Page 7 - HaMizrachi # 23 Sukkot Simchat Torah 2020 USA

MIZRACHI EDUCATORS TORAT MIZRACHI

Rabbi Reuven Taragin Rabbanit Shani Taragin

Zecharia and Sukkot:

Consolation for Corona

or many months now, Covid-19 against foreign nations in Yerusha- kingship. Countries such as Egypt,
has disrupted our civilization. The layim (reminiscent of the Six-Day who depend on the Nile River for
Fwhole of humanity has found itself War): water, must learn that Hashem con-
contending with a common threat to trols natural and supernatural forces,
life as we know it, and it behooves us For I will gather all nations against and has the ability to stop the most
to re-explore universal messages of our Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall natural phenomenon of rainfall!
past in the Torah and the words of the be taken, and the houses rifled, and
Prophets. the women ravished, and half of the Zecharia concludes his vision with a
city shall go forth into captivity, but
As we open the Tanach, we find the residue of the people shall not poignant description of horses and
pots – symbols of man’s efforts to con-
numerous precedents for plagues be cut off from the city. Then shall trol natural forces through warfare and
and pandemics that have stricken Hashem go forth, and fight against
either the Jewish people and/or spe- those nations, as when He fights in the cooking, which will be transformed
into sacred objects dedicated to Hash-
cific nations, ranging from plagues in day of battle (Zecharia 14:2-3).
Egypt though pandemic punishments em’s Mikdash. Even household pots
in the wilderness. Both the Plishtim will be treated as holy as we recognize
Divine immanence in every aspect of
and people of Yehuda suffer pandem- “” The climax, however,
ics due to improper interaction with will be a global our lives!
the Aron Kodesh, and David HaMelech Sukkot is the time to relay this mes-
faces national disease after conducting plague that will sage to the global community. Hashem
a census. However, there is only one not be overcome controls agricultural-natural forces
ה ָ פ ֵּג ַ מ (plague) mentioned in Tanach through natural and provides us with seasonal huts.
with parallel global ramifications and On Sukkot we are meant to recognize
fatalities – and we read its messages means and will elicit and internalize mankind’s vulnerabili-
on the first day of Sukkot! a recognition of ties and Hashem’s omniscient powers
Sukkot is celebrated as a holiday Hashem’s powers. – which extend beyond the natural –
of nature, as we enjoy our harvest providing us with Clouds of Glory and
through the Four Species and dwell He continues to detail miraculous miraculously-supervised rainfall in
in sukkot (Ibn Ezra, Vayikra 23:43). changes in the political and natu- Israel and throughout the world.
Yet Chazal teach us to simultane- ral realms as victory will ensue and Perhaps if we do that this COVID-af-
ously recognize Hashem’s miraculous Yerushalayim will be safe. The climax, fected Sukkot, then together with the
supervision, in the form of the Clouds however, will be a global plague that global community, we will merit
of Glory that sheltered us in the will not be overcome through natural
1
wilderness. means and will elicit a recognition of And the L-rd shall be King over all
Hashem’s powers. Zecharia then notes the earth; in that day shall the L-rd be
The haftarah on the first day of Sukkot that those nations that survive this cat- One, and His name one (ibid. v.9).
revisits these existential themes as aclysmic war will be required to go to
we hear Zecharia’s eschatological Yerushalayim every year on Sukkot to
prophecy (chapter 14). He sought pay homage to G-d. 1 See the Tannaitic dispute between Rabbi
to encourage the minority Jewish Akiva and Rabbi Yishmael, Sukkah 11b.
population of Shivat Tzion to regain The message of the pandemic is to
sovereignty in the Land of Israel. He teach the world that rules of nature Rabbanit Shani Taragin is Educational
begins his prophecy by describing may change. Even “super-power” Director of Mizrachi and the Director of the
how HaKadosh Baruch Hu will fight countries must recognize Hashem’s Mizrachi Matan Lapidot Educators’ Program.

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