B"H
Thursday, Tishrei 20, 5781 / October 8, 2020
Today (Thursday) is the sixth day of the holiday of Sukkot. Of the three holidays, Pesach, Shavuot & Sukkot, although they are all festive holidays, yet, Sukkot is singled out to be mentioned in the prayers as, Z’man Simchateinu” – “Season of our Rejoicing.”
Q. What is so special about the holidays of Sukkot, that only it is called in our prayers, Season of our Rejoicing, not the holidays of Pesach or Shavuot?
A.There are many reasons. Here are seven: 1) Sukkot is the only Festival for which the Torah uses the term “Simcha” – “Rejoicing” three times.
2)Because Sukkot is the time of ingathering the crops which calls for additional rejoicing.
3) During Sukkot we also have the mitzvah of the “Four Species.” This calls for additional rejoicing.
4) On Sukkot there was a special ceremony in the Holy Temple, called Nisuch HaMayim – the pouring of the water on the altar. The drawing of the water for the well of Shiluach was done with great rejoicing, music, dancing and acrobatic acts. The Talmud describes the joy as follows, “Whoever didn’t witness the rejoicing of the drawing of the water on Sukkot, didn’t see rejoicing in his life.” For this, Sukkot is called “Season of our rejoicing.”
In fact, the whole city of Jerusalem was illuminated with the lights of four giant candelabras which were lit in honor of this great ceremony.
5) Sukkot celebrates the “Clouds of Glory” with which G-d protected the Jewish people during their forty years of travel in the desert. It reminds us that G-d is always here for us to protect us. This causes great extra joy for the Jewish people to know that G-d is always here, even in our generation, to protect us from adversity.
6) Sukkot is the first holiday, only four days after Yom Kippur, when we received our forgiveness. On the holiday of Sukkot we have special reason to rejoice as we are pure and sanitized from sin just coming from Yom Kippur.
7) Our sages tell us, “Who is considered a rich person? One who is happy with his lot.” Sukkot is the only holiday when we leave the comfort of our home for the Sukkah. It teaches us that material comforts are not what is important in life. It is the spiritual wealth that we accumulate which is what makes us wealthy. Sukkot is associated with rejoicing, for our rejoicing when we leave the comfort of our physical possessions and are happy with our Sukkah, demonstrates that we are happy woth our ot. It teaches us that happiness is within every person’s reach, even when dwelling in a hut-Sukkah.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY & CHAG SAMEACH