Page 30 - HaMizrachi # 23 Sukkot Simchat Torah 2020 USA
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HOLIDAY READING
Rabbi Ronen Neuwirth
“If I’m Here, Everything is Here”
REFLECTIONS ON Z’MAN SIMCHATEINU
ukkot is defined as Z’man Sim- of Megillat Kohelet (Ecclesiastes), who finds joy and happiness is the
chateinu, the season of our which we read on Sukkot: “For to one who has the wisdom and the
Srejoicing. Nevertheless, it is a man who is good in His sight, He courage to realize our happiness and
hard to imagine true and authentic has given wisdom and knowledge our sense of security comes from
rejoicing while many of us are living and joy, but to the sinner He has within us and not from any external
under lockdown, in quarantine, or given an occupation to gather factor. That is why “being here” was
apart from our families. I wish to and to accumulate” (2:26). King everything for Hillel.
highlight a special aspect of Sukkot Solomon’s frustration relates to
that might help us experience Z’man his inability to find happiness in We tend to think of our brick homes
Simchateinu on a more profound all his endless assets, possessions as providing us with a sense of safety
level this year. and properties. He was the richest and belonging. But in truth, as long
of kings, but it did not give him as our safety depends on external
The pinnacle of the festivities during a sense of security and joy. He factors, we will remain inherently
the era of the Beit HaMikdash says: “I built myself houses, and I insecure and unhappy. Our careers,
was Simchat Beit HaShoeva, the planted myself vineyards. I made expertise, accomplishments and
Rejoicing of the Water-Drawing myself gardens and orchards, and assets do not define who we are. It
House. The Rabbis tell us: “One I planted in them all sorts of fruit is our deeper purpose in the world
who has not seen the Simchat trees. I made myself pools of water that brings meaning to our lives and
Beit HaShoeva has never seen to irrigate a forest sprouting with gives us the sense we belong here.
rejoicing in their life.” (Mishnah, trees… I had possessions of cattle
Sukkah 5:1) The Rabbis asked and and flocks, more than all who Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kook writes:
answered: “Why is it referred to “I must find my happiness within
as ‘Beit HaShoeva’? Because from were before me in Jerusalem. I myself, not from social acceptance,
accumulated for myself also silver
there they draw the Holy Spirit, as not from my career nor anything
it states (Yeshayahu 12:3), ‘You will and gold, and the treasures of the else. The more I will know myself,
kings and the provinces” (2:4-8).
draw water in joy from the springs the more I allow myself to be
of salvation’” (Talmud Yerushalmi, After years of accumulating and original and stand on my own –
Sukkah 22b). gathering, he realizes it is all in vain with an inner awareness combined
because nothing external can make with wisdom, emotion, poetry – the
Among the stories in the Talmud him happy in this world: “Then I more the light of G-d will enlighten
about this event is this puzzling turned [to look] at all my deeds that me and the more my strengths will
statement: “When Hillel the Elder my hands had wrought and upon evolve to become a blessing to me
was rejoicing at the Simchat Beit the toil that I had toiled to do, and and the world” (Arpilei Tohar, p31).
HaShoeva, he said this: If I’m here, behold everything is vanity and
everything is here, and if I’m not frustration, and there is no profit True happiness is not defined by
here, who is here?” (Sukkah 53a). under the sun” (2:11). our social strata. It is not achieved
How can Hillel, our role model for through the acquisition of wealth,
humility, have said something that According to Kohelet, the “sinner” nor is it a result of any pleasurable
sounds so arrogant? is the person who misses out on experience. True happiness is based
life. He is the one who is obsessively on the courage to present who we
The explanation can be found in occupied with gathering and truly are. That is why there is no
one of the most profound lessons accumulating wealth. The person more appropriate timing to learn the
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