A Uniquely Jewish Holiday

The following Dvar  Torah  is  based  upon a

sermon my father delivered in his synagogue.

          Sukkot is a uniquely Jewish holiday. Although we are commanded to leave the comfort and security of our homes and spend the week in a temporary dwelling, this time is called zman simchateinu, the time of our rejoicing!

          The laws of the sukka convey invaluable lessons. A sukka which cannot withstand the prevailing winds of its area is not a sukka. Just as the sukka must be strong enough to withstand and overcome the prevailing winds, so too the Jew must be able to overcome the prevailing negative influences of his surroundings, wherever he finds himself. In a region of storms and tornadoes, the sukka must be built very strong. In places of relative calm winds, it does not have to be so strong. So too, the greater the forces of assimilation, the stronger the Jew must be.

          The essence of the sukka is the s’chach, the covering. To remind us of our obligation to realize that our strength lies in God’s protection, the Halacha requires that a person sitting inside the sukka must be able to see the stars in heaven through the s’chach. Indeed, our Sages tell us that the sukka is a reminder of the ananei kavod, the clouds of glory, with which God protected the Children of Israel during our years of wandering in the desert.  We depend upon heavenly guidance and the moral and spiritual values conveyed through that guidance.

          What makes Sukkot zman simchateinu is the realization that through God’s providence and our adherence to His word as expressed in the Torah, we have been able to overcome all difficulties, dangers and crises and to survive as a people.