All our holidays are
connected to the agricultural cycle. Pesach is called “the holiday of spring”,
Shavuot “the day of the first fruits” and Sukkot is called “the ingathering
festival.” “On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered
in the fruits of the land, you shall keep the feast of Hashem for seven days…”
(Vayikra 23:39).
All
the fruits have been harvested, containers of dried figs, prunes and apricots
line our pantry, our refrigerators are loaded with fruit-jams, compotes and
conserves and apples and pomegranates fill our fruit baskets. When we gather
the fruits of our harvest into our homes and ensure their undamaged preservation,
it is natural to be happy and celebrate. However, the Jewish Holidays are so
much more than just agricultural celebrations.
You shall keep for
yourself the holiday of Sukkot after you have gathered in from your
threshing-floor and from thy winepress… You will rejoice in your festival, you,
and your son, and your daughter… Seven days you must keep a festival unto
Hashem your G-d… (Devarim 16:13-14).
Malbim notes that in these
verses the ingathering celebration is repeated. The first celebration mentioned
is not a command but rather a factual statement; “after gathering in the
produce of your threshing floor and your wine press, you will rejoice in
your festival.” The commandment to be
happy is articulated in the following verse; “Seven days you must celebrate a
festival unto Hashem your G-d.”
Hashem desired that rather than celebrating the fulfillment of our
personal needs, we should celebrate for the sake of Heaven alone. Therefore,
Hashem commanded us to elevate our own celebration “You shall keep for
yourself the holiday of Sukkot” in order to become a total spiritual delight
for the sake of Heaven, “… you shall keep a festival unto Hashem your
G-d.” Our spiritual elation in Hashem
transcends even the great delight in the harvest.
Maharal
explains that during Sukkot everything is gathered to its prime cause. We
ourselves are actually being ingathered by G-d to be re-sown after
Sukkot. This ingathering makes us realize, acknowledge and experience
Hashem’s protection and our total dependence on Him. We shake the lulav with
its bunch to allude to the highest level of unification between all different
kinds of Jews and our ingathering to the Land of Israel. The Sukkah embraces us
and calls us to take refuge under Hashem’s wing and ingathers Israel
within the cloud of His glory. This essential ingathering and unity is the
ultimate expression of all Joy. Our mitzvot themselves become elevated and
ingathered to Hashem and part of our eternal unity with His Divine presence, as
we become His everlasting people during the wedding ceremony when Israel
extends the finger (the lulav) and G-d
places the ring (the Sukkah).
Lovely!
ReplyDelete