Page 39 - HaMizrachi # 23 Sukkot Simchat Torah 2020 USA

Rabbi Ari Z. Zivotofsky

The “Flimsy” Davidic Dynasty?

n Sukkot, an enigmatic line is not that people were not familiar with A sukkah is easily knocked down, but
added near the end of Birkat the verse from Amos. It was used, and owing to its inherently flimsy nature,
OHaMazon: ּונ ָ ל םי ִ קָי אּוה ן ָ מ ֲ ח ָ ר ַ ה continues to be used, poetically in it is considered the same sukkah when
ת ֶ ל ֶ פֹוּנ ַ ה ד ִ ו ּ ָ ד ת ַּ כ ֻ ס ת ֶ א – may the Merciful rabbinic literature. 2 rebuilt. Such is the way with the Jewish
One restore the fallen sukkah of David. people and with the Davidic dynasty
While this short prayer has become a The phrase from Amos did enter the – they have been blown around and
popular song, its meaning and place in liturgy in about the 12th century in a knocked down by the vicissitudes of
the Sukkot liturgy is far from clear. context not connected to Sukkot – and history, but they are rebuilt.
seemingly later falling into disuse – in
The origin of the phrase is Amos an Ashkenazi Motzei Shabbat piyut The rebuilt country of Israel in the
9:11, part of Amos’ glorious epilogue recently printed from manuscript (by Land of Israel is not a new entity, but
of hope depicting the golden End of Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Stal in a Torah rather a continuation of the previous
Days. The prophecy speaks of G-d journal called Segula vol. 14, Tammuz “sukkah” that stood here. So too, when
raising up Sukkat David, closing 5780). the Gemara (Sanhedrin 96b) says
up its breaches, raising up its ruins, the verse in Amos is referencing the
and building it like in the good old The earliest mention of reciting Mashiach, it will not be a new dynasty,
days. The prophecy continues (v. this HaRachaman on Sukkot seems but a restoration of the same Davidic
th
13) with the famous image of the to be the 17 century, when it was dynasty.
plowman overtaking the reaper and mentioned by Rav Jousep Schammes
the treader of grapes meeting the one (1604-1678) in his book of customs The inclusion of this request based
who plants seeds, and the mountains of the Worms community and by on the verse from Amos specifically
dripping with sweet wine. Truly a Rav Eliyahu Spira (1660–1712) in his on Sukkot may be related to its
beautiful vision, but it is not clear Eliyahu Rabbah. Neither of these early immediately following Yom Kippur.
1
what the hapax legomenon “Sukkat sources provides an explanation as to The Davidic dynasty endures because
David” refers to. Most traditional the connection between the Sukkat King David – unlike King Shaul –
commentators assume it refers to the David and the holiday of Sukkot. The was able to admit he sinned and
Davidic dynasty’s rule over a united parsimonious explanation is simply repented. Having just come through
kingdom, as Amos was prophesying the appearance of the word “sukkah” Yom Kippur, we as a nation are saying
when there was a divided kingdom in the eschatological verse and hence to G-d that we can emulate King
while the Temple still stood in its easy integration and acceptance in David in that regard, and therefore
Jerusalem and the Ten Tribes had the Sukkot liturgy. are deserving to have his dynasty,
not yet been exiled. Nonetheless, the Sukkat David, and the Temple,
others interpret the phrase as Rav Yehuda Amital, in explaining restored in our renewed country.
referring variously to the Mikdash, the Maharal, says that in general a
Yerushalayim, or the Shechina. monarchy is termed bayit, as in beit
David, owing to its strength. But a 1 A term of which only one instance of use is
Irrespective of its original intent house has an additional characteristic. recorded.
is the question of how and why it If it falls down and is rebuilt it is no 2 For example, the 11th-century Machzor
Vitry, when mentioning Tisha B’Av, invokes
entered the Sukkot liturgy. The list longer the same entity. If one makes this optimistic verse from Amos. Similarly,
of “HaRachamans” that we say at a vow to not benefit from a house, if the 15th century Leket Yosher concludes his
the conclusion of Birkat HaMazon that house falls down and is rebuilt introduction with this verse of optimism.
are post-Talmudic, first appearing in the person may benefit, as it is now
the Rishonim period. Yet the Sukkot a new house (Ran, Nedarim 7a). Rabbi Ari Z. Zivotofsky is a Professor of
addition was still not included. It is Conceptually, a sukkah is different. Neuroscience and a tour guide in Ir David.