B"H

Friday, Tishrei 14, 5781 / October 2, 2020

Tonight (Friday night) begins the joyous festival of Sukkot - -"Season of our rejoicing."

There are two mitzvot associated with Sukkot: 1) To eat our meals in the Sukkah; 2) To recite the blessing over the Lulav and Etrog. This year being that the first day is Shabbat, we do not perform the mitzvah of Lulav and Etrog on Shabbat, just as we don’t blow the Shofar on Shabbat.

In Leviticus (23: 33-44) the Torah tells us, "On the 15th day of the seventh month [Tishrei], when you have gathered in the fruits of the land, you shall observe the feast of the L-rd seven days; on the first day shall be a solemn rest and on the eighth day shall be a rest.  And you shall take to you on the first day the fruit of goodly trees (Etrog), branches of palm trees (Lulav), and branches of thick trees (Hadasim) and willows of the brook (Aravot), and you shall rejoice before the L-rd your G-d seven days... In Sukkot you shall dwell seven days... So that your generations may know that in booths I made the children of Israel dwell, when I brought them out from the land of Egypt."

Lesson: The importance of unity. The Torah tells us, "You shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter and your man-servant and your maid-servant and the Levite and the stranger and the orphan and the widow that are within your gates..." In connection with the holiday of Sukkot, the Torah emphasizes the concept of unity, for everyone to rejoice together.  True rejoicing can only be achieved when we are united and include in our rejoicing also the less fortunate.

According to our sages, the Four Species (Etrog, Lulav, Hadasim, Aravot) represent the four categories of the Jews people. This mitzvah of holding the the four species together and reciting the special blessing over them also represents the idea of Jewish unity.

The blessing is: Blessed are You Hashem our G-d, King of the universe, that You have sanctified us with your mitzvot and commanded us regarding the taking of the Lulav. 

Q. Why is the Lulav (palm) singled out, that the blessing is recited over it, not the other three species?

A.  The Lulav is the tallest of them all and it is also bound together with two of the other species (Hadasim & Aravot). Thus, we recite the blessing mentioning the Lulav. Also, the Lulav stands firm, tall and has a backbone, so to speak. A Jew, too, has to be proud, stand tall and have a backbone, being proud to observe the Torah and mitzvot.

Q. Why doesn’t a Sukkah need a mezuzah on the door?

A.  Because the Sukkah is not a permanent dwelling as it is made to be used for one week only.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY & CHAG SAMEACH

Montrealcandle lighting time: Friday: 6:14 / Candle lighting time: Shabbat night: 7:14