Ask the Rabbi
Excerpts from first night of Sukkos 5751 (1991)
Sukkos is referred to as Chag HoAssif, “the harvest festival.” This name also relates to the Jews' gathering together with ahavas Yisrael. Such gatherings precipitate the ultimate gathering of the Jewish people which will take place at the time of the Redemption. For when division and strife, the cause for the exile, are nullified, the exile itself, the effect, will be nullified. We will proceed together “with our youth and our elders... our sons and our daughters” to our Holy Land, to Jerusalem, to the Beis HaMikdash, and to the Holy of Holies...
...This relates to the concept of the ushpizen, the seven honored guests who are associated with the Sukkos holiday. In particular, this relates to the seven ushpizen mentioned in the Zohar (Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Moshe, Aharon, Yosef, and David ) and the Chassidic ushpizen (the Baal Shem Tov, the Maggid, the Alter Rebbe, the Mitteler Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek, the Rebbe Maharash, and the Rebbe Rashab) who were mentioned by the Previous Rebbe. (In the latter instance, the Previous Rebbe pointed to a place and stated, “Here the Baal Shem Tov sat. Here the Maggid sat.” )
The ushpizen are guests. In an ultimate sense, the concept of a host refers to G-d, for the world is His dwelling and every Jew is G-d's guest. Although a Jew is “a son at His Father's table” and a son must serve his father, when a son is a guest at his father's home, the father serves the son. A Jew is only a guest in this world, for each Jew is veritably “a part of G-d” and thus he is by nature above the limits of the world. And therefore, G-d, the host, must care for him and show him honor.
A guest is obligated to bless his host. In the above context, this refers to the Jews' activities which reveal G-d's influence in the world at large. In particular, the ushpizen of the present day, Avraham our Patriarch, shares a connection to the above concept, for he revealed the existence of G-d through meditation on matters of this world. He revealed that G-d created the world from absolute nothingness and that, in essence, material existence is one with G-d's essence. The ultimate revelation of these concepts will be in the Era of the Redemption, when “G-d will reign forever,” and “On that day, G-d will be One and His Name, One.”
As mentioned above, it is necessary to honor one's guests. The greatest honor we can give our guest, Avraham, is to endeavor to resemble him. In regard to Avraham, we find the expression “Avraham was one.” Similarly, each Jew has the potential to reflect this oneness, for the Jews are referred to as “one nation in the world.”
This will allow us to enter Sukkos with great happiness, a happiness which “breaks down barriers.” This will be enhanced by the fact that everyone has resolved to celebrate in Simchas Beis HaShoeivah and to spread this rejoicing with others.
And together with the influence of the ushpizen and particular, the ushpizen of the present night, Avraham and the Baal Shem Tov, we will approach the ultimate Redemption. And this will be in a wondrous manner, as characteristic of the Baal Shem Tov. Without any delay, we will proceed to Eretz Yisrael, to Jerusalem, to the Beis HaMikdash, and to the Holy of Holies. May this take place in the immediate future.
(The Rebbe Shlita again announced “Gut Yom Tov” three times and began singing his father's Hakkafos niggun.)
