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Beit Midrash
- Shabbat and Holidays
- Sukkot
- The Essence of Sukkot
Rav Kook points out (Orot HaTeshuva 6, 7) that just as most of the tree is roots, trunk, branches and leaves, despite the fact that the goal of an apple tree is her fruit, similarly most of life is preparations (e.g. eating, dress, work, cooking, raising children), and often one doesn't even achieve his goal. Does that mean that he wasted his life?! The basic question is, if most of life is "tree" (= a 'means' to achieve a goal), and I want to have meaning in life, I have no choice but to find a way to have "taste" in the tree, not just in the fruit. This was the original plan in Eden (where Hashem commanded "let there be fruit trees that produce fruit", but the earth didn't listen and just grew "trees that produce fruit", Yalkut Shimoni Breishit 1), and is meant to be the ideal lifestyle, as expressed in the Etrog where the tree tastes like her fruit (the last remnant of the ideal world, Sukkah 35a). The Vilna Gaon says that living in Eretz Yisrael is like living one's entire life in a Sukkah (Kol HaTor, p. 470), where even the secular/mundane/"tree" is not just preparation and 'means', but also has meaning/taste/holiness, and all that you do is a mitzva!
Usually eating, walking, work, speaking etc. are just a 'means' to achieve some higher goal in life, but in the sukkah, whatever you do there is a mitzva. Similarly in Eretz Yisrael, there is spiritual value in producing and eating her holy fruit (Chatam Sofer, Suka 35); in walking 4 steps (Mishna Brura 248, 28); in speaking her Holy Language of Hebrew (Sifre, Dvarim 11,19), and even serving in her army is a Milchemet Mitzva (Rambam hil. Milachim 5, 1).
Rav Kook (Ma'amarei HaReiya, p. 235) points out that Yom Kippur, when we pretend and act like angels and distance ourselves from physical pleasure, is extreme "shock treatment" for the spiritually sick, who temporarily need bitter medicine in order to return to health. But the final mitzvah of Yom Kippur is to go out and build a sukkah, return to living a life of kedusha. Similarly, the Mesilat Yesharim (ch. 26) explains that Tahara (refraining from physical pleasure to the bare minimum), is a lower level than Kedusha (revealing Godliness in the physical world). Accordingly, Rav Kook explains why we have over 50 Shabbatot and many Yom Tovs over the year, and only one Yom Kippur. This is the Living Torah of Eretz Yisrael which embodies Kedusha (ibid, p. 179), as opposed to the Torah of Chutz laAretz which makes do with Tahara. Accordingly we understand why the Talmud Yerushalmi written in Eretz Yisrael, considers the "preparation" for a mitzvah (like writing a mezuza, building a sukkah or tying tzitzit) as an additional mitzvah (even deserving its own bracha: e.g. "לעשות סוכה"), as opposed to the Talmud Bavli (Tosafot, M'nachot 42b) written in Chutz laAretz, which does not consider the preparation a mitzvah.
Rav Kook similarly explains why the Simchat Beit HaSho'eva (literally: "the party of the water-drawing") is not called "Simchat Nisuch HaMayim" (the party of the pouring of the water), even though the mitzva was to pour the water on the alter on Sukkot, and the "drawing" of the water was just a "PREPARATION". Similarly, the Torah mentions the preparation of building a sukka ("תעשה") and acquiring the 4 species (""ולקחתם), where in contrast, it doesn't say "you shall bake matzot".
For this holiday teaches that the preparations/tree are also important, not just the fruit/goal. This is all fitting for Chag HaAsif, where we worked an entire agricultural year, plowing, planting, irrigating, fertilizing, pruning etc. in preparation for gathering the fruit, the produce. Sukkot teaches us that even if chalila there was a drought and not that much fruit, we did not waste a year, for in Eretz Yisrael, there is "taste/meaning in the tree (e.g. the work), just as in the fruit!" Accordingly, the Abravanel (Dvarim 16) says that just as Pesach celebrates Am Yisrael, and Shavu'ot- Torat Yisrael, Sukkot represents a microcosm of Eretz Yisrael! (see attached source sheet) Chag Same'ach and we should hear Besorot Tovot from all Yisrael!! Rav Ari Shvat (Chwat)
Rabbis in Midrash
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Chukat "HOW ENTEBBE STOLE THE BICENTENNIAL
The Difference Between Historic & Eternal"
As we approach America's 250th birthday, it's worth remembering her 200th Bicentennial birthday, on Jul. 4th 1976, when Israel "stole the show" by shocking the world & miraculously saving 101 hostages in a foreign continent. As Pres. As Pres. Trump decides which countries get priority in his new Middle-East, it's worth reminding him of the difference between historic events and eternally historic ones. This obviously connects with this week's parsha, as well!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 6 - The Parable of the King of India
The advantages of testimony over circumstantial evidence or philosophical speculation.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 5- "Proofs of G-d"
This may be the most important class of the entire book, where we finally get to the Jewish proof of the existence of G-d and truth of the Torah. We should follow His own direction where He tells us how to get to Him: through the Nation of Israel: Jewish history, Jewish prophets (and today, prophecies fulfilled), and national reward & punishment towards Am Yisrael.
Ein Aya One Humanity, One Creator, One Jerusalem
Rav Kook innovatively and beautifully explains this aggadeta where our sages say that after Jerusalem was destroyed her cinnamon fragrance is only found locked in a particular kingdom's treasury.
Shlach Lecha "Why So Many Don't Make Aliya?" - Parshat Shlach
This short article deals with the weird phenomena that every single time Am Yisrael is meant to enter the Land of Israel, throughout the Tanach, 2nd Temple and until today, they "chicken out" and look for excuses. What's the problem with this mitzvah that proves so challenging. The article, based on sources, suggests that the difficulties of Eretz Yisrael is precisely her secret and beauty!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 4
The class deals with Islam and how the Muslim tries convincing the King of the Khazars, and why he was also rejected.
Beha'alotcha JEWISH STATE= GUIDE TO G-DLINESS & SELFLESSNESS
A Jewish State not only is a good idea, but educates us towards selflessness, altruism and G-dliness in our daily lives.
Ein Aya In Zion Even the Smoke of the Bark is Sweet
Just as Jewish nationalism is different from others, so too our capitol of Jerusalem is totally different than other national capitols. Rav Kook beautifully explains the passage in the Talmud that the trees of Yerushalayim were cinnamon trees.
