The First Day
Chazal explain the meaning of םֹויַּּם בֶכָם לֶּתְחַקְלּ וןֹוׁאשִרָה – “You shall take for yourselves on the first day.” What “first day” is the pasuk speaking of? It is the first day for counting sins.
Hashem doesn’t start “counting” our sins until the first day of Sukkos. On Yom Kippur, our sins were forgiven, and we were cleansed. This purified state sticks with us even after Yom Kippur. However, the fear and trepidation of the Yamim Nora’im naturally fades as time goes on, and people tend to go back to their old habits. But this is only from the first day of Sukkos and on. On the days leading up to Sukkos we still feel the kedushah of Yom Kippur and this time is without sin.
Simply speaking, it is because the Jewish people are busy on these days with the many preparations for the coming chag which has very complex halachos. It takes a lot of time to find proper arba minim, especially if you want really nice and mehudar ones, and many people are accustomed to look around for the best, because they love mitzvos. Building the sukkah is also an involving and time-consuming task, and there are other preparations for the chag as well. There simply isn’t time for aveiros.
However, the real reason is much deeper than that. It’s not just because there is no time to sin. How long does it take to speak a little lashon hara? On the contrary, there is so much to do, and so little time to do it, that people tend to feel pressured, and this lends itself to anger and impatience, which leads to quarrels, both in the home and out.
The sinless state we enjoy between Yom Kippur and Sukkos is rather because we are so busy preparing for mitzvos that the blessed influence of Yom Kippur’s sanctity sticks with us, so we are careful not to do aveiros. And Hakadosh Baruch Hu, due to the great love and deveikus that we attained on Yom Kippur, does not look at the sins that are committed on these in-between days.
This teaches us a great practical lesson: we can maintain the taharah of Yom Kippur and bring it into the whole coming year. The Shechinah, and all the taharah and teshuvah that accompanies it, doesn’t have to fly away when the shofar is blown after Ne’ilah on Yom Kippur. All the beauty that Yom Kippur brought us, all the beautiful resolutions we make to improve ourselves – to strengthen our Torah learning and our deeds and our davening – we can keep it all going. From Yom Kippur to Sukkos, by preparing for the coming chag. And on Sukkos itself, by all its wondrous mitzvos. And from there to the rest of the year, if we will put in a little thought and attention.
Right in the middle of all the action preceding Sukkos, when the fear and the impression of Yom Kippur is still upon us, we should grab a few minutes to sit and think. Even better if we write it down. What resolutions did I make on Yom Kippur? What decisions did I come to? What do I need to do in order to implement these decisions?
And even after the chag is over, keep it up. Fortunate is the person who continues to make this cheshbon hanefesh all year long, at least once a month. (It’s good to set a fixed day for this, such as Erev Rosh Chodesh, or the 10th of the month, as a remembrance of Yom Kippur which is on the 10th.
This way we can keep the kedushah of Yom Kippur flowing through the whole year. This is such a tremendously wonderful thing!!
