Page 40 - HaMizrachi # 23 Sukkot Simchat Torah 2020 USA

HOLIDAY READING

Rabbi Dov Lipman

Jericho, Circles

and Remembering the Goal

nd G-d said to Yehoshua, ‘See The Mishna (Tamid 3:8) lists nine benefits of the Land. In doing so, we
I have given you Yericho… sounds that emanated from the Beit combat all impurities in the physical
“Aand you shall go around the HaMikdash – including the shofar land and elevate it to high spiritual
city…encircle the city once. Thus you blasts and the songs of the Levi’im – levels.
shall do for six days…On the seventh and were heard in Yericho. Similarly,
day you shall go around the city seven the fragrance of the incense burnt in Sukkot is the holiday during which
times’…So they did for six days… on the the Beit HaMikdash could be smelled we ask G-d for rain and success with
seventh day… they went around the city in Yericho. The Raavad explains that the coming year’s crops. This focus
in this manner seven times” (Yehoshua the sounds were not heard and the fra- on physical hopes and aspirations
6). grance could not be smelled by any of always runs the risk of pulling us
the cities between Yerushalayim and away from G-d and spirituality. Thus,
Can one read these words and not Yericho. They miraculously reached while asking G-d for rain during the
immediately picture the Hoshanot Yericho, and Yericho alone. Hoshanot ceremony, we reenact what
we recite throughout Sukkot? Why is our ancestors did before conquering
Sukkot the time we reenact the Jewish The Raavad teaches that just like Yericho, elevating it from the lowest
people’s conquest of Yericho? before eating the crops of Israel levels of contamination to the highest
one must separate teruma for the levels of spirituality akin to Jerusalem
Rabbeinu Bachya explains that circling Kohanim, Yericho was the first city and the Beit HaMikdash. This reminds
Yericho demonstrated we were not captured upon entering Israel and it is us that as we pray for physical bless-
going to be influenced by the spiri- sanctified as teruma for G-d. This can ings in the Land of Israel, the ulti-
tual contamination of the inhabitants explain why Yehoshua forbade anyone mate goal of this physical success is to
of the city, and by extension those to take the spoils of Yericho for their enable us to focus on reaping the spiri-
who lived in the Land of Israel. The personal use. Just like the holiness tual blessings this Land has to offer the
Yericho-like imagery of the circling of of the Beit HaMikdash meant items Jewish people.
the bima on Sukkot comes to remind belonging to it could not be taken and
us that one of the goals of the holiday used by individuals, the same applied As we circle the bima with our lulav
is to combat the negative spiritual to Yericho. and etrog and beg G-d to bless the
impact of the “70 nations of the world,” Land of Israel with a successful rainy
as symbolized by the 70 special Sukkot But didn’t Rabbeinu Bachya teach season, let us remember that the goal
sacrifices offered in decreasing order. that Yericho represented the spiri- of physical blessings in the Land of
tual contamination of the inhabitants Israel is to help us focus on Torah,
When Israel was divided among the of the Land of Israel? How can it be mitzvot, and to become a holy people,
tribes, 500 square amot of Yericho, holy like Yerushalayim and the Beit experiencing a close relationship with
the precise size of the Temple Mount, HaMikdash? G-d.
was designated for the tribe that
would host the Beit HaMikdash (Sifri When walking around the city seven
Beha’alotcha 81). The Gemara (Taanit times, the people were led by the
27a) teaches that when each of the Aron, which carried the luchot, as they
24 groups of Kohanim had their two- encircled the city. The act of simply
week rotation to serve, half went to following the Aron, while walking in
Yerushalayim to work in the Beit circles as our first act upon entering
HaMikdash and half went to Yericho the Land of Israel, demonstrated our Rabbi Dov Lipman is a former MK and the
to secure food and water for the half recognition that we enter the Land to author of seven books about Judaism and
working in the Mikdash. follow the Torah and gain the spiritual Israel.

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