focus on the laws of the upcoming
festive holidays of Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah,
"Your Sukkot - Simchat Torah Guide,"
Therefore, we present here "Your Sukkot - Simchat Torah
Guide," [*] and other related material.
*
We take this opportunity to wish you and yours a happy holiday.
*
Our sincere appreciation to L'Chaim weekly publication,
published by the Lubavitch Youth Organization, for allowing us to
use their material.
Also, many thanks to our copy editor, Reb Mordechai Staiman, for
his tireless efforts.
*
It is our fervent hope that our learning about Moshiach and the
Redemption will hasten the coming of Moshiach, NOW!
Rabbi Yosef Y. Shagalov
Administrator
Committee for the Blind
E-Mail: yys@dorsai.org
11 Tishrei, 5763
Brooklyn, New York
_____________
*. Published by Prestige Litho.
DEDICATED TO THE REBBE,
In Honor Of Our Daughter
CHAYA SARAH
on the occasion of her birthday, 25 Elul
***********************************
* PURE JOY *
* Based on the Works of the Rebbe *
***********************************
Transformations
Joy, our Sages tell us, breaks through all boundaries. In times
of happiness, we are transformed -- to the extent that even a
person who is, by nature, miserly and ill-tempered, can suddenly,
on a happy occasion such as a wedding day, become generous and kind
to all.
Ordinarily, to change a habitual pattern of behavior is a long
and arduous task. It is even more difficult to alter an innate
trait of personality. Yet joy has the remarkable capacity to affect
a basic, instantaneous change in a person's nature. This is because
joy can awaken the very essence of the soul.
The Simchah (Joy) of a Mitzvah
Of course, if one's happiness is dependent upon some fleeting
circumstance, the changes it brings about will be temporary, at
best. The more profound one's joy, the more powerfully and
permanently it can affect one's life.
Pure, unconditional simchah -- the joy that emerges from deep
within the soul -- can move mountains. Such is the joy we can
experience in doing a mitzvah, if we truly appreciate its
significance. For the mitzvahs are more than just the "good deeds"
we do -- they are expressions of G-d's joyful purpose in creating
the world.
Levels of Joy
Throughout the cycle of Tishrei holidays, we have been
"climbing" to ever-higher levels of simchah. Sukkot, the "Season of
our Rejoicing" is rich with the mitzvahs of the sukkah and the Four
Species.
In the time of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem (may it be
immediately rebuilt!) the Sages of Israel used to dance and sing
and play music long into the night, each of the intermediate nights
of Sukkot. They would even perform acrobatic feats and juggle with
fire -- all in celebration of G-d's commandment to rejoice on our
Festival. And on Simchat Torah we rise to an even higher and purer
joy.
Ultimate Victory
The transforming power of joy extends not just to the
individual, but to society at large. Pure simchah can change the
world. This, the happiest time of the Jewish year, is an
opportunity for us to vanquish all the negativity of the world
around us, by rejoicing together.
The pure joy we experience on Sukkot and Simchat Torah will
continue to inspire us to serve G-d with joy throughout the year.
May the cumulative effect of our mitzvahs and our simchah bring
about the ultimate transformation -- when we rejoice together with
Moshiach, in the true and complete Redemption.
************************
* THE REBBE'S PROPHECY *
************************
The Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson of Lubavitch, issued
a call that "THE TIME OF OUR REDEMPTION HAS ARRIVED!" and
"MOSHIACH IS ON HIS WAY!"
The Rebbe stressed that he is saying this AS A PROPHECY, and
asks us all to prepare ourselves for the Redemption, through
increasing acts of goodness and kindness.
LET US ALL HEED THE REBBE'S CALL.
_______________
See "Living With Moshiach" Vol 306:
http://www.moshiach.net/blind/lwm-5762/306.htm
*********************************************
* IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY DEAR GRANDPARENTS, *
* *
* Reb Shmuel Pesach Ben Reb Yaakov Dovid *
* On the occasion of his eight yahrtzeit, *
* 3 Tishrei, 5763 *
* *
* Mrs. Fraidel Chedvah Bas Reb Zev Wolf *
* Passed away on 4 Adar II, 5755 *
* Pais *
*********************************************
*********************
* YUD GIMEL TISHREI *
*********************
Thursday, Tishrei 13 (Sept. 19), is the yahrtzeit of the fourth
Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch, Rabbi Shmuel, known as the Rebbe
Maharash.
There is a well-known adage that characterized the service of
the Rebbe Maharash, "LeChatchila Ariber:"
"The world says, If you can't crawl under, try to climb over,'
but I say, At the outset, one should climb over.'"
Since the Rebbe Maharash was a leader of the Jewish people, the
Moses of his generation, all the qualities he possessed are
relevant to everyone. Thus, the Rebbe Maharash's approach and motto
of "LeChatchila Ariber" can and should be actualized by every Jew
in his daily conduct.
This most certainly applies to the mission entrusted to each one
of us to do everything within one's ability, and even that which
transcends one's ability, to bring Moshiach immediately.
Suggestions by the Rebbe as to how this mission can be
accomplished include the study of matters concerning Moshiach and
the Redemption, additional mitzvah observance, and sharing this
information with others.
Especially appropriate at this time is the mitzvah of blessing
the lulav and etrog and helping others fulfill this mitzvah and
organizing or attending special Sukkot celebrations.
As is befitting this season of rejoicing -- the Sukkot and
Simchat Torah holidays that are quickly approaching -- our
fulfillment of this mission should be infused with joy.
And, as the Rebbe explained, "That joy should be enhanced by the
knowledge that in the immediate future, Moshiach will come. For the
imminence of Moshiach's coming is already an established fact, and
one's exuberant celebrations should reflect one's awareness of
this."
May we be immediately successful in our "LeChatchila Ariber"
approach to bringing Moshiach now!
* * *
Once, the Rebbe Maharash was speaking with one of his chasidim,
a simple businessman who was neither a great scholar nor one who
meditated at length when praying. The Rebbe said to this chasid,
"Elye, I envy you. You travel to various fairs; you meet many
people. Sometimes, in the middle of a business transaction, you get
into a warm discussion about something Jewish and you awaken the
other fellow's interest in studying more about Judaism. This causes
joy On High and G-d rewards such trade' with the blessings of
children, health and sustenance; the larger the fair, the more work
there is and the greater is the livelihood earned."
The Rebbe Maharash was not spouting platitudes, nor being
patronizing. He truly envied this simple Jew who, through injecting
Judaism into his business affairs, transcended the mundane.
The Rebbe Maharash's comment was not addressed to a Torah
scholar, or a person who was well known for his contemplation
during his G-dly service. No, the Rebbe Maharash was speaking with
a simple Jew. The lesson of his words, therefore, are even more
powerful, for they apply to each and every Jew, from the simplest
to the greatest.
We should continually increase our Jewish knowledge, day by day.
But, we needn't wait until we are great Torah scholars before we
imbue our lives and each activity within our day with a higher
purpose. For, we can arouse the envy of even the greatest tzadikim
by just happening to get into a warm discussion about Jewish
matters even in the middle of a business transaction!
***************************************
* SUKKOT *
* Adapted from the Works of the Rebbe *
***************************************
Although we do many mitzvot on Sukkot besides sitting in the
sukkah, the festival is called "Sukkot," after the temporary booths
we dwell in during the holiday. Why doesn't the Torah call the
festival "Lulav" or "Etrog," or any other of the four species, or
choose a name for the holiday after another mitzvah connected to
our celebration of Sukkot?
The mitzvah of sukkah has a virtue not shared by any other
mitzvah of the holiday. The obligation to sit in the sukkah begins
immediately when it gets dark on the very first night of Sukkot,
whereas the mitzvah of the Four Species -- taking an etrog, lulav,
myrtle and willow branches and making a blessing over them -- is
not done until the following morning. (This year, we start shaking
the "four kinds" on Sunday, Sept. 22).
Another characteristic of the sukkah is that it must be prepared
ahead of time. The walls of the sukkah must be built with the
specific intent to perform the mitzvah, and the sukkah may not be
erected once the holiday itself has begun. In fact, building the
sukkah is considered to be part of the mitzvah as well. The Four
Species, on the other hand, can be readied on the holiday itself
and their procurement is not part of the mitzvah.
Another advantage the mitzvah of sukkah has over the Four
Species is the fact that one can perform it at any time of the day
or night, and its obligation continues even after one has sat in
it. Unlike the taking of the lulav and etrog, a person can never
say that he has already performed the mitzvah of sukkah, and he
needn't enter once again that day! The sukkah is considered our
temporary dwelling for the entirety of the festival, and we eat,
drink, learn and relax in it just as we would in our own home.
But perhaps the most salient characteristic of the mitzvah of
sukkah is the fact that it is unlike any other in its encompassing
nature. Other mitzvot are performed with a particular limb of the
body pertaining to that mitzvah, such as tefillin, which are placed
on the arm and head. The mitzvah of sukkah, however, totally
envelops the person and is done with the entire body. The very same
activities that were done in the house a week previously are
elevated when done in the sukkah.
Our Sages said that a person who has no home "is not a person";
that is, he is not complete and whole without a place to live. The
home affects the person not only when he is in it, but also when he
is out in the marketplace and doing business as well. During the
holiday of Sukkot, our home is the sukkah, and it is through the
performance of the mitzvah that we reach our wholeness and
perfection. Therefore, even when we are not physically inside the
sukkah we remain connected to it once we have declared it to be our
primary dwelling for the duration of the festival.
******************
* PARADISE FOUND *
******************
Imagine your dream location. Far from civilization, surrounded
by the sights, smells, and sounds of paradise. Oblivious to the
hustle and bustle of your daily life, the serenity and beauty of
the setting carries you to another world.
In a spiritual sense, the mitzvah of sukkah, after which the
approaching holiday is named, is just such a mitzvah.
It is a mitzvah that literally encompasses you. It surrounds
you. It commemorates the way that the Clouds of Glory surrounded
the Jews on all sides as they traveled through the desert,
insulated from the harsh terrain and all types of predators. Unlike
other mitzvot where only a part of our being is involved in the
mitzvah, when it comes to the sukkah, we actually go into the
mitzvah and allow it to encompass every part of us.
Another unique aspect of the mitzvah is found in chasidic
teachings. Being within the four walls of the sukkah serves to
elevate anything, even the most mundane act, that you do in the
sukkah.
You can just let your feet do the walking into a sukkah, have a
bite to eat with the appropriate blessing and sit. And you're doing
a mitzvah! If you want, you can have a nice chat, or listen to some
music. And these acts are elevated to a higher spiritual plane
since they are being done as part of dwelling in the sukkah. You
can meditate or you can read. You can shake a lulav and etrog in
the sukkah. You can sit down or stand up. You can even take a nap
in a sukkah and it can be considered a mitzvah!
Finding a sukkah is really not as difficult as you may think.
Many Chabad-Lubavitch centers have a sukkah-building service and
even offer pre-fabricated models. If you don't have one of your
own, you can visit your local Chabad-Lubavitch House, which will
have one open to the public. They might even have a mobile sukkah
on a flat-bed truck.
Then sit down, relax with a cup of coffee (or spring water) and
a piece of cake, say the blessings (see below) and eat.
The mitzvah is to "dwell" in the sukkah as we would normally
live in our homes. To fulfill this mitzvah, we should have a meal
there or, at the very least, eat food made from one of the five
grains (wheat, barley, oats, rye or spelt). One should first recite
the regular blessing (Bo-ruch A-toh Ado-noi E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech
Ho-olom Bo-ray Mi-nay Me-zo-not) and then say the special sukkah
blessing (see Blessing #4).
So now that you are a sukkah maven and you know how easy and
uplifting it is to do the mitzvah of sukkah, why not give it a try?
***********************
* THE LULAV AND ETROG *
***********************
Friday night, Sept. 20, will begin the holiday of Sukkot. One of
the mitzvot of the holiday is the lulav and etrog -- which consist
of four different kinds of plants. The etrog (citron) has a taste
and scent, the myrtle and date-palm each have either taste or scent
and the willow has neither taste nor scent.
We are told that these four characteristics, are similar to four
types of Jews. There are Jews with "taste" (Torah knowledge) and
"scent" (good deeds). There are Jews with one or the other. And,
like the willow, there are Jews with neither taste nor scent.
When we perform the mitzvah of blessing the "four kinds" not one
of these four kinds may be missing. If even one is missing, we have
not fulfilled the mitzvah of lulav and etrog. We cannot perform the
mitzvah partially; either we fulfill it with all four kinds or we
don't fulfill it at all. And even when we have all four kinds, they
have to be united, bound together. Only then can we make the
blessing and fulfill the mitzvah.
That which is true of the "four kinds" is true of the Jewish
people as well. For the Jewish people to be complete and not
partial, we must all be welcome and represented as well and united
and bound together.
May we experience the true uniting of all Jews and celebrate the
holiday of Sukkot together in the third and eternal Holy Temple
with our righteous King Moshiach.
***************************************
* SIMCHAT BEIT HASHOEIVAH *
* Adapted from the Works of the Rebbe *
***************************************
We are commanded to rejoice during the festivals. The rejoicing
during the holiday of Sukkot reached its peak, in the times of the
Holy Temple, in the unbounded joy of the water-drawing celebrations
(Simchat Beit HaShoeivah).
During the year, many offerings on the altar were accompanied by
a special pouring or libation of wine. On Sukkot, in addition to
the regular wine-offering, there was also a unique pouring of
water. At that time the assembled crowds broke into limitless,
profound, ecstatic rejoicing, which continued for three days, and
of which the Sages said, "Whoever has not seen the rejoicing of the
water-drawing has never in his life seen true joy!"
The Sages chose their words with care. They are not merely
telling a story, but giving a valuable lesson -- that if one has
not seen the rejoicing of the water-drawing, although he may think
he has at times participated in unbounded rejoicing, he is in
error. His joyous experience was in fact a superficial one. For,
since he has never witnessed the water-drawing, he is incapable of
experiencing true joy. This is the full significance of the above
statement.
What does true joy entail? It entails breaking one's own bounds
and inhibitions, exceeding one's own limitations. At the wedding of
an only child, a normally reticent and taciturn father may become a
voluble and loquacious speaker. If a person has a rational,
intelligent reason to be happy, then his happiness is limited by
the extent of his understanding. But when he receives a reward or a
gift that is "beyond his wildest dreams," that his intelligence
could not possibly have foreseen -- when he is moved by a cause
that stems not merely from his understanding, but from his very
essence and being -- then the resultant joy is similarly boundless.
In Temple times, wine was used as a libation. It was water,
though, that was the main ingredient of the water-drawing ceremony.
Wine has a taste, a flavor; water has no intrinsic flavor. Wine and
water have their equivalents in spiritual life. When one is
motivated to serve G-d by intelligent reasoning and logic, such
service is termed "wine"; one savors the "taste" or "reason" for
doing the mitzvah. Service impelled by a feeling of pure
submissiveness to G-d is called "water"; one cannot relish the
"flavor" of rationality in such service.
Truly limitless joy cannot come as a result of one's
understanding and intelligence -- for they are limited. But when a
person realizes that he himself is limited, finite, he nullifies
himself, he neutralizes his ego. In a spirit of total
submissiveness he becomes one with limitless G-d through the union
of the mitzvah. Then he transcends his limitations and can serve
G-d with truly boundless joy.
Whoever has not seen the rejoicing of the water-drawing has
never in his life seen true joy. Because the libation of water, as
opposed to wine, symbolizes the quality of submissiveness as
opposed to the intellect and rationality of wine.
***************************
* SIMCHAT BEIT HASHOEIVAH *
***************************
Some History
One of the most joyful celebrations in Israel was the Drawing of
the Water during Sukkot. The Sages noted that "Whoever didn't
witness the Simchat Beit HaShoeivah has never in his life seen true
joy." They have left us wonderful descriptions of the scenes that
inspire us with longing to witness it once again.
How was the ceremony conducted? A golden container was filled
with water drawn from the pools at Siloam in Jerusalem. When the
water carriers reached the Water Gate, they blew three notes on the
shofar. On the right side of the ramp leading to the altar, there
were two silver bowls, each with a hole shaped like a narrow spout,
one wider than the other. One bowl stood to the east and the other
to the west. The shapes of the bowls allowed them to be emptied
simultaneously. (The wider-spouted bowl held wine, which flows more
slowly than water).
As the evenings of the festival approached, the people made
their way down to the Court of the Women. There were golden
candlesticks, fifty cubits high, with four gold bowls atop them.
Four ladders led to the top of each candlestick, and four young
kohanim mounted the ladders, holding in their hands large jars of
oil which they poured into the golden bowls. Wicks to light the oil
were made from worn-out clothing of the kohanim, and when the
candlesticks were lit, the light glowed throughout the entire city
of Jerusalem.
The greatest Sages and tzadikim would participate joyfully in
the celebration, performing the most extraordinary feats. Some of
them would bear burning torches in their hands while singing Psalms
and other praises of G-d. The Levites would play many various
musical instruments, including harps, lyres, cymbals, and trumpets
as they stood on the fifteen steps that led down from the Court of
Women in the Holy Temple.
Two kohanim were stationed at the Upper Gate of the Temple,
holding trumpets in their hands. As the roosters crowed the first
light of dawn, they blasted their trumpets, and as they ascended
the steps, they blew two additional rounds of tekiahs. They
continued walking until they reached the gate that led to the east,
whereupon they turned to face the west and uttered the words: "We
belong to G-d and our eyes are turned to G-d."
The Sages relate that when the great Sage, Rabbi Shimon ben
Gamliel, rejoiced at the water festival, he would juggle with eight
lighted torches, tossing them into the air, catching one and then
throwing another, so that they never touched each other. He would
also prostrate himself on the ground, bend down, doing a
head-stand, kiss the ground and draw himself up again, a feat that
no one else could do.
The Talmud relates many of these displays of prowess that the
Sages performed at the Simchat Beit HaShoeivah. They record that
Reb Levi used to juggle in the presence of Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi
with eight knives. Shmuel would do the same with eight glasses of
wine, without spilling any of their contents. Rabbi Abaye would
juggle before Rabbi Rabba with eight (or some say, four) eggs.
It is written in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chanania, "When
we used to rejoice at the place of the water-drawing, our eyes saw
no sleep." It is explained that the entire day was occupied with
holy activities, so that the participants in the simchah were busy
from day to night.
In the morning the sacrifice was brought, followed by prayers,
and then an additional sacrifice. Then they would study Torah and
eat breakfast. Afternoon prayer was followed by the evening
sacrifice and then the water-drawing festivities commenced. The
celebration of the Simchat Beit HaShoeivah continued throughout the
entire night, lighting up the city so brilliantly that there was no
courtyard in Jerusalem that didn't reflect the light of the great
candlesticks illumining the Festival of the Water-Drawing.
***********************
* IS EVERYBODY HAPPY? *
***********************
The holidays of Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah,
which, happily, are approaching, are referred to as "the time of
our rejoicing."
As such, let's take a look at some of the words of our Sages and
chasidic teachings about the importance of joy and happiness in our
lives.
King David in Psalms advises us, "Serve G-d with joy, come
before Him with jubilation." The power of joy is unlimited, for, as
stated in the Talmud, "Joy breaks all boundaries."
In addition, G-d attaches a great deal of importance to joy, for
"The Divine Presence rests only upon one who performs a mitzvah in
a joyous spirit" (Talmud). In fact, it is said about the famous
16th century Kabbalist, Rabbi Yitzchok Luria, that he merited
Divine inspiration and even to meet Elijah the Prophet, because he
infused his mitzvot with so much joy.
Simchah (joy), is one of the most essential elements of the
chasidic way of life. In fact, in the early stages of the chasidic
movement, before the name "chasidim" was coined, Chasidim were
often referred to in Yiddish as "di freilicha," meaning, "the happy
ones."
The Baal Shem Tov, founder of Chasidus, would say that
sometimes, when the Yetzer Hora (the evil impulse) tries to
persuade a person to commit a sin, it does not care whether or not
the person will actually sin. What it is looking for is that after
sinning, the person will become depressed and overcome with
sadness. In other words, the depression that follows the sin can
cause more spiritual damage than the actual sin itself.
Rabbi Shlomo of Karlin taught that depression is considered the
threshold of all evil. He said that although the 365 negative
commandments do not include a commandment not to be depressed, the
damage that sadness and depression can cause is worse than the
damage that any sin can cause.
The Rebbe explained that if the Jewish people already begin now
to rejoice in the Redemption, out of our absolute trust that G-d
will speedily send us Moshiach, this joy in itself will (as it
were), compel G-d to fulfill His children's wish and to redeem them
from exile.
In the Tanya, the basic work of Chabad Chasidic philosophy,
Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, used the example of two wrestlers to
describe the importance of joy:
"With a victory over a physical obstacle, such as in the case of
two individuals who are wrestling with each other, each striving to
throw the other -- if one is lazy and sluggish he will easily be
defeated and thrown, even though he be stronger than the other,
exactly so it is in the conquest of one's evil nature; it is
impossible to conquer it with laziness and heaviness, which
originates in sadness and in a heart that is dulled like a stone,
but rather with alacrity, which derives from joy and from a heart
that is free and cleansed from any trace of worry and sadness. This
is a cardinal principle."
A chasid once wrote to the third Chabad Rebbe, the Tzemach
Tzedek, that he found it difficult to be happy. The Tzemach Tzedek
advised him:
"Thought, speech and action are within one's control. A person
must guard his thoughts and think only thoughts that bring joy; he
should be cautious not to speak about sad or depressing matters;
and he should behave as if he were very joyous, even if he doesn't
feel especially happy. In the end, he will ultimately be joyous."
What can you do to help a friend out of a slump if he isn't too
happy? Tell him some good news, as our Sages advised, for good news
gladdens the heart and good tidings expand the mind.
Happy holidays!
***************************************
* SHEMINI ATZERET *
* Adapted from the Works of the Rebbe *
***************************************
Of all the holidays of the month of Tishrei, it is perhaps the
very last, Shemini Atzeret, which best expresses G-d's love for the
Jewish people. The name itself, "Atzeret," comes from the Hebrew
word "to stop" or "delay." G-d detains us, as it were, for one more
day before we return to our regular lives.
The Midrash likens this to a king who holds a seven-day
celebration for his sons. On the eighth day, when it comes time for
them to leave, he is reluctant to see them go and asks them to
remain for one more day of festivities.
A question is asked: How can one more day of celebration make
the inevitable departure less painful? What is gained by pushing it
off? We must therefore conclude that there is something about this
special holiday, Shemini Atzeret, which actually prevents the
departure from taking place at all.
This concept is reflected in the precise language of the
Midrash. "Your departure is difficult," the king tells his sons,
not "our departure." This alludes to the fact that G-d never
abandons the Jewish people; His love for us is constant and
eternal. "Your departure is difficult," G-d tells us. G-d doesn't
want us to abandon Him; He therefore requests that we celebrate one
more holiday together that will serve to strengthen our bond.
The key to maintaining a close connection with G-d is achdut --
unity. When Jews are united with one another our relationship with
G-d is strong. When, however, there is strife and division, it
forms a wedge between the Jewish people and our Father in heaven.
The entire theme of Sukkot is Jewish unity; indeed, the mitzvah
of the Four Species represents the four types of Jews coming
together to be bound into one entity. Nonetheless, after Sukkot is
over and its positive effect has dissipated, the possibility still
exists that the individual elements will revert to their previous
separateness and dissociation.
In order to prevent this from happening, G-d asks us to remain
with Him a while longer, to celebrate a holiday that will secure
our unity in an everlasting manner.
On Shemini Atzeret, a single sacrifice is brought in the Holy
Temple, expressing the idea of the indivisible nature of the Jewish
people. Furthermore, this concept is also reflected in the way the
holiday is celebrated: great scholars and simple people alike
dancing with the Torah scroll, without distinction between them.
The absolute unity with which we conclude the holidays of
Tishrei thus guarantees that these feelings will carry over into
the rest of the year, effectively preventing that we will ever
"depart" from holiness, G-d forbid.
***************************************
* SIMCHAT TORAH *
* Adapted from the Works of the Rebbe *
***************************************
The last day of the festival of Sukkot is Simchat Torah, the
Rejoicing of the Torah. On this day we conclude the yearly cycle of
the Torah reading by finishing the last portion of the Book of
Deuteronomy and begin again with the first chapter of Genesis. But
why was this particular day chosen to celebrate our joy in the
Torah?
The answer lies in Simchat Torah's close relationship with Yom
Kippur, which precedes Sukkot by five days. One explanation of why
this holiday is observed as a celebration of Torah has to do with
the tablets of the Ten Commandments. On Shavuot, when the Torah was
revealed, G-d gave Moses the first set of tablets. These Moses
broke after seeing the Golden Calf that the Jews had fashioned.
Moses ascended Mount Sinai for a second forty-day period, begging
G-d's forgiveness for the Jewish people. After a third forty-day
period, Moses descended with the second set of tablets. These
second tablets were, in certain respects, superior to the first,
and are called "a double portion of blessing."
Another reason we rejoice on this day is because of the basic
difference between Shavuot -- the holiday which commemorates the
Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai -- and Simchat Torah. On
Shavuot, the Torah was presented to mankind as a gift, whereas on
Simchat Torah the joy we feel comes, to a certain extent, from the
toil and effort we invested in living and learning Torah during the
previous year.
Human nature is such that it is impossible to feel pure and
unadulterated joy over something that is received without having
expended any effort. Food that a person receives as a charitable
donation is called the "bread of shame," and brings with it only
incomplete satisfaction. A person is truly happy only when his
success and wealth are achieved as the fruits of his own labor.
This is why, on Shavuot, our rejoicing in the Torah is not
complete, for on that day G-d gave us His gift without any effort
on our part. Our unlimited joy in G-d's Torah is reserved for
Simchat Torah, the culmination of an entire year's learning and
study.
Unlike the first set of tablets of the Ten Commandments, the
second set were fashioned by Moses and not by G-d, although the
letters were again written by the Divine hand. This underscores the
power man has been given to become an active and willing partner in
G-d's plan for the universe.
Furthermore, when the Ten Commandments were given to the Jews
for the first time, they were all considered to be tzadikim,
righteous people. They stood at Mount Sinai in unprecedented unity,
and were free of sin. The second time around, on Yom Kippur, the
Jewish people had already committed the sin of the Golden Calf, and
were now baalei teshuvah -- they had returned to the right path
after their transgression. Their joy in G-d's Torah on that day was
even greater than on Shavuot, because a person who has sinned and
does teshuvah is on an even higher level than one who has never
sinned, and the closeness to G-d that comes after one has
temporarily strayed is therefore that much more precious.
*********************
* FEET OF THE TORAH *
*********************
Every year, when Jews go forth to dance on Simchat Torah, Torah
scrolls cradled in their arms, they are expressing the fiery bond
of the Jewish people to the Torah and to G-d.
Viewing this dancing -- hakafot -- in the light of Chasidus,
some puzzling questions arise about the manner in which we
celebrate Simchat Torah. The Torah belongs to the sphere of the
intellect (Torah from the root hora'a -- teaching), and it is our
obligation to study Torah and to understand it. Would it not be
more appropriate then to celebrate Torah in an intellectual manner,
by intensifying its study, delving into it in greater depth and
rejoicing in the growth of our knowledge and understanding?
We seem to do exactly the opposite. Instead of studying the
Torah, we take it in our arms, rolled up and clothed in its cover
in a manner that makes it impossible to read from it, and instead
of serving the Torah with our heads, we serve it with our feet --
by dancing!
But strange as it may seem, it is through the dancing of hakafot
that we can best express our true and inner relationship to Torah.
Torah is the wisdom of G-d, as it is written: "He has chosen us
from among the nations and given us His Torah." As such, the true
meaning of Torah is concealed from us, beyond all human
understanding. The scholar can grasp its true essence no better
than a small child. The Torah speaks not to our limited human
intellect, but to the soul itself, for the soul, too, is "part of
G-d Above." When we study Torah -- whether it is the Torah learning
of a great scholar, or the breath of a small child reciting a verse
-- we are connecting the essence of G-d found in the Torah with the
essence of our soul.
The Torah as we see it at hakafot, enclosed in its cover,
symbolizes the aspect of Torah that is hidden from our intellect.
All Jews, regardless of their level of scholarship, can dance with
the Torah. For Torah, as G-d's gift, is the inheritance of all the
Jewish people (and an heir inherits absolutely, regardless of age
or personal qualities).
The previous Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn, explained
that the Torah wishes to go around the reading table. But since the
Torah has no feet, the Jewish people become the feet of the Torah,
and carry it around the bimah.
What does it mean to become the feet of the Torah? Feet have no
will of their own, but obey the dictates of the head
unquestioningly and automatically. By dancing with the Torah,
becoming its "feet," we express our resolve to obey the mitzvot of
the Torah with simple faith and total devotion. The joyous
dedication of the Jewish people to Torah causes the Torah itself to
be elevated, just as the head is borne along by the feet to the
place it wishes to go. This is why Simchat Torah is called, "the
season of our rejoicing," when the Jewish people rejoice in the
Torah, and the Torah, too, rejoices in the Jewish people, both
benefiting each other.
This, then, is the message of hakafot. The true foundation of
all Torah learning and the service of G-d throughout the year must
be based on the recognition of the holiness of Torah as a gift of
the One Above, and on a pure and simple faith leading to devotion
and obedience.
But all this is only the foundation. G-d gave us powers of
intellect, talents and abilities, and these, too, must be put to
the service of Torah. We must not remain with simple faith alone,
but must struggle to understand as much of the Torah as we are
able, by means of our intellect. Only then will we serve G-d with
our entire being.
Even as we dance hakafot with our rolled-up Torah scrolls, it is
the reading table we are encircling, reminding us of the duty to
study the Torah. And before each hakafah we recite verses from the
Torah. For only when simple faith and devotion are combined with
study and understanding are hakafot the way they are supposed to
be.
*************************************
* YOUR SUKKOT - SIMCHAT TORAH GUIDE *
*-----------------------------------*
* Tishrei 14-23, 5763 *
* Sept. 20-29, 2002 *
*************************************
*******************
* WHAT IS SUKKOT? *
*******************
Clouds of Glory
Immediately following the awesome days of Rosh Hashanah through
Yom Kippur, we prepare for the joyous exuberance of Sukkot -- the
"Season of our Rejoicing."
After leaving Egypt, during the forty years of wandering in the
wilderness, the Jewish people were surrounded by protective "clouds
of glory."
In commemoration, and to enhance our awareness of G-d's
all-embracing love and protection, we are commanded, "In sukkahs
(booths) you shall dwell seven days" (Leviticus 23:42).
A Unique Mitzvah
Eating festive meals and spending time in the outdoor sukkah is
a delightful and unique religious experience.
Some have the custom of decorating the sukkah with elaborate
ornaments; others prefer to preserve its unadorned simplicity.
But whatever one's style, the sukkah is the only mitzvah in
which we are completely surrounded, from head to toe, by the
mitzvah itself -- enveloped, as it were, in the Divine presence.
For Universal Peace
When the Jewish people rejoice, our hearts go out to the whole
world.
In the days of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, the Sukkot Festival
offerings included seventy oxen, corresponding to the seventy
nations -- in prayer for their well-being, and for peace and
harmony among the nations of the world.
*************************
* OBSERVANCES OF SUKKOT *
*************************
The Sukkah
During the entire seven days of the Festival, from Friday night,
Sept. 20, until Friday afternoon, Sept. 27, all meals are eaten in
the sukkah, unless it rains.
When partaking of a meal containing at least two ounces of bread
or cake, we say the blessing "Lei-shev Ba-su-kah." (see Blessing
#4).
Ask a competent rabbi how to build a proper sukkah or where to
purchase one.
The Ushpizin
According to the Kabbalah, the ushpizin are spiritual guests who
visit the sukkah each evening.
In the chasidic custom, which follows the Zohar and the Ari, the
order of these spiritual guests is: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses,
Aaron, Joseph and David.
The Ashkenazic custom, also based on the Zohar, is: Abraham,
Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron and David.
According to Chabad custom, in addition to the biblical guests,
we also enjoy the spiritual company of the founders of Chasidus and
previous Chabad Rebbes.
The Four Kinds
Another special mitzvah of Sukkot is the shaking together of the
"Four Species" -- the etrog (citron), lulav (palm branch), three
hadassim (myrtle branches), and two arovot (willow branches).
Each day of Sukkot (except the Sabbath), from Sunday, Sept. 22,
through Friday, Sept. 27, we shake the "four kinds" during the
daytime after saying the appropriate blessing(s).
Why Four Kinds?
One explanation, among many, is that each of the four kinds
represents a different type of Jew.
The fact that the mitzvah requires all four kinds symbolizes our
oneness as a people: we all need one another. And the four species
are waved in all four directions, and up and down, signifying that
G-d is everywhere.
***************************
* SIMCHAT BEIT HASHOEIVAH *
***************************
In the times of the Holy Temple, special festivities were held
each night of Sukkot, in celebration of a special water-drawing
ceremony.
Commemorating these festivities, Chabad-Lubavitch Centers
throughout the world will be featuring evenings of dancing, singing
and joyous gatherings.
Join a celebration or organize one for yourself and friends.
And, as the Rebbe suggests, make it a family affair by having the
ENTIRE family participate.
***********************************
* THE INTERMEDIATE DAYS OF SUKKOT *
***********************************
Chol HaMoed
The third through the seventh days of Sukkot, from Sunday night,
Sept. 22, through Friday, Sept. 27, are called Chol Hamoed -- the
intermediate days.
We do not recite Kiddush or light candles, except for Shabbat.
However, only very necessary work should be done.
Throughout the seven days of the Festival, we continue our
celebration in the sukkah, in ever-increasing exhilaration.
Just as the seven solemn days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom
Kippur serve to make amends for each week of the previous year, so
the seven joyous days of Sukkot will bring us happiness in all the
weeks of the year to come.
Hoshanah Rabbah
The seventh day of Sukkot, Friday, Sept. 27, is called Hoshanah
Rabbah.
It is customary to stay awake the night before and recite
portions of Torah and the Book of Psalms.
In the morning, we circle the Bimah (platform) seven times,
lulav and etrog in hand. Then we recite special prayers, called
"Hoshanah."
In an ancient rite of profound mystical significance, we beat on
the floor five willow branches that are bound together,
symbolically "sweetening" G-d's judgment.
**************************
* WHAT IS SIMCHAT TORAH? *
**************************
A Transcendent Joy
Simchat Torah is the culmination of a month filled with
uplifting experiences.
We have stood in awe before the King of the Universe; we have
been forgiven and cleansed by His mercy; and we have experienced
the joy of uniting with G-dliness through His beautiful
commandments.
Now, we rejoice with His Torah.
We take the sacred scrolls in our arms and dance together,
scholar and novice alike.
During the dancing, the scroll remains in its cover, for this is
not a time for study.
The joy of Simchat Torah is far greater than any delight we may
derive from intellectual understanding. Here again, we emphasize
that sublime level of the Jewish soul where we are all one.
As the Circle Turns
On the evening of Simchat Torah, Saturday, Sept. 28 (and in some
communities, on the previous evening of Shemini Atzeret, Friday
evening, Sept. 27, as well), we make seven "hakafot" (circlings)
around the bimah, singing and dancing with the Torah scrolls.
On the morning of Simchat Torah, Sunday, Sept. 29, the final
portion of the Torah is read, completing the yearly cycle. Then we
immediately start reading the beginning. Thus, we continue to
nourish ourselves from the infinite wisdom of G-d's Torah -- the
eternal force that has bound us together and sustained us for more
than 3,300 years.
Children dancing with Flags
In an army parade, each regiment carries its colors. So, too, on
Simchat Torah, when all of the Torah scrolls are taken out of the
ark and danced with, the children carry flags, like soldiers, to
impress upon them that we are all in G-d's army.
The Festive Meals
On the eighth day, Saturday, Sept. 28, which is Shemini Atzeret,
that commences on Friday night, we continue to eat meals in the
sukkah, but without reciting the blessing "Lei-shev Ba-su-kah."
On Simchat Torah, Sunday, Sept. 29, the ninth day, which
commences on Saturday night, we resume eating meals indoors.
********************************************
* In loving memory of *
* RABBI ELYE GROSS, *
* our Developmental Consultant *
* * *
* On the occasion of his eight yahrzeit, *
* 22 Tishrei, 5763 *
********************************************
*************************************************
* THE SUKKOT - SIMCHAT TORAH CALENDAR 5763/2002 *
*************************************************
Jewish Women and Girls Light Yom Tov and Shabbat Candles
*******************************************************
* FOR LOCAL CANDLE LIGHTING TIMES: *
* consult your local Rabbi, Chabad-Lubavitch *
* Center, or call: (718) 774-3000. *
* or: *
* http://www.candlelightingtimes.org/shabbos *
* *
* FOR A FREE CANDLE LIGHTING KIT: *
* contact your local Chabad-Lubavitch Center. *
* *
* FOR A LISTING OF THE CENTERS IN YOUR AREA: *
http://www.candlelightingtimes.org/general/shluchim.html
* In the USA, call: 1-800-Lubavitch (1-800-582-2848). *
*******************************************************
Times shown are for Metro NY - NJ
FRIDAY, SEPT. 20, EREV SUKKOT:
* Light Shabbat & Yom Tov candles, [1] by 6:40 p.m.
Say blessings #1 & 3.
* Begin eating in sukkah, say blessing #4.
* At the first meal in a sukkah this year -- say also blessing #3.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 21, FIRST DAY OF SUKKOT:
* Light Yom Tov candles, [2] AFTER NIGHTFALL, AFTER 7:39 p.m.
Say blessings #2 & 3.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 22, SECOND DAY OF SUKKOT:
* Begin shaking of the "four kinds" (lulav, etrog, etc.), say
blessing #5.
* At the first shaking of them this Sukkot -- say also
blessing #3.
* Yom Tov ends at NIGHTFALL, at 7:37 p.m.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 27, EREV SHEMINI ATZERET:
* Hoshanah Rabbah - see above "Hoshanah Rabbah"
* Light Shabbat & Yom Tov candles, [3] by 6:28 p.m.
Say blessings #1 & 3.
* Hakafot - see above, "As the Circle Turns."
SATURDAY, SEPT. 28, SHEMINI ATZERET:
* Yizkor memorial prayers.
* Light Yom Tov candles, [4] AFTER NIGHTFALL, AFTER 7:27 p.m.
Say blessings #2 & 3.
* Hakafot (Dancing with the Torah).
SUNDAY, SEPT. 29, SIMCHAT TORAH:
* Hakafot.
* Yom Tov ends at NIGHTFALL, at 7:25 p.m.
_______________
1. The Shabbat and Yom Tov candles must be lit 18 minutes
*BEFORE* sunset. IT IS PROHIBITED AND IS A DESECRATION OF THE
SHABBAT TO LIGHT THE CANDLES *AFTER* SUNSET.
2. Do not light *BEFORE* the times indicated. Light only from a
preexisting flame.
A preexisting flame is a flame burning continuously since the
onset of Shabbat, such as a pilot light, gas or candle flame.
3. The Shabbat and Yom Tov candles must be lit 18 minutes
*BEFORE* sunset. IT IS PROHIBITED AND IS A DESECRATION OF THE
SHABBAT TO LIGHT THE CANDLES *AFTER* SUNSET.
4. Do not light *BEFORE* the times indicated. Light only from a
preexisting flame.
*********************************
* CANDLE AND FESTIVAL BLESSINGS *
*********************************
After lighting the candles, recite:
#1.
BO-RUCH A-TOH ADO-NOI E-LO-HEI-NU ME-LECH HO-OLOM
A-SHER KI-DE-SHO-NU BE-MITZ-VO-SOV VE-TZI-VO-NU
LE-HAD-LIK NER SHEL SHA-BOS V-SHEL YOM TOV.
Translation:
Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe,
who has sanctified us with His commandments, and
commanded us to kindle the Shabbat and Yom Tov light.
#2.
BO-RUCH A-TOH ADO-NOI E-LO-HEI-NU ME-LECH HO-OLOM
A-SHER KI-DE-SHO-NU BE-MITZ-VO-SOV VE-TZI-VO-NU
LE-HAD-LIK NER SHEL YOM TOV.
Translation:
Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe,
who has sanctified us with His commandments,
and commanded us to kindle the Yom Tov light.
#3.
BO-RUCH A-TOH ADO-NOI E-LO-HEI-NU ME-LECH HO-OLOM
SHE-HECHE-YO-NU VE-KI-YE-MO-NU VE-HIGI-O-NU
LIZ-MAN HA-ZEH.
Translation:
Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe,
who has granted us life, sustained us and enabled us
to reach this occasion.
#4.
BO-RUCH A-TOH ADO-NOI E-LO-HEI-NU ME-LECH HO-OLOM
A-SHER KI-DE-SHO-NU BE-MITZ-VO-SOV
VE-TZI-VO-NU LEI-SHEV BA-SU-KAH.
Translation:
Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe,
who has sanctified us with His commandments,
and commanded us to dwell in the Sukkah.
#5.
BO-RUCH A-TOH ADO-NOI E-LO-HEI-NU ME-LECH HO-OLOM
A-SHER KI-DE-SHO-NU BE-MITZ-VO-SOV VE-TZI-VO-NU
AL NE-TEE-LAS LU-LOV.
Translation:
Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe,
who has sanctified us with His commandments,
and commanded us concerning the taking of the lulav.
PLEASE NOTE:
At the first shaking of the "four kinds"
(lulav, etrog, etc.), say also blessing #3.
********************
* MOSHIACH MATTERS *
********************
"Sukkot is referred to as Chag HaAssif--the harvest festival.
This name also relates to the Jews' gathering together, filled with
Ahavas Yisrael [love for one's fellow Jew]. Such gatherings
precipitate the ultimate gathering of the Jewish people, which will
take place at the time of the Redemption. For when division and
strife, the cause of the exile, are nullified, the exile itself,
the effect, will be nullified."
The Rebbe, Sukkot 5752/1992
***************************************
* In loving memory of *
* HORAV CHAIM YEHUDA KALMAN *
* Ben Horav Avrohom Yehoshua Marlow, *
* head of the Bet-Din (Rabbinical *
* Court) of Crown Heights, *
* Passed away, on Friday Morning, *
* 20 Sivan, 5760 (June 23, 2000) *
***************************************
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* MOSHIACH INFORMATION HOTLINES *
* http://www.moshiach.net/blind/hotlines.htm *
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========================================================
= End of Text: Living With Moshiach, Erev Sukkot, 5763 =
========================================================
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Moshiach http://www.virtualjerusalem.com
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