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.



Why these four specific plants? (Audio)

Class on the meaning of the 4 species



Praying for a rainy day?

As we have previously explained, our rabbis introduced two prayers for the rain in the ‘amida. One is barekh ‘alenu (the ninth berakha of the ‘amida), which is the blessing for our livelihood (parnasa). We ask God for “rain” and not for “customers” for our business or for “money” because in ancient times, when Israel was an agricultural society, everyone’s economy depended entirely on rain.  We ask HaShem to bless us with dew and rain, which should come in a way of blessing (librakha). We request HaShem to give us rain in its time and in its proper measure. As it is written in the Shema’ Israel be’ito yore umalqosh, give us “in its proper time the yore, the strong rainfall which the early precipitation and helps to soften the land we need to plow) and then the soft rain, malqosh which is needed once the vegetation starts to grow (if we would get the mild rain at the beginning of the season, it will not be enough to soften the land.  And if we get the strong rainfall when the vegetation is growing, the rain will destroy the plants).The first time rain is mentioned in the ‘amida, is during the second berakha. In that blessing, we don’t ask or request rain or anything else from God. We praise Him. We state that God is Omnipotent (=infinitely powerful) and that He uses His powers to sustain, maintain, support, cure, deliver, nurture, and revive His creatures.  This is the context in which we say “the prayer of praise for the rain “mashib haruah, umorid haGeshem, “[HaShem, You are the One] who makes the wind to blow, and the rain to fall”. In this context we are not asking for rain, we are expressing our appreciation for the fact that HaShem created rain.  We perceive rain as part of tehiyat hametim, “God’s power to revive and restore life” , because thanks to the rain the dry-land revives, the plants grow again and the living creatures of the world stay alive.

Rain is critically important for our survival.  And praising God for “rain” should be nothing short of natural and spontaneous.  In our days, however, we do not really appreciate rain. In urban areas we have lost our appreciation for it… When it rains in New York city, for example, you don’t see people excited and thankful to HaShem about it.  On the contrary, 99% of people are actually annoyed by rain.

What kind of praise then, would one say for something that feels an annoyance more than a blessing?

In the coming days, B’H we will explore some of the wonders of the mechanism of precipitation, which should help us gaining a more profound and positive outlook at the miracle of rain, and hopefully help us to better praise HaShem for one of His main blessings to mankind.



For the first time since the destruction of the Second Temple…

The days of Sukkot were days of a special happiness in the Bet haMiqdash (Temple of Jerusalem). In addition to the Biblical commandment of taking the four species (ארבעת המינים), there were two other Mitsvot fulfilled in the Temple. These two practices are part of what is called “Halakha leMoshe miSinai”, religious traditions taught to Moses at Mount Sinai, with no explicit Scriptural source. One of them was nisukh hamayim (lit. water libation) also known as the ceremony of pouring water on the altar.

The Rabbis described the great joy of this ceremony:

“Whoever has not seen the celebration of the water libation has never experienced the feeling of true joy. Great lamps of gold were hoisted, with four golden bowls at the top of each lamp. Four young priests would climb to the top, carrying immense oil jugs with which they would fill the bowls. Once lighted, there was not a courtyard in all of Jerusalem that did not glow with the light that emanated from the celebration in the Temple. Special balconies were constructed to enable the righteous women of Israel to watch the wise men of the Sanhedrin as they danced. As the people sang, the righteous and pious men would dance before them while juggling flaming torches. The levites, standing on the fifteen steps that descend from the Court of Israel to the Women’s Court, played on lyres, harps, trumpets and many other instruments. Two priests who blew silver trumpets [these were real trumpets or חצוצרות not shofarot, as you will see in the video below]  stood at the top of the stairs on either side of the entrance to the great gate of the Court.

(Tractate Sukkah, Chapter 5)

All this was done to honor the commandment of the water libation. At dawn, the assembly proceeded with melody and song to the spring of Shiloach, at the foot of the walls of Jerusalem. One priest carried with him a special golden decanter and filled it with the sparkling spring water. Then the congregation ascended again to the Temple, led by the priest who bore the golden vessel. Arriving at the Temple, he brought the decanter up to the altar, and poured the water into the  silver cup at its corner.

This ceremony is connected to the rainfall of the coming year, and it was accompanied by prayers for blessing on the earth and its produce.

Adapted from “The Temple Institute” (see the complete article with illustrations  here)

For the first time since the destruction of the Second Temple, the ceremony of pouring of water was reenacted in Yerushalayim. This event took place in Jerusalem, yesterday, 18th of Tishri.