Speeches
Mini Sermons for Sukkos
1. Sukkos – when we work on our faith in mankind
On RH and YK we work on our faith in Hashem. On Sukkos we work on our faith in mankind. We sacrifice 70 Korbonos for the 70 nations. We bind the Lulav with the four different types. ראוים כל ישראל לישב בסוכה אחת. We pray for Geshem for the whole world.
Three points on that Nekudah:
A. It makes sense. If on RH we accepted G-d as our King and committed ourselves to His mission then by extension we must believe in the team He paired us up with. We do many things over Sukkos to affirm our faith in our micro team – Am Yisroel and the broader team of mankind. It’s very nice to believe that G-d wants the world to be a better place but if you think that the team He put together is weak and without a chance then you’re pretty much back to square one.
B. RH and YK where we work on our faith in G-d we sit in a house of worship. Sukkos where we are trying to believe in mankind we get out of the shul and into the outdoors and streets. On RH we run towards G-d and away from the world and its environment. On Sukkos we run into the world and celebrate the mitzvoth with the world. We do many different styles of unity building initiatives to make it happen:
1. Sukkah – sitting all together and farbrenging.
2. Everyone’s hut looks pretty much the same. Differences are miniscule when it comes to Sukkos. It’s all temporary and flimsy.
3. The 4 minim and their unique story of unity.
4. Dancing and merrymaking, going round and round in circles without a beginning and an end.
5. Pouring water on the Mizbeach symbolizing that the simplicity of water where we aren’t judged by our sophistication – wine.
C. To believe in G-d is relatively easy compared to believing in mankind. G-d is perfect, infinite, untouchable and indefinable. Humanity is imperfect, finite, touchable and definable. It takes a greater leap of faith to believe in mankind than to believe in a creator.
If by the end of Tishrei you have a strong belief in G-d and in the team he created to accomplish His mission – and most importantly: you believe that you are a worthy team member and you believe in your capability to accomplish the mission – then you have had a mighty awesome Tishrei.
2. He who cries on RH can dance on Sukkot
The Possuk says בכסה ליום חגנו. Chassidus explains that what was Nistar on RH and YK comes our revealed on Sukkos. One of the ways that this theme can be explained is the following:
We tend to think that seriousness and joy are opposites. The person who is serious cannot be joyous and vice versa.
The truth however is that joy and seriousness are the same thing and their opposites are the duo of meaninglessness and happiness. Let me explain:
If life has meaning then it’s serious. If G-d created the world and has a mission and purpose then life isn’t a joke. It’s damn serious! The other side of that same coin is that if life is so serious and yet G-d chose to believe in me that I can accomplish this herculean task then how lucky I am! Wow! I’m made for the big leagues!
Plus: like we say in the twelfth Possuk ישמח ישראל בעושיו – when we realize how serious life is and how much joy Hashem gets when His mission is accomplished then we are joyous with Him!
יש לו לשמוח בשמחת ה' אשר שש ושמח בדירתו בתחתונים!
If life is meaningless then there is no seriousness to life and it all pretty much ‘goes with the flow’. The only way to have any pleasure in such a life is by distractions from ‘real life’, namely: buying stuff, power, money lust etc. All these escape routes are the by-products of a life without goals and meaning. Happiness can be translated as pleasure that comes from things. Joy – what comes from finding meaning. Joy is spiritual.
3. Take it to heart
Interesting that the only two Yomim Tovim where we have to do something physical in connection to the heart is Yom Kippur where we Klap Al Chet, and Sukkos when we bring the 4 minim to our heart.
This can be taken in a few directions.
As mentioned in the first Drosha – YK is bringing faith in Hashem into your heart and Sukkos is bringing faith in humanity and Am Yisroel into your heart.
Yiras Hashem – YK. Ahavas Hashem – Sukkos.
It opens the whole discussion about how Yiddishkeit demands that we take things to heart. Very often we use the expression – don’t take this heart; it wasn’t personal…. These Yomim Tovim are calling us to take things personally! Yiddishkeit is personal.
Ahavas Yisroel is personal, and isn’t just a generic term. Just like the mitzvah of Ahavas Hashem that has to be Murgash in the heart so too the Achdus of the 4 minim must be felt in the heart!
Very often we focus on two dimensions of Yiddishkeit the mind – Torah learning, and action – Mitzvoth. We too rarely hear about the third leg the emotional – heart part of Yiddishkeit. [The world stands of the three beams of Torah – mind, Avodah – heart, Maasim Tovim – action.]
This is an opening for a great discussion about what Torah says regarding the emotional makeup and EQ etc. Which is basically the whole Tanya - לבאר היטב how it’s possible for a ‘heart’ relationship with Hashem.
A great resource on this is the intro to the Sefer Chovas Halevavos by the author himself. Really great source material about what Torah thinks of the heart.
אחר המעשים נמשכים הלבבות – you’d think that bringing a physical object to the heart – your fist or 4 minim – is merely symbolic but what affect can it really have on the heart? No! Even though these are seemingly external acts on the outside of the heart they can nevertheless affect our emotions and bring in those positive feelings that the 4 minim ought to.
By taking your hand to your heart what you are saying is that you tell your heart what to feel! The whole discussion of מח שליט על הלב – that we dictate to the heart what it should feel. A great roundtable discussion on ‘who owns our heart – do we dictate to our heart what it should feel or do circumstances and other people decide our emotions?
This is a great follow-up to the whole discussion of forgiveness regarding YK. Holding grudges means that we are allowing others to be squatters in our heart. They own real estate of our heart without paying for it!
A great story is told by Zevin about the person who came to his rebbe asking him how to control his thoughts in davening. The Rebbe sent him to the home of a certain Yid. When he arrived at the guy’s home it was night and he knocked and knocked for the whole night, and although he could see that there was someone awake in the house, nobody let him in. Finally in the morning he was allowed in and was greeted like royalty.
He stayed over for a few days and he couldn’t understand why his rebbe sent him here to learn control of thoughts. So he approached his host and asked him to explain why he was sent here by the rebbe.
The host responded: But didn’t you learn the lesson on the first night you were here waiting outside the door? The lesson was that I own my home and only I decide who is allowed into my home!
We decide who will own place in our heart.
Raizel Deitsch- Sukkot Dvar Torah ideas
1.. Celebrating connections
We just did all the introspection on YK- now it’s time to celebrate in true Jewish style- food and joy. YK is standing under the Chuppah with G-d- it's our deepest point of connection to our soul, to G-d. And just like a traditional Jewish wedding is followed by sheva brachot- 7 days of feasting and celebration follow, so too with Sukkot- it’s our Post YK wedding celebrations CELEBRATING our connection with G-d as we take it into the rest of the year and day to day life. We leave our homes and all our ‘stuff’ and recognize it’s these deepest connections that r the most important things in life.
Possible Questions for everyone to answer- What/ who do u celebrate in ur life right now? ( ex person, stage in life/ decision/community...)
2. Gratitude
Sukkot can be called our original Jewish Thanksgiving. It’s even known as Festival of Harvest/Ingathering and Festival of Booths for this reason! It’s the time of year that all the Jews would gather the final crops laying in the field before fall begins, so we celebrate outdoors with schach and the lulav and etrog. Most importantly - it reminds us of the booths the Jewish people lived in the desert, which housed them on their dangerous journey, and yet with G-ds loving protection, no scorpion or danger every reached them. We spend so much time on our own careers, and achieving our goals, and celebrating our successes. But Sukkot reminds us to pause and reflect- that it’s all G-ds blessing that makes it a success, and allows us to “GATHER IN” all the blessings through our effort.
What are YOU grateful for this month?
3. THINGS DONT MATTER-BACKPACK ANALOGY
Question: If u had to put ALL your stuff into a backpack- how many backpacks would it take? Isn't it crazy how much STUFF we accumulate over our life??
Sukkot reminds us, that life is transient. We are just visitors here, like the travelling Jews in the dessert. It’s not the stuff that matters, after all , we don't even get to take that with!
STORY- option 1- man with suitcase goes to heaven and they ask what's this? He says can't I bring my stuff? Angels say sorry not here, they stay in your house. He asks can I bring my body, they say sorry that gets buried, he asks can I bring my friends- angels says sorry they stay down,... etc. so he asks what can I bring?? What's the suitcase for? Angels answer- only thing u bring here are your choices. That's what truly defines you and what you carry with you.
STORY option 2- sock story. Father dies and leaves a note for children to bury him with his sock. Jewish law doesn't allow and kids are in total distress what to do. Right before funeral they find another letter- “Dear kids. I tried to teach you a lesson. We spend all our lives collecting things- and look, I couldn't even take my SOCK with me to the next world! Spend the rest of your life accumulating what really matters…. Love, faith. mitzvot….”
It’s our choices, our connections, our faith, our family, loved ones, community…. SUKKOT is the most awesome backyard tent holiday, and greatest reminder- that the most important things in life don’t require a backpack- it’s all in YOU and the people you love, your heart and soul, faith, choices.
4. HASHEM'S HUG
( From the Maharal)
Every wondered why we love hugs so much? ( ask for any responses and listen)
There are many ways we express love.
Gazing into someone's eyes
Kiss
Words of love
All have in common? They are face to face expressions.
Then we all know the best expression, one we crave on a bad day or any day- and that's a warm HUG. a Hug is unique because it’s all embracing. It wraps our back too- and subconsciously tells us - “ I love your back too. Not just your front , and all the perfect and easily attractive things about u, and all your social media projections. I love your dark side too, your low side. I love ALL of you.”
Don't we all crave to hear and be fully accepted and embraced for who we are?
This is sukkot. YK we fasted and prayed, and connected to G-d in the deepest way. But let’s be honest- we are not like that every day. We tried our best to be angels- but we are not always like that. So on Sukkot we go outside- eat, drink, laugh and be merry, and have a special mitzvah to sit in an outdoor Sukka/hut that needs to have two and half walls. Just enough to make the shape of an embrace and wrap around our ‘backs’. A sukkah is literally G-d's hug. He is telling us, "I loved you on YK , but I love you too NOW. Now, when you sit out here and be your full self. I want to be with you here too- and I love every side of you, my precious Jew!" The Sukkah comes and embraces us AS WE ARE.
End option
Let yourself experience this all-encompassing acceptance- a true source for self-confidence every morning. You’re loved and have a purpose just by being you (Modeh ani)
LET’S GIVE THE HUG BACK to G-d- and experience this full mitzvah. Spend our time in here, make it meaningful, connect, shake the lulav…
5. Bamboo- Schach- Nurturing ourselves and our Dreams
This Sukkah reminds us of the booths the Jewish people lived in the desert, which housed them on their dangerous journey, and yet with G-ds loving protection, no scorpion or danger every reached them. It’s also known as Festival of Harvest/Ingathering -It’s the time of year that all the Jews would gather the final crops laying in the field before fall begins, so we celebrate outdoors with s'chach and the lulav and etrog.
I’ve always wondered why we specifically use bamboo on our Sukkahs? According to Jewish law it can be any raw, unfinished vegetable matter . But Jewish mysticism always encourages us to learn something from everything you see. I recently came across this incredible fun fact and wisdom:
So many of us start a project, and after a day, a week, a year- we don't see enough progress or we lose momentum so we start becoming cynical or we give up all together.
Did you know The Chinese bamboo tree needs to be watered every day, and doesn't break through the ground till after 5 years?? That's right. If you were planting this you neighbors might start thinking your crazy- you're still going?? Not even one branch and its been 5 years??
Well everything is happening under the soil. Sometimes our dreams need years of consistent watering. Sometimes the real growth is everything that's happening under the soil- our perseverance, our faith, our courage, our morality, our love, our connections- because when we don't give up on watering and we push ourselves to work hard, give and grow- our true selves start to develop- and the person we become becomes far more valuable than the dream itself.
And then imagine this- after 5 years, within 5 weeks the bamboo grows 90 feet tall!!! Eventually our hard work blossoms.
Maybe this was the message our ancestors living in these booths in the desert lived with- it my take 40 years or more- but we won't give up on our dream and the people we are becoming. We will take each challenge as it comes, but we are on this journey and ready to water and nurture our dreams.
Sukkos Sermon - Yossi Lew
BUNDLES OF BRANCHES, WALLS OF JOY
The man was seriously contrite.
Although our meeting took place within twenty-four hours of Yom Kippur’s ending, it seemed to still be Yom Kippur for him.
Our conversation was actually about Yom Kippur: He had been moved and inspired by the holy day to make a resolution regarding his behavior specifically at home, and he had failed by the next morning.
“In the first twenty-four hours?” he asked. “How lame can I be?”
The man was in danger of breaking his resolution yet again, this time in front of me, so I asked him: What if it would have taken you a week or a month? Would that have been more acceptable? The man responded that a week later, and especially a month later, would not have been as bad as a mere day later. He felt that after some time elapses, it is excusable for one’s concentration to have been broken.
“If that is the case,” I said, “it may be time to examine the whole resolution syndrome.”
When someone resolves to do something, it should be expected to be done. If someone, for instance, pledges to donate money to charity, the recipient should expect the donation. Only after the money has been donated can the commitment of the pledge be fulfilled.
When a person pledges to change him or herself, however, that person should not be expected to relapse into the original condition. The resolution is not a commitment merely to do something (like donating to charity); it is a personal commitment to become someone else. It should therefore not be okay for a person to be nonchalant about such a commitment – not after a day, a week, a month or even a year.
A commitment requires a constant focus. Without the focus, the resolution does not have much of a chance, not even after one day.
Being fully focused and committed is an idea especially relevant to this time of the year, at the holiday of Sukkos which follows Yom Kippur. During this biblical holiday, the Torah commands the Jewish people to “dwell in booths (Sukkahs, plural for Sukkah) for seven days”. The reason presented by the Torah is: “In order that your [ensuing] generations should know that I [G-d] caused the children of Israel to live in [clouds of glory that resemble] booths (Sukkahs) when I took them out of the land of Egypt.” (Vayikra (Leviticus) 23:42-3).
Clearly, then, the purpose of dwelling in the Sukkah is to focus upon and acknowledge the role of the Almighty in providing our sustenance, shelter and protection.
But that may be a problem if one were to rely solely on the Sukkah. Chances are very high that you, my dear friends, did not construct the house in which you live. Chances are equally high, though, that you did construct the Sukkah in which you will dwell for the seven days of the festival. I can talk for myself: I was not blessed with the ability to construct. Things that I set out to build do not get very far… My Sukkah, on the other hand, I do know how to build – thanks to some very generous friends who have guided and taught me.
It is therefore quite natural that, when looking at the walls of this temporary dwelling place I constructed with my very unable hands, a feeling of pride and accomplishment comes my way, which could cloud my ability to focus on the real purpose and meaning of this law. Additionally, whether the Sukkah is constructed through one’s own hands or through hired hands, the mere fact that the eating quarters have been transferred to other confines usually leads one to think about where the person is, rather than on why the person is there.
In other words, it is not always easy to internalize the stated message of the holiday, namely recognizing the Almighty’s role in providing our needs.
It is for this reason that another biblical commandment is presented for this holiday that, at first glance, seems to come “out of nowhere.” The Torah states: “You should take for yourselves: The fruit of the beautiful tree (referring to the Esrog, the citron), the fronds of a date palm (called a “lulav”), branches of a (myrtle) tree, plaited like cords, and willows of the brookside”. (Vayikra (Leviticus) 23:40).
Mandates, laws and customs for the Jewish holidays are generally closely associated with the focus of the holiday. Matzah on Passover reenacts the food consumed by the Jewish people upon their Exodus from Egypt, as does telling the story of the Exodus. The sounds of the Shofar represent the coronation of the King of kings. The Menorah on Chanukah reenacts the great miracle of the holiday, as does the feast of Purim.
What is the connection between the four kinds of fruits and branches and the holiday representing how the Almighty provides?
It is, I believe, the other side of the Sukkah commandment. The four species are divided into two: Two are foods (the Esrog, which is a fruit, and the Lulav, from a palm tree), while the other two are associated with water (willows require an abundance of water to grow and survive, while myrtles can survive for months without water).
These four kinds, then, represent: abundance of food (a beautiful fruit); sparse food (the date palm, native to hot, wet oases – but in the desert); abundance of water (willow); and sparse water (the myrtle surviving many months without water).
Each morning of the holiday (except on Shabbos), the four kinds are taken to the Sukkah, bound and united together. After reciting the blessing, the four kinds are waved to all six directions: Right, left, forward, up, down, back. Each wave requires a shake or a quiver. And after each wave, this bundle of branches is brought back, towards one’s heart.
The Mitzvah of the “Four Kinds,” the companion to the Mitzvah of Sukkah, seems to be saying: “Please watch how I am waved everywhere and then brought right back to your heart, as a reminder of who provides your food and drink whether in good times or sparse times. And then allow yourself to be ‘shaken-up’ as you follow me to all the Sukkah’s walls, in all directions. Together, we both remind you to be focused on the theme of the holiday: that your sustenance and shelter come directly from the Highest Source.”
And when the focus and commitment are in the right place, we are assured that “you will rejoice before the Lord you G-d” (23:40). Our lives will be filled with joy, knowing that we can rely upon the Almighty who most definitely provides all His children, at all times, with all good things.
SUMMARY: The walls of the Sukkah are reminders of Heavenly protection. This reminder is joined by the “four kinds” which bring focus and a “shake-up” to our daily lives.