Sukkos Snippets

UNDER THE CHUPAH

Zman Simchaseinu, the simcha of the Festival of Sukkos, flows forth from the Yamim Noraim. Our exuberant joy is framed by the gravity and achrayus of our committed relationship with the Ribbono Shel Olam. The celebration of Sukkos is an invitation for us to actualize our declarations and intent. It is a call to Divine intimacy, welcoming us into the ineffable embrace and union between Am Yisrael and Hashem Yisborach.

Knesses Yisrael, Hashem’s beloved Kallah, is summoned to enter:

הביאני המלך חדריו נגילה ונשמחה בך

“The King has brought me into His chambers, we will be joyful and happy together.” (Shir Hashirim, 1:4)

Beneath the stars and sky, under a canopy held up by poles and prayers, and the ‘chuppah’ of s’chach hovering over us, we are a royal bride and groom entering into a covenant of Kiddushin, sanctity and exclusive commitment. As a bride and groom fast in preparation for their new beginning, we fast on Yom Kippur. Just as they celebrate a week of sheva brachos, we celebrate seven days in the sukkah, rejoicing in our new state of union. At each of the seven

festive meals, we welcome panim chadashos, new faces: The ushpizin kadishin, different holy guests each night, who join us in celebrating our wedding.

The Navi describes the Ananei HaKavod as a chuppah that covers us from above and envelopes us in Divine love:

וברא ד’ על כל מכון הר ציון ועל מקראה ענן יומם ועשן ונגה אש להבה לילה כי על כל כבוד חפה… וסכה תהיה לצל יומם מחרב ולמחסה ולמסתור מזרם וממטר:

“Hashem will create a cloud by day and smoke with a glow of flaming fire by night, hovering over the shrine and meeting place of Har Tzion; Indeed, over all the glory shall hang a canopy, and it shall serve as a sukkah for shade from heat by day and as a shelter for protection against drenching rain.” (Yeshayah, 4:5)

The Baal haTurim (Vayikra, 23:42) invokes the specific term chuppah, and suggests an additional aspect to the Ananei HaKavod. They imply intimacy and loving connectivity, the manifestation of a marital bond in which two individuals become one. Sheltering together in Hashem’s Presence, we are bonded together and become one in the sukkah.

WEALTH OR GAN EDEN?

Rebbe Aharon Perlov, zy’a, the third Rebbe of the Karliner dynasty, was known by the name of his sefer, “Beis Aharon.” A beloved tzadik and guide, the Beis Aharon was known for his joyful mesirus nefesh, sacrifice and dedication in fulfilling mitzvos.

One Tishrei, winter came early to the Russian countryside, and on Motzoei Yom Kippur, the shtetl of Karlin was hit with an early season snowstorm. Even the symbolic cleanliness and purity of being covered in white was not an encouraging omen, for the snow prevented everyone from building their sukkah. The humble abode of the Karliner Rebbe had a retractable roof that could be rolled back to enable configuration as an ‘indoor’ sukkah, but there was so much snow piled up on top that there was no way to open it for the chag.

On the night of Erev Yom Tov, one of the dedicated chasidim of the Beis Aharon made his way to the Rebbe’s house, bravely climbed up on the frozen roof and began clearing off mounds of snow. Berel, the kind and simple street-sweeper of Karlin, worked throughout the night, braving howling winds and sleet,

his hands frozen from ‘shoveling’ the ice, snow and slush with his old, broken broom. By day-break, the job was complete, and he had laid s’chach over the opening; the sukkah was ready in time for Yom Tov.

Seeing this, the Beis Aharon was ecstatic. He would be able to sit in the tzeila dihimnusa, the shade of faith, and fulfill the great mitzvah of dwelling in a sukkah. Before Berel could humbly slip away, the Rebbe grabbed him, and in a state of mochin d’gadlus, expanded consciousness and joy, exclaimed, “How can I ever repay you for this awesome kindness? Please choose your reward: I could bless you with riches beyond your imagination; you and your children will lack nothing… or,” he continued with sparkle in his eye, “I can bless you to be near me in Gan Eden, imi b’mechitzasi, with me, sharing in my portion, for eternity.”

Berel thought for a moment and said, “I’ll take the first brachah.” And from that day on, the poor street-sweeper chassid was indeed blessed with great wealth….

…Wait, hold on. Berel chose money over being with his Rebbe for eternity? Is that an uplifting message to share in the sukkah? This probably isn’t the Yom Tov story one would expect in a Torah column meant to inspire. Was it an editor’s error?

Here is an insight on the story that Rav Yitzchok Hisiger shared in the name of Rav Yisrael Grossman zt’l, Rosh Yeshivah of Yeshivas Pinsk-Karlin:

Of course, for a devoted chasid, the possibility of spending eternity learning with his Rebbe can be nothing short of paradise. What could be a greater pleasure?

Berel was such a selfless person, that he was even willing to sacrifice his eternal reward of being with his Rebbe — a pleasure he would enjoy for himself – to gain the ability to help others. Berel reasoned that with the Rebbe’s blessing, in addition to being a baal chesed, he could become a generous baal tzedakah and expansively support the needy as well. How could the loving and thoughtful Berel opt for supernal reward that would only benefit himself, when he could gather so many other souls into the Rebbe’s beracha? For Berel, the ability to help other Jews was the greatest pleasure!