Page 14 - HaMizrachi #33 Sukkot 2021 USA

Sukkot in the Covid Era

Rabbi Reuven Taragin

t was early morning when the Baal appreciate and thank Hashem for what The world is a pretty evil place.
Shem Tov (the “Besht”) met the He has already given you is keeping
town’s water carrier and asked Him from giving you more.” 2 Even if
Ihow he was doing. The water Some goodness does shine through once
carrier sighed and began complaining How many of us are guilty of the same in a while
about all of his troubles. He still needed lack of appreciation? We take our
to work despite his old age and lack blessings for granted and are instead Satisfaction and happiness don’t last.
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of strength, his wife had been sick for frustrated by the things that we lack. And it’s not true that
years, and he was unable to find suitors
for his older daughters. The Besht tried It’s all in the mind and heart
to cheer him up, but was unsuccessful. Because
The two met again the next day and True happiness can be attained
the Besht again asked the water car- Our ancestors spent forty years in
rier how he was doing. This time he the hot and dangerous desert, far Only if one’s surroundings are good
received a different answer. “Despite from civilization. But instead of It’s not true that good exists
my advanced age, I am, thank G-d, still bemoaning the difficult lot of our
breathing, davening, laying tefillin, and forefathers, we thank Hashem and I’m sure that you can agree that
learning each day while most of my The reality
peers have already passed away. Not celebrate the sukkot he gave us.
only that, but I am still able to work Creates
for a living and am not dependent on Sukkot is an ideal time to reflect on this My attitude
others. Though my wife has been sick, idea. Our ancestors spent forty years in
Baruch Hashem she is still alive and the hot and dangerous desert, far from It’s all beyond my control
doing a bit better and, thankfully, G-d civilization. But instead of bemoaning And you’ll never in a million years hear
has blessed me with daughters who are the difficult lot of our forefathers, we me say
so gifted and special that it is hard to thank Hashem and celebrate the sukkot
find suitors worthy of them.” 1 he gave us. Today was a very good day
But when read again from the bottom
Sukkot is Z’man Simchateinu, when we When we awake each morning, we
celebrate and thank Hashem for our recite a series of berachot that thank up, the same poem expresses appreci-
harvest and our successes. For many, Hashem for the basics of human life. ation of the good in each day.
Scan here to join after a difficult year of Covid, this “Who desires life, loving each day to see
Rabbi Taragin’s We bless Hashem: she’asa li kol tzorki,
daily Divrei Torah Sukkot may be harder to celebrate than “who made all I need for me.” We are good?” (Tehillim 34:13).
WhatsApp group usual. Our ability to celebrate hinges on meant to appreciate that Hashem has If we desire a life worth living, we must
our perspective. There are people who already created all that we truly need.
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have many blessings, but focus on what learn to love each day by focusing on
they lack, while others who have very In the end, happiness is a matter of the good in our lives. Let’s take the
little feel blessed. perspective. When we read the fol- opportunity of Sukkot in Covid times
lowing poem, entitled Worst Day Ever?, to appreciate the good in our life that
A chassid of the Lubavitcher Rebbe sent we often take for granted.
him a letter in which he bemoaned his written by Chanie Gorkin – a student
difficult situation. Living in Yerusha- at Chabad’s Beth Rivkah High School
layim, he was struggling to support his in Brooklyn – line by line from top to 1 See Motzi Asirim (Rabbi Yechezkel Weinfeld), p. 8.
wife and 10 children. The Rebbe penned bottom, it expresses deep disappoint- 2 Karov Eilecha, Pesach 5774.
a short response expressing how happy ment and frustration with life:
he was to hear about the chassid’s mar- Today was the absolute worst day ever 3 See Iyov 1.
riage, the birth of his 10 children, and 4 In contrast to the other birkot hashachar, this
A member of
the Mizrachi the great zechut the chassid had to live in And don’t try to convince me that bracha is formulated in the past tense.
Speakers Bureau Yerushalayim. After signing his name, There’s something good in every day Rabbi Reuven Taragin is Educational Director
mizrachi.org/ the Rebbe added an addendum note to of Mizrachi and Dean of the Yeshivat HaKotel
speakers the chassid. “The fact that you do not Because, when you take a closer look, Overseas Program.

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