Page 33 - HaMizrachi Sukkot 5783 USA

If you didn't A Time of Simcha:

test for Celebrating the Blessings of Life

GAUCHER Rabbi Reuven

Taragin

DISEASE T hough there is a mitzvah pouring it out on the altar the next actions and prayers at Har HaCarmel
Zman simchateinu
morning. This simcha was so unique
were answered with rain, our celebra-
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that Chazal describe it as qualitatively
tion of faith makes us worthy of receiv-
to be joyous on all of our
ing rain and Hashem’s other blessings.
greater than any other.
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holidays, only Sukkot is
Why was this ritual, which is not
Though it is always easy to focus on
described as zman sim-
even explicitly mentioned in the
what we are missing in our lives,
chateinu, “the time of our joy”. The
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you didn't test Torah mentions the word simcha a Torah, the center of the Sukkot cel- Sukkot is an opportunity to reflect
ebration? There seems to be little to
upon and celebrate Hashem’s great
total of only four times in reference
celebrate. Sukkot is observed at the
blessings that we too often take
to holidays, and three of these men-
end of the summer when the springs
for granted. May this celebration
tions concern Sukkot. The famous and
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for everything. oft-sung words v’samachta b’chagecha… are at their low point. The water liba- strengthen our confidence and merit
tion ceremony is, appropriately, a
us continued good health, happiness,
v’hayita ach sameach, “and you shall
national prayer beseeching Hashem
and success in the upcoming year.
rejoice on your festivals and be fully
to provide us with more water in the
joyous” refer specifically to Sukkot.
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year ahead. Why is this ceremony the
Lifnei Hashem source of such extraordinary simcha? 1. See Rambam, Sukkah 8:12 who speaks of the
“additional joy” of Sukkot in contrast to the
Why is Sukkot so joyous? On a simple A deeper level of simcha standard joy of other holidays.
level, Sukkot – also called Chag HaAsif, 4 2. Vayikra 23:40, Devarim 16:14,15.
the “Holiday of Harvesting” – cele- Though the water libation ceremony 3. Devarim 16:14–15.
brates the successful completion of seems to be little cause for joy, it is, 4. Shemot 23:16.
the harvest season. Although our in fact, the root of our most profound 5. Vayikra 23:39. See also Sefer HaChinuch 324.
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Chazal link the celebration to Hashem’s for-
celebration of the harvest is similar simcha. With this ceremony, we demon- giveness of Am Yisrael during the first weeks
to that of other cultures, Rambam strate that our joy is not merely the of Tishrei (Midrash Tehillim 102, Sukkah 53a,
explains that Sukkot differs because result of our success, but also because Vayikra Rabbah Emor 30).
of its focus on the Beit HaMikdash: “And we recognize that Hashem cares and 6. Moreh Nevuchim 3:43. This verse is the basis
for the Torah law that the four species are
you shall rejoice before Hashem your provides for us. Though most people only taken for seven full days in the Beit Scan here to
G-d for seven days” (Vayikra 23:40). 6 naturally celebrate their successes, HaMikdash (Mishnah, Sukkah 41a). join Rabbi
This is also why Sukkot is described they have no reason to assume their 7. Vayikra 23:39, Devarim 16:15. Taragin’s
as Chag Hashem, the “Festival of G-d”. 7 success will continue in the future. We, 8. Note the parallel between the verses describ- daily Divrei
however, know that our success signi- ing the joy of the four species (Vayikra 23:40) Torah
We celebrate “before Hashem” because fies the strength of our relationship and the verses describing bikkurim (Devarim WhatsApp
we realize that He is the cause of our with Hashem, and so we are confident 26:2,11). group
success. Much like the mitzvah of the success will continue. 9. This is why we take the four species before
Hallel and integrate them into the service.
bringing bikkurim, on Sukkot we use 10. Rashbam, Ramban on Vayikra 23:39 and
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products of the harvest to praise 9 When Eliyahu HaNavi stood at Har Ritva on Sukkah 53a.
and thank Him for our success. We HaCarmel after years of drought, 11. “All of this joy is only for the water libation”
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remember how Hashem cared for us he poured out four large jugs of the – Rashi, Sukkah 50a.
nation’s last remaining water on the
Gaucher Disease is one of the most common in the desert and realize that he con- altar of Hashem as an expression of 12. “Whoever did not see the joy of the water
libation has never seen joy in his life” –
tinues to do so today.
Sukkah 51b.
his confidence in G-d’s mercy. Each
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Jewish genetic diseases among Ashkenazi Jews. Simchat beit haShoeva – year at the water libation ceremony, 13. Rosh Hashanah 16a.
14. Melachim I 18:34–35, Shmuel II 23:16.
celebrating the water libation we express this same confidence by
not only pouring out the last of our 15. Melachim I 18:45.
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HaMikdash was the simchat beit haSho-
sively when doing so. We reflect on our
eva, the “water libation celebration”. success of the past year, appreciate its A member of
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the Mizrachi
Throughout each night of Sukkot, source, thank and praise Hashem for Rabbi Reuven Taragin is Educational Direc- Speakers Bureau
the people celebrated the water just it, and celebrate our confidence in the tor of Mizrachi and Dean of the Yeshivat mizrachi.org/
drawn from the Shiloach spring before future. Like Eliyahu HaNavi, whose Hakotel Overseas Program. speakers
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