Parshat Lech Lecha 5778 - A Consequential Life

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Rabbi Naftali Kassorla

Parshat Lech Lecha 5778

A Consequential Life

The D’var Torah for this week is dedicated in memory of:

ר׳ אלחנן יעקב ז״ל בן מורי וחמי ר׳ שמואל פנחס

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In this week’s parsha the Torah introduces us to the personality of  our forefather Avraham. This marks the first time that G-d communicated with Avraham Avinu. G-d said to Avraham: לך לך - “Go for yourself from your land, from your relatives, and from your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation; I will bless you, and I will make your name great and you shall be a blessing.” This directive of לך לך is counted among the ten trials that G-d put forth to Avraham.

According to many commentators, this was not the first test with which Avraham was charged. Rather we find, even prior to G-d speaking to Avraham, the first test Avraham encountered was in Ur Kasdim. Nimrod, the evil king of Shinar, challenged him to either betray his faith and bow to idols or face death in a fiery furnace. Avraham chose to sacrifice his life and jump into the fire.

Despite this great sacrifice, we find no mention of this test anywhere in the Torah itself; rather it is alluded to in the verse: "And He said to him: I am the Lord who took you out from Ur Kasdim..." (Bereshit 15:7). Furthermore, for us to know the actual details of the episode, we have to turn to Rashi on an earlier verse (ibid. 11:28) where he points out that the mentioning of Ur Kasdim alludes to the miraculous salvation of Avraham when thrown into a fiery pit for refusal to pay homage to the idols. Why is the test of לך לך chosen as the introduction of the character of Avraham in the written Torah, and not the first test of sacrificing his life for his faith – a tremendous feat which we only know from the Midrashic sources?

To clarify this we must look elsewhere. We find in reference to Bilaam (the gentile prophet) that he asked of G-d: תמת נפשי מות ישרים – “Let me die the death of the Righteous” (Bamidbar 23:10). The commentaries explain that the ישרים are our forefathers Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov. Bilaam requested that he merit to receive a share comparable to that of the אבות in the world to come. The Chofetz Chaim זי״ע is quoted (חפץ חיים עה״ת) noting that Bilaam's desire was to die like the righteous, but not to live the life of a Tzaddik. In truth, the greatest challenge posed to us is not to die על קידוש ה׳, in the glorification of G-d's name, rather the challenge is to live a life in the glorification of G-d's name. For the irony is, that when one dies על קידוש השם, they don't have to “live” with the consequences of that decision. A life of sacrifice and challenge was not the type of life Bilaam wished to pursue; rather he wanted the easy route, reaping all the benefits of a G-dly, productive life without the effort it entails.

The Chofetz Chaim is telling us that Judaism places the highest value on living a full life of growth. Life is inherently fraught with highs and lows, of times of clarity and of darkness. We are faced with moments of challenges to our faith and our fealty to His laws. But when we overcome the obstacles, grow through the difficulties and reach higher to become more G-dly, we are playing an active role of raising the material world to the level of the Divine. That is a much more difficult proposition.

Perhaps with this in mind, we can now revisit our question. The introduction that the Torah wants us to have can only be properly viewed through the prism of לך לך. The test of לך לך  that Avraham faced was that of making a move  which would alter his life and his future forever. He was charged with the challenge of wading out alone, outside his comfort zone, in a world that so heavily valued tribal clans and the patriarchal system. He was faced with making a decision, and dealing with the real-life ramifications resulting from his decision. The true test of Avraham Avinu was having the strength to choose a path that would require tremendous adjustments, and to follow it faithfully.

This was the unfathomable greatness of Avraham Avinu, and this is the message that Torah wants us to inculcate as we learn about the אבות. Jumping into the fires in defense of his belief was an amazing act, unmatched in its righteousness, showing the utmost faith in Hashem. But if we were told of this event as the first portrayal of Avraham Avinu, we could walk away without understanding his true greatness: that he chose to live a meaningful life to its fullest despite (and even through) its difficulties.

This message also sets forth for us the true essence of our people and the desire of our G-d. The charge to live a Divine life is what separates us from the world around us. We do not desire lives of amebic consumption, for endless accumulation of pleasurable experiences. Rather we ask G-d to grant us a life that makes a profound difference in this world – a life that speak volumes because of how it was lived, not how it ended. Life is fleeting, but we can rise above those limitations when we connect to a divinely inspired existence. For that ties us to the infinite, and makes life into something which is beyond the physical realities of time and space.

The influence of our Forefathers still reverberate these many millennia later, their every word and action parsed, their thoughts plumbed for more and more depth. Our tradition stresses that we challenge ourselves: מתי יגיעו מעשי למעשה אבותי אברהם יצחק ויעקב - Every Jew must ask, “when will our deeds reach the deeds of the our forefathers?” (Tanna D’bei Eliyahu Rabbah 25) Their impact on this world is what we desire.  

May we be blessed to all live truly divinely inspired lives, and may we merit to see the Divine Presence and protection upon our people soon in our days.

Shabbat Shalom

Parshat Noach 5778 - The Seeds of Society

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Rabbi Naftali Kassorla

Parshat Noach 5778

The Seeds of Society

The D’var Torah for this week is dedicated in memory of: ר׳ אלחנן יעקב ז״ל בן מורי וחמי ר׳ שמואל פנחס

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In this week's parsha we read of the destruction of the world due to the wickedness of man, and the world’s reconstruction through Noach and his offspring. The Torah tells us at the end of last week’s parsha that society had stooped so low that “Every product of the thoughts of his heart was but evil always.” (Bereishit 5:5) The simple understanding of this is that everything which civilization at that time had accomplished, any advancement, was really done with evil intentions.

Hashem chose to destroy man rather than allow this type of behavior to continue. Yet at the very end of the parsha it says, “But Noach found חן (grace) in the eyes of Hashem." Obviously this חן was tremendous, so much so that it was the saving factor of the human race. We owe our entire existence to this merit. So the question begs itself: what was this merit that Noach had? And in answering this perhaps we can understand why Noach specifically was chosen to be the regenerator of the world's population.

First let us examine a profundity in the pesukim. Our parsha begins in a interesting way: אלה תולדות נח  -  “These are the offspring of Noach" (Bereishit 6:9) The natural continuation to this preface would be for the Torah to now list Noach's children, as the word תולדות generally means lineage. Yet instead  the Torah goes on to list Noach’s virtues: ״נח איש צדיק תמים היה בדרתיו את האלוקים התהלך נח״ - “Noach was a righteous man, perfect in his generation; Noach walked with G-d.” Only afterwards does the Torah mention his children: “...״ויולד נח שלושה בנים - “Noach had begotten three sons…” Why does the Torah diverge from the natural flow with this “interruption” of praising Noach?

Both the Chizkuni and B’chor Shor teach that this “interruption” serves to explain why “Noach found favor in G-d’s eyes” and therefore merited to be saved from annihilation. And along these lines, Rashi in his second explanation (quoting the Midrash) says that we are meant to read the word תולדות differently. Rather than referring to the genealogical lineage, it means that “the main offspring (i.e. products) of the righteous are his מעשים טובים (good deeds).” I.e. it does not refer exclusively to his literal lineage, but to his spiritual legacy. This serves for us as an introduction to the figure of Noach, and informs us that his main contribution to the world was his good deeds. Still, How does this address our question? What does his spiritual legacy mean for us in relation to his saving mankind?

I believe from this Midrash, we can gain a window into the core of Noach's character, and his place as a shining individual in his generation. The Midrash is saying that the essence of Noach was based in altruism; his main “offspring,” more so than his physical children, were his good deeds. Noach was a righteous person whose ideas and thoughts were directed towards positivity and productivity. He utilized his strengths to build, to help others.

This set Noach apart from his entire generation and is the very חן which Hashem found in Noach. G-d chose Noach specifically (and Noach alone) to seed society’s rebuilding. For this must be a new society which strives to advance and accomplish, not for nihilistic pursuits or personal gain, but rather for the improvement of humanity. This is only possible when the core of that society is built upon the pursuit of good deeds.

The error of the דור המבול was that they lived a life of debauchery, catering the lowest aspects of Man; the people succumbed to the natural inclination towards selfishness and greed. Instead of rising above their base nature, they indulged in their Id,* until it became their very essence. Sigmund Freud explained this concept of the Id (Sigmund Freud 1933), that it “knows no judgements of value: no good and evil, no morality.” It is what drives man to seek immediate gratification of any impulse, without a second thought to its long term effects. Catering only to this selfish aspect of man is anathema is to world around us. And no society can function properly when infected with such a cancerous attitude. No progress can be made when when one’s greatest desire is limited to the here and now.

In his book Democracy in America (1835) the French diplomat Alexis de Tocqueville wrote when observing the burgeoning country: “America is great because she is good, if America ceases to be good, she ceases to be great.” De Tocqueville was impressed by the early American citizens religiosity and cohesive community life. He credited the country's success to the American people's common goodness. Because that is the point - greatness must stem from goodness. But as long as society and its citizenry is ego-driven and self-centered it is doomed to failure.

However, we do not need de Tocqueville to enlighten us, as our great Sages have already said in Pirkei Avot (1:2): על שלושה דברים העולם עומד, על התורה ועל העבודה ועל גמילות חסדים - “On three things the world stands: on the Torah, on the service, and acts of loving kindness.” A world without kindness at its bedrock cannot stand.

Noach and his family, because of their altruism, were chosen to serve as the seeds for the re-creation of mankind and build a civilization that would strive to improve the state of the world: the direct opposite of their sinful generation. Now the world would begin on the correct footing, with the proper elements necessary to continue the development of society in a positive direction.

Noach’s common goodness should inspire us all to inculcate this message in our lives and communities. And although there are times we can feel engulfed in a society that does not reflect our values, we can nevertheless remain steadfast, just as Noach did, in our values and principles. May we merit the strength and fortitude to accomplish this and perhaps with this we may also merit to find חן in the eyes of G-d.

Shabbat Shalom and a Chodesh Tov!

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*This illuminates for us why the generation had fallen so low that they were, as the Midrash says, involved in bestiality, for when man allows himself to fall into this trap of selfishness, and self-indulgence, there truly is no difference between Man and Animal. The line between man and animal became blurred to the extent that this was reflected in their actions.

Furthermore, this indulgence in self-worship explains why the generation was finally judged on account of stealing: their lust for self advancement caused them to steal from others.

Parshat Bereishit 5778 - In His Image

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Rabbi Naftali Kassorla

Parshat Bereishit 5778

In His Image

The D’var Torah for this week is dedicated in memory of: ר׳ אלחנן יעקב ז״ל בן מורי וחמי ר׳ שמואל פנחס

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In this week’s parsha the Torah describes G-d’s creation of the world and all within it. For six days G-d created and on the seventh day He rested. Each of these first days was dedicated to different creations, until finally coming to the pinnacle: the creation of Man.

The Torah writes, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” (Bereishit 1:26) The Abarbanel comments that this prefatory statement indicates to us that man’s creation was achieved with great deliberation and care.

The Abarbanel explains that the command to create Man was different than previous ones. With the other creations, G-d would proclaim a directive: “Let the earth bring forth…” (ibid. 11) or “Let there be light...”(ibid. 14). However, when creating Man, G-d diverges from this and instead couches the command in the form of “Let us make man.” This was meant to point out that man’s creation was different – on a wholly different plane than the rest of creation, and thus of more cosmic importance than the previous creations.

The commentators are puzzled with a fundamental issue in the verse. When telling us of G-d’s grand plan to make Man, the Torah uses the plural “Let us…,” which would seem to indicate there is more than one creator! This notion would obviously be completely antithetical to the monotheistic basis of Judaism. Yet nonetheless, the Torah uses these words. Why?

Furthermore, we find Moshe himself raised this very concern. The Midrash tells us that when Moshe wrote the Torah and came to our verse he asked G-d,“Why would You create a פתחון פה (pretext) for heretics to maintain their belief of Polytheism?”  Yet G-d replies, “Write it! For whoever wishes to err will err.” G-d commands Moshe to write it anyway, and whoever wishes to make this mistake i.e. to not investigate the issue, will nonetheless be held responsible.

In light of G-d’s response, one could wonder: why? What is to be gained by using this specific way of expression which could lead to mistaken beliefs? Why even risk the possibility of making an error?

To answer this very question we must look at Rashi on our verse. Rashi cites Chazal: “From here we learn of the great humility of Hashem, for He consulted the Angels before creating man; so too we should always consult others before embarking upon a new idea.” The plural form was used intentionally to teach us a valuable lesson: that just as G-d sought counsel from the angels before acting, so to we should be deliberate and cautious in our own ways and consult with others before making important decisions.

This Chazal is astounding; can the lesson to seek counsel be so important so as to justify a verse that risks heresy? How can we better understand this idea?

Clearly Hashem felt that the concept of humility – to act with the necessary guidance – is so important that despite the possible error which may come from this verse, it should be taught nonetheless. For nothing can be allowed to get in the way of acting with forethought and with clarity of mind when embarking upon a course of action – not even the possibility of the great error of heresy!

Another idea that can be brought out of this Chazal is that there is inherent value to seeking out advice and counsel from anyone, even when you may (think you) have all the answers. For G-d himself, the King of Kings “seeks” the counsel of the Angels. Surely the Angels have no deeper or wiser insight on creation than G-d himself! Yet G-d still “consults” them. Hashem is teaching us that the very process of seeking advice is worthwhile.

My Rosh Yeshiva’s brother Rav Dovid Soloveitchik שליט״א has a fantastic vort on the episode of Nadav and Avihu, who were punished for bringing a foreign fire into the Kodesh Hakodashim. Among a slew of other reasons explaining why they were punished, the Midrash says, “שלא נטלו עצה זה מזה” (they didn't ask each other for advice). Rav Dovid aks: how would that have helped? They were both equally involved and intending on bringing the foreign fire; what was to be gained by them asking each other? Wouldn’t they just reinforce each other’s bad intentions? Says Rav Dovid, it must be that just by them going through the process of asking each other, it would have had a deterring effect, bringing them to reexamine their intentions. This is the value of seeking advice and counsel from others – even from equals or our subordinates.

Too often we demure from seeking advice and constructive criticism from others “because they don’t get it.” While we may legitimately feel that others’ advice is not applicable, it is still important to go through the process of seeking that advice, if only to challenge your own preconceived notions.*

Perhaps this can also help us better understand why G-d was willing to “risk” this verse’s implied idea of Polytheism. For if one who reads it is also able to glean from it a lesson of humility and the reexamination of his own ideas, utilizing the counsel of others, then surely he will avoid such a terrible error in interpretation. Only one who is completely set on his own logic and is opposed to a humble analysis of his approach, may come to a heretical notion. And if he errs, he errs.

This should serve for us as a lesson in the immense benefit of humbly asking others for help and advice when needed, and spur us to take heed of those greater and more wiser among us.

Shabbat Shalom

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*The popular Israeli social scientist and economist Dan Ariely conducted a fascinating experiment. Participants were asked to complete a very simple math exercise. When done, the first set of participants (control group) were asked to hand in their answers for independent grading. The second set were subsequently given the answers and asked to report their own scores. At no point do the latter hand in their answers; hence the temptation to cheat.
In this experiment, some students are asked [before the math exercise] to list the names of 10 books they read in high school while others are asked to write down as many of the Ten Commandments as they can recall prior to the math exercise. Ariely wanted to know whether this would have any effect on the honesty of those participants reporting their scores.

The results were amazing (though to us not surprising): The students who had been asked to recall the Ten Commandments had not cheated at all. In contrast, participants who were asked to list their 10 high school books and self-report their scores cheated: they claimed grades that were 33% higher than those who could not cheat (control group). The lesson that Ariely draws from this that just the very contemplation of a moral benchmark had a massive impact on the students’ honesty, even on those students who claimed no religious affiliation.

Clearly, going through the process of contemplating, expressing and clarifying moral concepts, puts one in a mindset which leads to moral behavior. So too, the process of seeking counsel in-and-of-itself helps one clarify issues and can aid him in avoiding mistaken judgements and behavior.

Sukkot - Shemini Atzeret: A Sukkah Full of Love

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Rabbi Naftali Kassorla

Sukkot - Shemini Atzeret 5778 תשע״ח

A Sukkah Full of Love

The D’var Torah for this week is dedicated in memory of:
האשה החשובה ברכה בת ר׳ דוד קליין ע״ה שיצאתה נשמתה בקדושה ובטהרה מוצאי יום הכיפורים

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The Chid”a in Birkei Yosef (תרכ״ה) asks: Of all the things that G-d did for us in the desert, why do we commemorate the ענני הכבוד? Shouldn’t we make a remembrance of the מן – the miraculous, angelic food? Or the myriad of other miracles performed for us in the desert: the באר מרים that accompanied the Jewish people as they travelled, the clothing that G-d kept fresh, clean and the proper size for each person etc. What is uniquely special about the Clouds of Glory which G-d placed around the Jewish people that warrants their commemoration, as opposed to the other needs for which G-d provided?

The Chid”a* (ראש דוד פרשת אמור) answers in the name of the Chacham R’ Chaim Kaufusi that the Sukkah is a symbol of something much deeper than G-d providing for our needs. The other miracles provided for necessities, things that the Jews could not live without. A person cannot survive without food, drink or clothing, and of course G-d would not bring them to the desert without giving them these basic things. But for G-d to also protect the Jews with shelter from the sun and the wind showed a strong love and care for the deeper needs of the people. That extra show of love is what we commemorate.

To illustrate this idea: Picture a wife who sends her husband out to the store for the groceries, handing him a list of everything she needs to make Shabbat. Were the husband to robotically go down the list checking off each item, and bring home exactly what she asked for (no simple feat!) no one would complain or claim he hasn’t fulfilled his errand; on the contrary – he is a dutiful husband. But let's say he was going down the list, and sees that his wife did not write dish soap – something she hadn’t noticed they were running low on. Were the husband to return with this extra item, it would most definitely elicit tremendous love from the spouse. For he didn't go about providing for her apparent, expressed needs; rather he was sensitive to something deeper. His goal was to make sure she would have everything she needed, not just to fulfill his obligation and avoid complaints.

This is what Hashem did by providing shelter for the Jewish people. For had He not given them the ענני הכבוד (although they would have benefited greatly from it) no one would have complained, as there was no expectation for such a thing. It wouldn’t be as though G-d was withholding a major necessity, something for which the Jewish people did in fact complain about (e.g. food and water).

By providing us with the ענני הכבוד, Hashem showed that He does not just want to fulfill a responsibility to us as our Provider. Rather He loves us, He cares deeply about us, and He wants to fill any need we may have. Just like the husband, who knows he can easily get away with simply checking everything off his wife’s list. Instead he goes above and beyond the list and buys something that was never even requested, which he knows will be of great benefit to the one he loves.

This idea can give us further insight to the concept of הידור מצוה during Sukkot. Mimicking G-d, and reciprocating what He did for us, we do the mitzvos in a way that goes beyond the letter of the law. We don’t just buy any etro; rather we look for the most beautiful one. We don’t just build a plain Sukkah, we go much further as we beautify it with pictures, decorations and more. Our approach to mitzvot isn’t to just check them off a list, dutifully doing exactly what was asked. Rather we perform them in a way that bespeaks of our attitude towards the mitzvah, one of חביבות, of love for the  מצוה and for Hashem.

The Pele Yoetz (81) echoes this message for us:

הדור מצוה מורה על האהבה, כי העובד מיראה אינו מבקש אלא לצאת ידי חובה, אבל העובד מאהבה לפי רב החבה מדקדק בה שלא תחסר כל בה. והמוסיף להתנאות זה לו למופת ולאות שהוא אוהב את ה' בכל לבבו ובכל מאדו ומרבה בכבודו

Hiddur Mitzvah bespeaks of the love [of G-d], for someone who serves [G-d] from fear only desires to fulfill his obligation. But one who serves with love, out of his tremendous affection, is careful that nothing is lacking [from his mitzvah]. And when he additionally beautifies [the mitzvah] it is his demonstration and sign that he loves G-d with all his heart and means, and this adds
to G-d’s honor.

Perhaps this is also connected to why we have the extra day of Shemini Atzeret. This is when Hashem “begs” of us to stay “with Him” for one more day. G-d tells us: קשה עלי פרידכתם, עכבו עוד יום אחד – “Your departure is difficult for me, stay one more day” (Bamidbar 29:36). Shmini Atzeret as well shows that our relationship with G-d is not matter-of-fact. It involves a deep love, making it difficult for us to part.

On this special Yom Tov of Sukkot, Hashem expresses that He wants a relationship with us which goes beyond the basics. So on Shemini Atzeres, as we sit in our Sukkah (or not, depending on your minhag), enjoying the breeze (hopefully a comfortably cool one), let us reflect on the deep love G-d has for us, and try to reciprocate in kind.

Chag Sameach!

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Sukkot 5778: Part of the Family

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Rabbi Naftali Kassorla

Sukkot 5778 תשע״ח

Part of the Family

The D’var Torah for this week is dedicated in memory of:
ר׳ אלחנן יעקב ז״ל בן מורי וחמי ר׳ שמואל פנחס

If you are interested in sponsoring a D’var Torah in honor or in memory of someone, or for any occasion, please email: ParshaParagraphs@gmail.com

“You shall dwell in Sukkot for a seven day period; כל אזרח בישראל (every citizen in Israel) shall sit in Sukkot” (Vayikra 23:42). The question is asked: seemingly the word בישראל is superfluous; what is it meant to include? Rashi noting this explains that it is written to teach us that converts are included, and thus obligated, in the mitzvah of Sukkah.

Rav Yaakov Kaminetzky זצ״ל asks: why is there a need for a special limmud (biblical exegesis) to tell us that a convert is included in the mitzvah of sitting in the Sukkah? Are converts not just like any other Jew? The need for a special limmud gives the impression that, if not for the drasha, a convert would not be obligated in the mitzvah of Sukkah! Why would this be so?

Rav Yaakov explains, the reason can be found in the very next verse: “So that your generations will know that I caused the Children of Israel to dwell in Sukkot when I took them from the land of Israel” (ibid. 43). The Sukkah stands as a reminder that G-d protected our ancestors in the Wilderness – a historical fact. If so, one might have thought that this applies only to those who were actually in the wilderness; but a convert, whose ancestors were not in the desert, may not be obligated. Thus, the need for a special drasha to tell us: even converts are included in the obligation, for they are equal to the rest of the nation.

In light of this, we can ask another question. We find in the Mishna in Bikkurim (1:4) that when the farmer brings the Bikkurim (the first fruits), he must recite the “פרשת הביכורים.” In this declaration, the farmer gives thanks to G-d for the fruit of the Land that “He [G-d] swore to our ancestors to give us.” The Mishna disqualifies a convert from this reading because in fact, the convert’s ancestors were not promised the land.*

Why is there no special drasha here to include a convert in the mitzvah of this recital of the פרשת הביכורים? Should this not be similar to the mitzvah of Sukkah, where despite the lack of converts’ ancestors’ presence in the desert, they are nonetheless included? Both mitzvot are seemingly stating a fact i.e. “my ancestors were present at the time of the mitzvah,” which is untrue of the convert. If so, what is distinct about the mitzvah of Sukkah, that the Torah goes out of its way to include converts, even when the statement seems inapplicable to them?

Perhaps the difference lies in what I believe to be a central message of Sukkot. The miracle of Sukkot in the desert was that G-d protected the Jewish people from all outside forces; as the prophet says, the Sukkot would serve “as a shade from heat in the daytime, as a protection and refuge from storm and from rain” (Yishayahu 4:6). The Jews, dwelling in utter isolation, were shielded by G-d Himself from the harsh weather and elements. But this protection was not a one-time occurrence. Rather, the care and love that He bestowed upon us exists for all times and generations. “למען ידעו דורותיכם” (So that your generations will know) – what Hashem did then, and what He will continue to do for us! By remembering the miracle He did then, we can know that we are able to rely on His protection always.

We see a difference in the statement made by Sukkot versus that of Bikkurim. With Bikkurim, the farmer is stating a historical fact - the focus is on what actually happened. It would be incorrect for a convert to make a statement such as this, which is false. Hashem did not promise the land to his ancestors. However, by the mitzvah of Sukkot, we see from the pasuk that the emphasis is not on what happened, but on the implications it has for our emunah in Hashem’s care for us. The message of G-d’s divine protection is something that is not only timeless, but universal as well; a love that crosses all genealogies and backgrounds. Of this love, a convert is surely part of the “family.”

Rabbeinu Chananel in the beginning of Masechet Sukkah (2b), in the context of explaining why the סכך of the sukkah needs to be visible (ie. Not above 20 Amot), says: “for the coming generations will see that we have built Sukkot and we have left our dwellings and we are sitting during the festival, and they ask ‘why are you doing this’ and you will recount to them the story of your forefathers in the land of Egypt.” My rebbe Rav Asher Arieli שליט״א referred to the give-and-take that Rabbeinu Chananel described, as the “Mah Nishtana of Sukkot.” This description highlights a perfect parallel between Sukkot and Pesach, in light of what we have said about the message of the holiday. For just as the recounting of the exodus from Egypt is meant to inculcate within us the story and message of the redemption, so too recounting sitting in the Sukkah is meant to pass on this message: G-d is our true shelter and salvation for all generations.

During the Neilah prayer in the piyut authored by Rav Yitzchak Ben Shmuel (also known as the Ri) we ask G-d: “יחביאנו צל ידו תחת כנפי השכינה” - “May He conceal us in the shelter of His hand beneath the wings of the Divine Presence.” Famously, the Vilna Gaon comments that the mitzvah of Sukkah is unique in that it involves a complete immersion of the whole body (as opposed to other mitzvot which only utilize a part of the body e.g. tefillin). Surely there is no fuller immersion in G-d’s divine presence than the mitzvah of Sukkah.

Trying to make sense of our world and the myriad of obligations and challenges it brings, there are many things which can “shake” our emunah and make us feel like we are not experiencing (or not worthy of) G-d’s care. It is at those times which we can find strength in connecting to the past – our own, and that of our collective history – to recall when we have seen G-d’s personal care for us. Every person in the nation, no matter his background, is included in the family of the Jewish people and needs to ingrain this message in himself so that he will never lose hope or faith.

Chag Sameach

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*The Yerushalmi (ibid.) disagrees with this Mishna and cites the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda that any Ger can recite the Bikkurim text, as Avraham Avinu was “the father of all the nation (Bereishit 17:5), and hence as the father of all future Geirim. Thus, every Ger is included within that original oath to Avraham. The Rambam (Bikkurim 4:3) rules like the Yerushalmi.