This Yom Tov, we dwell in the holy sukkah with the Avos, our Fathers. This is unique. Where else can we dwell in close contact with these great men?
Today, we have become sophisticated in our own eyes. In this generation, we believe that we have achieved something, because we are in general living very well and feel powerful. When you sit in front of a computer or a steering wheel, you think you are powerful. You control resources with a movement of your hands which previous generations could not have imagined. You can drive at 80 miles per hour. You can call up almost infinite stores of knowledge with your fingers on a keyboard.
“And you may say in your heart …. Kochi v’otzem yadi … my strength and the might of my hand made me all this ….” (Dvarim 8:17) It is almost impossible to resist the feeling of personal strength caused by all the toys which the surrounding culture has brought forth upon this planet, and which we have accepted as if they were normal.
Our forefathers lived in days when the world was young. Contemplate them! Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Yosef, Moshe, Aharon and Dovid were utterly alone in a world of idolatry. All they had was their own strength and – in the case of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov Avinu -- the intuition that there was a Creator. They entered into a relationship with Hashem that was so personal and powerful that it went way beyond them and encompassed their own progeny – until this day! – and eventually the entire world.
They had no toys with which to fool themselves into thinking that they were powerful. In their deep humility, they bowed deeply before the Al-Mighty G-d.
“Dovid was the mightiest, most heroic man who ever lived. What was his strength? He was able to withstand suffering more than any person on earth …. Sent away from his own home, a pariah in the community at large, Dovid found rich pasture and clear, flowing water for his soul, which thirsted for G-d, in the wilderness to which he fled. There, where no one knew him or saw him, he sought to draw close to G-d.” (Rabbi Eliahu Kitov, Book of Our Heritage, Feldheim Publishers)
Recently I saw behavior which plunged me into dark depths bordering on despair. I saw people who should have known better acting as if there was no one else in the world beside themselves. My friends, suffice it to say that we have to love each other and act so that our brothers and sisters are elevated and not denigrated. It says, in the name of the Arizal ha Kadosh, “Before he starts every prayer, every Jew has to take upon himself the positive commandment of loving every Jew as he loves himself.” If he does not do that, I am afraid that his prayers are not going anywhere, G-d forbid.
Recently, I overheard people complaining about those who daven “too slowly.”
Please forgive me, my friends, but I believe there is a national epidemic of fast davening, people who say the words but do not reflect in their heart on what they are saying. Don’t get me wrong: I am as guilty as the next person. But to consider it as a desirable trait, that we should daven so fast we cannot think what we are saying, I want to ask with all humility: is this called davening?
How do you think the Ushpizin davened? How did Avraham Avinu daven? How did Dovid ha Melech daven? With tears and broken hearts! Dovid ha Melech writes, “I am wearied with my sighing. Every night I drench my bed … with my tears! …. Hashem has heard the sound of my weeping!” (Tehillim 6)
My friends, we need the ushpizin! We need to sit in the sukkah and revel in the closeness of people who were on a madreiga that we cannot even imagine. We need to soak up their greatness, their great hearts and their love of Hashem which pierced the Heavens and brought down the brachas through which we survive to this very day!
“Derech eretz kadma l’Torah …” it all begins with proper behavior, which we learn from the Ushpizin. In order to avert catastrophe -- G-d forbid -- and in order to dwell in the sukkah of protection -- which Hashem desires to erect over every Yid and over Eretz Yisroel and over Yerushalayim -- we need to learn from the Holy Ushpizin and try to reach their incredible madreiga.
Please forgive me, but, during Sukkos, we don’t need trips to amusement parks. We need to sit under the sechach and absorb the midos of our holy ancestors, may their blessing come upon us!
Davening in a Sukkah in Jerusalem
GLOSSARY
Avos: Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov
Brachas: blessings
Daven: pray
Madreiga: spiritual level
Midos: character traits
Sechach: branches and other foliage which forms the roof of the sukkah
Sukkah: temporary home where Jews dwell during Sukkos
Ushpizin: the early forefathers of Israel who visit every sukkah
Yom Tov: Jewish holiday
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