The Close Connection Built Through This Yom Tov
סוכה וד' מינים
The Close Connection Built Through This Yom Tov
The Filling Light and the Sur- rounding Light
The Sefarim HaKedoshim explain to us in the language of kabbalah—that there are two modes of the Ribbono shel Olam's existence in This World: ממלא כל עלמין וסובב כל עלמין, filling all the worlds with His light, and surrounding the worlds with His light.
Without wading too deeply into the idea, the practical application of סובב וממלא is that the Ribbono shel Olam can be found surrounding us as well as inside us—and we must seek closeness to Him in both of these ways.
On the Yom Tov of Succos, we serve the Ribbono shel Olam with both levels. The succah—which surrounds and encompasses us with Hashem's light—represents סובב כל עלמין, while the dalet minim, which we grasp and pull towards ourselves, represent our inner connection with Hashem.
Surrounding and Being Surrounded
The mitzvah of Succah is an inyan of וימינו תחבקיני, His right hand embraces me, as we're protected in the Heavenly shade. Outside, there are difficulty and challenges and problems—but the succah protects us from them all, because we're embraced by the Ribbono shel Olam.
The dalet minim, on the other hand, signify an inner connection. We grasp them close to our heart— and the Gemara relates that the people of Yerushalayim would hold the dalet minim all day! We embrace tightly, as it were, the Ribbono shel Olam Himself, and we thank and plead and supplicate Him!
For this reason, we embrace the dalet minim as we recite Hallel— because, on Succos, we don't merely express words of praise and thanks, we grab on tightly, as it were.... These are lofty concepts and ideas, but this is the way Chazal designed it.
Thanks for the Past, Supplication for the Future
A Yid stands at Hallel grasping the dalet minim with such closeness to the Ribbono shel Olam! He expresses his gratitude and thanks: הודו לה' כי טוב כי לעולם חסדו, Thank You Hashem, for all the kindnesses of the past. The Yid breaks down in tears, overwhelmed with gratitude. Simultaneously, he pleads for the future, saying, “Don't abandon me, Hashem! When I experienced challenges and suffering, I called out to You מן המיצר, from the depths of distress, and You answered me. I come to You once again, pleading that You never abandon me.”
The commentaries explain that the chronology of Hallel is designed like a story that every Yid relates: “I was in trouble, and I turned to Hashem, and He answered me— and therefore, I turn to Him again! We say in Nishmas: עד הנה עזרונו רחמיך ולא עזבונו חסדיך, Until now Your mercies have helped us, and Your kindnesses have not forsaken us—we cannot do a thing without the Ribbono shel Olam. Continue to help me just as You have never abandoned me. I know that You will surely continue to help me. ואל תטשנו ה' אלוקינו לנצח, Cast us not off, O Lord, our G-d, forever. I have no doubt that You will never abandon me, and I know that if You were to abandon me even for a moment, I would lose everything!
Help!
On the Yom Tov of Succos, we have been given a further special opportunity with the additional tefillos of Hoshaanah—our plea for help from the depths of our hearts! This is not provided for us at any other time of the year—the ability to follow up our expressions of thanks and gratitude of Hallel with a supplication for continued assistance from Hashem. We find a similar concept in Modim, in which we say, על שהחייתנו וקיימתנו כן תחיינו ותקיימנו just as You have given us life and sustained us, so too should You continue to do so.
Thus, there are two aspects to this Yom Tov: The embrace of the Ribbono shel Olam, which illustrates His protection from all outside threats, and the inner connection with the Ribbono shel Olam, which is illustrated by the dalet minim. When we grasp the lulav while we are in the succah, we bring together these two modes of our connection to Hashem.
An Abode Outside, a Bond Inside
When a couple marries and prepares to establish a Yiddishe home, they must first find an apartment. This isn't a simple endeavor in many Jewish communities... but we find what we can.
But when we think about it, the actual house is superficial, peripheral compared with the incredible events that will transpire within the home. A Jewish home is no small thing. It is a place of השראת השכינה from where generations of neshamos will come forth. We cannot even grasp the greatness of this. Chazal tell us that it's akin to rebuilding one of the ruins of Yerushalayim. Something very holy and lofty is taking place in that apartment.
But this requires the technical, physical existence of a home. Only after establishing the physical walls of an abode can all the great and lofty events take place. A person can't say, "I won't sully myself with silliness such as acquiring an apartment.... Instead, I will learn the writings of the Arizal about the greatness of marriage." Surely, we need earthly vessels where the Shechinah could rest.
Welcoming the Shechinah into Our Abode
The same thing plays out every Tishrei, with every Yid. The Mishnah tells us that יום חתונתו ויום שמחת לבו, the day of our nuptials and the day of the joy of our heart, refers to Yom Kippur. This day features great joy—like a wedding day; we celebrate the building of a new home between the Ribbono shel Olam and His children.
The new home is the succah! We build a small and humble hut where we will convene with Hashem. It's not all that glorious physically—but the union and the connection with Hashem that we celebrate here surely are. In the succah, we speak with the Ribbono shel Olam, we sing to the Ribbono shel Olam, we cleave to and pine for the Ribbono shel Olam... we do everything that we do following a wedding!
Staying Home
The succah is the vessel for השראת השכינה. In this place, we build and strengthen our inner bond with the Ribbono shel Olam—and once it is built upon the proper foundations, the relationship will remain that way forever. Even if a person should depart for a while, the bond will remain.
We see this in a marriage between husband and wife. A few years after their wedding, the husband may need to leave home for a few days—for business or otherwise— and the relationship continues to function. Because the home has been established properly.
But during the first year of marriage, the שנה ראשונה, we don't go anywhere. We remain home—because this is the time of establishing the foundations. In later years, the husband may come home late after learning... but it's no longer an issue, because the foundations have been set.
The First Seven Days
On Succos, we're celebrating the שבע ברכות with the Ribbono shel Olam! This is a time of establishing and cementing the relationship so that it can weather the storms that will come later. When Cheshvan arrives and we will no longer be in the Tishrei mode, the “home” will have been established, and everything will run smoothly even though we're no longer in that first period of the relationship.
During these holy and exalted days of Succos, we must be preoccupied only with the Ribbono shel Olam! We must focus only on thanking and praising, singing and pleading. It's the middle of our שבע ברכות! This is no time to spend with friends... we're celebrating our sheva brachos!
"I'll Be a Little Late"
A chosson in Sheva Brachos who's delayed in coming home will usually take out his cellphone and call home to inform his wife that he'll be about ten minutes late (halevai that we would keep this practice in later years as well).
Similarly, if, during the days of Succos, we wish to take a break... following Shacharis or during a learning session, we should at least excuse ourselves: “I am leaving the succah for a moment... I'll be right back."
Being with Hashem
This is indeed found in Shulchan Aruch regarding the mitzvah of succah. מטייל בסוכה כל שבעת הימים, one should spend enjoyable time in the succah all seven days. When you want some down time, do it in the succah! Do it with the Ribbono shel Olam!
This person isn't eating or drinking, learning or davening... he wants to be... himself, to rest up. This, too, is a time to be with the Ribbono shel Olam! We're with Him constantly. We think about Him. We speak with Him.
Building Our Home
The humble succah is our new home. It is the natural expression of the positive resolutions that we accepted during the holy and exalted days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, when we resolved to become close with our Creator. We don't yet know how exactly it will materialize, but the first thing is to move into the apartment, and then we begin building a relationship.
True shalom bayis takes years to build. We don't mean that until then the relationship is terrible, but it takes time until husband and wife understand each other. It doesn't happen in an instant.
It is similar regarding our relationship with the Ribbono shel Olam: There's much work to be done, but the succah is the beginning of a new home, a place of closeness and deep intimacy that sets the tone for our relationship with Hashem throughout the year.
