Definition of true Happiness 

ושמחת בחגך אתה ובנך ובתך ועבדך ואמתך והגר והיתום והאלמנה אשר בשעריך
דב’ 16:13-15
“Be joyful at your festival. You, your children, your servants, the Levites, the strangers, the orphans, and the widows who live in your towns.”

Besides living in the Sukka and taking the four species of plants, in Sukkot we have another Mitsva: “simcha”, happiness. The Tora instructs us to be and behave happily every Yom Tob, particularly in Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, and Simchat Tora.

DEFINING HAPPINESS

First, we should realize how privileged we are to belong to Am Israel, knowing that HaShem protected us in the desert and that we are still under His permanent care: this thought should bring us happiness.  Second, although we are used to the idea that happiness results from success and that success consists of having more, gaining more, showing more, etc., the Jewish vision of happiness is slightly different. It is not having what I want but wanting what I have and especially enjoying sharing what I have.

MEALS and GIFTS

The essence of the Mitsva of being happy consists of enjoying festive meals with our family, friends, and guests. Meat and wine are a must on Yom Tob’s menu. We eat, drink and sing in gratitude to HaShem. We honor the day and make it pleasurable as we do during Shabbat (Shulhan ‘arukh OH 529:1). In honor of Yom Tob, we should dress well, and according to the Shulchan ‘arukh we should dress in Yom Tob better than in Shabbat. (idem.)  Our Sages also mentioned that each family member enjoys material happiness differently. Before Yom Tob begins, the parents should get for their children “…roasted nuts and walnuts (=the equivalent today of candies and small toys); the husband should buy clothing and jewelry for his wife, whatever he can afford.  And the husband is happy with a good meal. And his happiness increases –I would add –when seeing his wife and children happy!.

MODERATION:

The “Simcha”, the joy of Yom Tob, also requires moderation. “During Yom Tob [and this includes the celebrations of Simchat Tora] a person should not drink too much alcohol … because drunkenness and frivolity are NOT part of the Mitsva of behaving with joy: excessive consumption of alcohol brings to lightheadedness and frivolity. Our goal as Jews is to reach a level of happiness conducive to serving God. No one can serve the Almighty through frivolity and drunkenness “(Idem., 6:19)”. The best way to serve God is to feel happy that we are fulfilling God’s commandments and that we love and we are grateful to Him. “(MT H. Sukka veLulab, 8:15).

SHARING 

In the pasuq me mentioned above, the Tora specifically commanded us to share our happiness with those who have less. In a sense, the Tora is explaining to us that being happy consists of making other people happy: providing means or food to orphans, widows, and poor people (SH ‘A 529: 2). Maimonides elaborates on this last point: “If someone closes the doors of his house [to the needy] and he eats and drinks alone with his children and his wife, and does not feed and give to drink to the poor and needy, he is not feeling the joy of a mitsva, but the joy of his stomach. . “(MT Yom Tob 6:18)



Shemini Atseret & Simchat Tora

ושמחת בחגך אתה ובנך ובתך ועבדך ואמתך

והגר והיתום והאלמנה אשר בשעריך

דב’ 16:13-15

“And you shall rejoice in your celebration, you, and your sons, and your servants, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow that dwell in your people”
During the festival of Sukkot, we reside in the Sukka for seven days and we take the four species of plants (etrog, lulab, hadas, ‘araba). Also during Sukkot, we have another Mitsva called “simcha”, which means “to celebrate” or to be happy. This is the only one of the three Mitsvot of Sukkot that also continues for the next festival: Shemini Atseret, this coming Shabbat Oct 6th and 7th and Simchat Tora, Sat night Oct 7th and Sunday, Oct 8th.
What is Simchat Tora?
Outside Erets Israel, as on any other festival (= Yom Tob), the holiday is celebrated for two days in a row. In this case, the second day of Shemini Atseret is also known as Simchat Tora, in which we celebrate the completion of the annual cycle of Tora reading and the uninterrupted beginning of the new cycle of reading from Bereshit.
The Tora tells us to be happy and to manifest our joy during these holidays. We sing and dance around the Tora, expressing our joy at being a part of the people chosen by God to study and observe His Law.
Material joy is also part of the celebration. During Yom Tob we share several festive meals with our loved ones. We eat, drink, honor the day of Yom Tob, and make it as pleasurable as the Shabbat (Shulhan ‘Arukh OH 529: 1).
In honor of Yom Tob we also dress well, as we do when we go to a wedding. According to the Shulhan ‘Arukh we must dress in Yom Tob “better” than in Shabbat. (Idem).
The Rabbis also explained that each individual enjoys material happiness in a different way. They said that before Yom Tob begins, the parents will give their children “… nuts [to eat] and nuts [to play]. The equivalent today would be “candies and small toys [not electronics!]”. The husband must give his wife clothes and/or jewelry, always according to his possibilities (and the husband is happy seeing his wife happy).. On the other hand, the woman of the house prepares a good meal for her husband and her family. Wine and meat are “mandatory” on the menu of Yom Tob. Meals are prepared with care and in abundance, but still within each person’s budget.
Although we are accustomed to the idea that happiness is the result of success and that success consists of having more, gaining more, showing more, etc., the Jewish view of happiness is a little different. In Yom Tob, we learn to rejoice with what we have, regardless of “how much” we have. In our materialistic society, it is considered that success is having what one wants; we must learn that happiness consists in wanting what one has and sharing with others what one has.
By offering others–those who do not have enough to eat, or those who do not have a family, especially orphans and widows– to participate of our family meals (SH ‘A 529: 2).
Maimonides said about this last point: “The person who closes the doors of his house [to the needy], eats and drinks [by himself] together with his wife and children and does not feed and drink the poor, is not practicing the joy of this Mitsva, but the joy of his own stomach … “(MT Yom Tob 6:18)
Finally, material joy also requires moderation:
“During Yom Tob [and this includes Simhat Torah, YB] a person should not drink too much [alcohol] … because drunkenness and frivolity are not part of the Mitsva to be happy. [drunkenness is rather] part of vulgarity and ignorance … and [the Tora commanded us] to attain a level of happiness that is compatible with our service to HaShem … a person can not serve HaShem from frivolity, lightheadedness or drunkenness “(6:19). “The highest way to serve HaShem is to feel happy that we are able to fulfill [His will by observing] His commandments …” (Maimonides, MT H. Sukka veLulab, 8:15).


Thank You, HaShem, For The Rain!

The Mishna explains that in Rosh haShana God Almighty examines our deeds and determines, based on our merits, if we deserve another year of life. We have a window of opportunity from Rosh haShana to Yom Kippur to admit our mistakes and appeal an eventual negative decree, confessing, asking for forgiveness, etc. At the time of the Neila, the decree is sealed and our fate in that specific area, determined.

In Sukkot, our rabbis said, our livelihood is determined bachag nidonim al hamaim . In other words, assuming we were granted good health to make it to the next year (notice that we ask God to grant us ‘one year at a time’) the question remains: will we be granted the means to maintain a life of dignity?

The key concept that represent our request for a dignified livelihood is the word ‘rain’.

Why?

Because in biblical and Talmudic times, the Jewish farmer would plow the land, saw the seeds,  and take care of his field protecting the crops from animals, sickness, strong winds etc.  But it is “rain” what will ultimately determine the success of his harvest.  Rain is needed for a successful harvest and having then what to eat and rain is essential for our livelihoods and the life of our animals. Drought would kill humans and animals and it was considered one of the worst and most damaging natural tragedies …Rain is the most important requirement for the livelihood (parnasa) of the  farmer.

At the end of Sukkot, from the Musaf prayer of Shemini Atzeret this coming Shabbat morning we change the words Morid haTal “You make the dew descend” for “Mashib haRuach uMorid haGeshem“,  “You make the wind blow, and the rain descend.” to praise HaShem for the Creation of rain (see also this article) . This text is introduced in the second blessing of the Amida.

It is important to notice that at this specific point we are not actually “asking” God for rain. As we know, during the first three blessing of the Amida we don’t ask God for our needs, rather we praise Him for His power and kindness. When saying Mashib haRuach thus, we are acknowledging (not asking) God that it is by His will that the mechanism of rain is activated, and we are implicitly recognizing that our livelihood depends on Him.

מי ששכח להזכיר “משיב הרוח ומוריד הגשם”, ונזכר לאחר שסיים את ברכת  מחיה המתים ,  אם אמר “מוריד הטל” במקום “משיב הרוח ומוריד הגשם” ,כפי מנהג הספרדים בימות הקיץ , אינו חוזר לראש התפלה כיון שאמר מוריד הטל



Where is the Etrog Originally From?

Although it is not mentioned in the Tora as one of the seven typical fruits of Israel (wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates), the etrog is a fruit indigenous to the land of Israel. Maimonides has already suggested this fact in his “Guide for the Perplexed,” where he explained that the Tora instructed us to use four specific plants, etrog, palm branches, myrtle, and willows, which were easily obtainable in the land of Israel.
 
The etrog was such a predominant Jewish symbol that it could be found in many mosaics and coins of ancient Israel. For example, in the coins of the year 66 CE, before the destruction of our Second Temple, and especially in coins minted in the years of the of Bar Kokhba revolt, 130- 135 of the Common Era.
 
Back then, supported by Rabbi Aqiba, Bar Kokhba led an army that tried to rebel against the Roman empire and rebuild an independent Jewish state, but the rebellion failed.
 
The use of etrogim in the coins of the Bar Kokhba rebellion is even more meaningful when we remember the great discovery of the Israeli archaeologist Yigal Yadin, who found a perfectly preserved letter in the caves of the Yehuda Desert, written by Bar Kokhba himself, in which he describes the difficulties of his troops with some unique supplies.
 
This is the text of the letter.
 
“Shimon [bar Kokhba] to Yehudah: …. I’m sending two donkeys and two men. I sent them to Yehonatan bar Masabla … you must ask them to carry donkeys and bring them back loaded with palm branches [lulabim] and etrogim. And also send other [men] to bring to our camp branches of myrtle [hadasim] and willow branches [‘arabot]. Make sure tithing (ma’aser) is already separated. Send all to my camp. Our army is very large. Shalom“.
 
And this is the original letter of Bar Kokhba in ancient Hebrew
 
 
While originally from Israel, the etrog is also found on the coasts of the Mediterranean. Some areas are famous for the extraordinary quality of their etrogim. Calabria (Italy), the island of Corsica (France) or the island of Corfu (Greece). One can find etrogim also in Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, etc.
But, how did the etrog come to those parts of the world?
 
The most accepted hypothesis today is that the etrog was brought from Israel to other areas of the Mediterranean with the dispersion of the Jews throughout the world, with a very specific mission in mind: to be used during the holiday of Sukkot.
 
Why do researchers believe that?
 
Because unlike the lemon or other citric fruits, the etrog tree is relatively fragile, very sensitive to diseases that can affect its root, and lives for relatively few years (12-15, unlike the lemon, which can live 25 to 30 years). In addition, the etrog demands much more water than other citric trees; and the fruit has almost no pulp. For what other reasons have etrogim been planted in orchards along the Mediterranean Sea?
 
For a long time, etrogim were not grown in the land of Israel, and these “foreign” etrogim supplanted the etrogim from Israel. Only in the mid-19th century, on the initiative of Sir Moses Montefiore z”l, that etrogim were grown again in Israel.
 
Many Jews in the diaspora use etrogim from Morocco, Italy, Yemen, etc. But it is good to remember that those etrogim also have solid Jewish roots…

See this interesting article about Calabria and the Etrogim https://www.calabriatheotheritaly.com/santa-maria-del-cedro-diamante-citron/



What is the Secret of the Four Plants?

“And, you shall take on the first day [of Sukkot] a fruit of a citric tree (etrog), branches of palm-trees (lulab), a branch of myrtle (hadas) and willows of the brook (‘araba), and you shall rejoice before HaShem, your God, for seven days”. (Lev. 23).
What is special about these plants that we take in Sukkot?The Tora does not explain why we should take specifically these four species during Sukkot. One possible explanation for this omission, in line with the thinking of Maimonides, is that at the time the Tora was given the reason for this commandment was so obvious that it needed no further explanation.The Hakhamim (the Rabbis of the Talmud) offered some interpretations, focusing on what these plants visually represent (four organs of the body -spine, heart, eyes, mouth- all united to serve HaShem); or their perfume and taste ( four individuals of the Jewish people, their study and their virtuous deeds).

PERENNIAL PLANTS My teacher, Rabbi Sa’adia Benzaquén, z “l, used to say that what these four plants represent the “vegetable kingdom” because all of them are perennial plants, i.e., they do not die or lose their leaves in the winter. This is particularly characteristic of the etrog, a fruit, that as the Gemara explains “remains in its tree throughout the whole year (haddar beilano mishana leshana). These four plants also grow in four completely different habitats. The etrog grows in the valleys, the lulab in the desert, the myrtle (hadas) in the mountains, and the ‘araba (willows) on the shores of lakes and rivers.

Their need for water is very different.

THE LIFESPAN OF A PLANT I also noticed a few years ago that these plants get dry at a completely different pace. The plant that dries faster than all other plants is the ‘araba. Willow branches, once cut from their tree, would dry up within a few days. Sometimes, the branches of ‘araba might not survive even the seven days of Sukkot. Then we have the myrtle leaves, hadasim, which would dry up completely in a few weeks. The lulab, the palm branch, dries very slowly, it takes months not weeks to dry up. And finally, we have the etrog. There are several elements that make the etrog a special fruit. But perhaps the most characteristic aspect of the etrog is that it does not decompose, and might last for years. If one leaves, for example, a lemon or any other citric fruit for a few days outdoors, or even in a refrigerator, it will inevitably turn white or green and moldy . The etrog, however, never decays. The etrog will shrink and dries up and it would loss its color, but it would not decompose, and it would preserve its aroma, not for months but for years!

BY DESIGN? Are these characteristics by chance? Although I’m not quite sure how to interpret the meaning or symbolism of these features –and perhaps at the time the Tora was given the reason was absolutely obvious — I do not think that it is just a coincidence that the Tora mentions these specific plants. Why? First, because a fundamental element of the festival of Sukkot is water / rain. During Sukkot we start thanking HaShem for rain (mashib haruah, morid hageshem) , and we also pray and ask HaShem to have a year of generous rainfall, at its due time, knowing that at this time God decides the fate of our crops and produces (בחג נדונים על המים). And these plants seem to represent four different levels of “dependence” on water, and the humidity they contain and preserve. The etrog and the ‘araba seem to be at opposite ends in terms of how long the moisture they keep inside lasts. The main reason why I do not think this interpretation is a coincidence is the order in which these four plants are presented in the Tora. The Tora mentions these four species in a specific order: first, the Tora mentions the fruit that lasts the longer, the etrog. Then, the lulab (palm branch), then the hadasim (myrtle), and at the end the ‘araba (willow): the longer the plant last, the earlier it is mentioned in the pasuq.

MY GARDEN OF EMUNA

This year I planted in my backyard a few tomatoes plants. And I noticed that the tomatoes don’t grow all at the same time: they produce their fruits, one or two at a time, thus, allowing us to have tomatoes for the entire season. I was so amazed and grateful to HASHEM when I noticed that! Then, this year as I was reviewing what I wrote about the reason for these plants I thought of a similar idea: the main reason why the Tora tells us to take these plants and being grateful and “rejoice before HaShem, your God” is because Sukkot happens at the end of the harvest. It should be noted that in ancient times there were no refrigerators or food preservation methods like we have today. And of course it was always necessary for farmers to have food reserves that could last until the next harvest. There are perishable foods that, just like the “‘araba”, won’t last for a long time once they are harvested and they must be eaten while they are fresh. There are also foods that like “hadasim” and “lulab” can last for a few weeks. And there are other foods that can be left to dry like the “etrog”, like figs, dates, and most grains. In His infinite wisdom and goodness the Creator designed perishable foods that need to be eaten fresh, and foods with no expiration date. Perhaps the arba’at haminim, four plants with very different expiration date, represent these characteristics and they give us one additional reason to thank HaShem for his Awesome Creation.



The Fragility of the ‘araba

If you look at the four plants we take on Sukkot; you will see that one of the differences between them is the length of time they last until they dry out or decay.

The Etrog lasts the longest; it shrinks but can last for years without decomposing. Then, we have the Lulab, the palm branch, which takes a few months to dry (which is why, when the Matsot were baked at home, it was customary to use the dry branches of the Lulab, adding them to the oven where the Matsot were made). And then there are myrtle or hadasim, which can last a few weeks without decomposing. Of the four species, the most fragile and the one that decomposes the fastest is the ‘araba. Willow leaves last only a few days off their trees, hopefully, a week…

Our rabbis explain that at the end of Sukkot, the Heavenly Court issues the verdict on the rain that will fall this coming year (bachag niddonim ‘al hamayim). This is the main reason why, following a kabbalistic custom, it is customary to stay awake all night on Hoshanah Rabbah studying Tora).

“Rain” is the most critical element for our livelihood. And immediately after the end of Sukkot, the rainy season begins.

It is possible that the ‘araba also reminds us of our vulnerability and dependence on the rain that HaShem sends us. Furthermore, we internalize our fragility by hitting the ‘araba’s branches against the ground and seeing how the ‘araba is defoliating with each blow. Thus, we realize that we entirely depend on HaShem for sustenance and prosperity.



SUMMARY OF HAAZINU

The Tora portion we read this week, Ha-azinu, consists of a poem by Moshe. This poem is of a prophetic order since it anticipates the good and the bad that will happen to the Jews in their history.
Moshe invokes the heavens and the earth as eternal witnesses of this prophecy. In this poem, the heavens and the earth begin by praising God, declaring He is righteous and just and that His children, the Jewish people, cause their own misery by forgetting and abandoning God. And especially for not being thankful and deliberately ignoring that God is the source of all blessings.
Moses pleads with the Israelites to contemplate history and see how God protected Israel in the desert as an eagle cares for her young. God will establish them in the promised land where they will lack nothing. But as sometimes happens with a spoiled child who receives everything from his parents, the people of Israel will ignore God, rebel against Him, and abandon Him. Ironically, this will happen because they now have so much blessing and abundance that they feel they do not “need” God. They will be searching now for false gods from pagan peoples.
God will be indignant at this lack of gratitude on the part of His children and as a consequence o will then “hide His Face,” that is, suspend His special protection over the Jews. The pagan peoples will then invade the land, and the people will be exiled and on the verge of extinction. And at that moment, the Jewish people will wrongly think that all this happens to them because “God does not exist”. That is why this poem represents a testimony: to know that when Israel is not protected, the reason is that they have abandoned their Protector and moved away from Him.
However, the time will come when God will redeem Israel and would punish the nations that made His beloved people suffer. Israel will then sing praises to the Creator.
In the last part of this short but very profound Parasha, Moshe teaches this poem to the Jews. He implores them to pay close attention to it since the Tora is not a superficial text but a Guide that gives meaning to our lives. And only when we cling to it will we strengthen ourselves and B”H have the merit to live uninterruptedly in our land.
God tells Moshe to go up Mount Nebo. From there, the great leader of Israel will see the promised land before he dies.


VIDEO: Yom Kippur for Kids (part 2)

Fasting in Yom Kippur.

Tefila of Yom Kippur.

Who should fast and who should not?

Children and fasting.

Wearing non-leather shoes.

VIP: What should we learn from the story of Yona?



VIDEO: Yom Kippur for Kids (Part 1)

What is Teshuba and what are the steps that we should follow?

Learning to apologize.

There is nothing wrong with saying, “I was wrong”.

The power of forgiving others.

What should we do every night before we go to sleep?



ROSH HASHANA: The call of the Shofar

Every day, we have many opportunities to ask HaShem what we need and want from Him. On weekdays, three times a day, we recite the Amida. From its nineteen blessings, thirteen focus on our needs: we ask God for good health, good livelihood, protection, etc. During Shabbat and Chaguim, when opening the Hekhal, we ask HaShem to grant us good health, good livelihood, protection, and much more. During the High Holidays, we request HaShem several times for our Parnasa (livelihood), for long life, good health , etc.
What are we supposed to do when we listen to the Shofar in Rosh haShana? Should we keep asking God for more things? Is the Shofar an extension of our own voice requesting God loudly and with a broken heart for all the important things we want for the coming year?
Public opinion (and general practice) notwithstanding, when listening to the Shofar we should NOT focus on asking God for anything.
Why?
Because when the Shofar is blown, it is the only time of the year that God is asking something from us!
The voice of the Shofar should be understood as a ‘divine wake-up call’. God is our father (abinu). The one that gave us our life. When the Shofar is blown, we should reflect on what good we have done with the year of life He graciously gave us.
When the Shofar is blown, we must remember that HaShem is also our King (malkenu). We owe Him obedience. At that solemn moment, we are asked to admit our responsibility and begin a process of repentance that will continue until the end of Yom Kippur .
When the Shofar is blown, we become answerable to God, accountable for what we have done wrong and for the opportunities to do good that we missed!
When listening to the shofar, we should not focus on asking favors from HaShem, but on realizing that He is asking us to be accountable for the life He granted us.