Sukkot and Simchat Torah
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VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 4 תשרי תשפ"א TORAT ERETZ YISRAEL • PUBLISHED IN JERUSALEM • DISTRIBUTED AROUND THE WORLD OCTOBER 2020 ISRAEL EDITION WITH GRATEFUL THANKS TO THE FOUNDING SPONSORS OF HAMIZRACHI – THE LAMM FAMILY OF MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon examines the case of benching lulav on Shabbat PAGE 10 Rabbanit Rachelle Fraenkel on how to enjoy the here and now... forever PAGE 27 Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks teaches us how to live with uncertainty PAGE 22 Rabbanit Shani Taragin offers consolation for Coronavirus PAGE 7 Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski explains why specifically Sukkot and Kohelet PAGE 24 Simchat Torah Michal Horowitz INSIDE: suggests a recipe for AN ISRAELI IN DUBAI PAGE 60 special Sukkot simcha THE WORLD OF ETROGIM PAGE 28 YOUR GUIDE TO THE HOSHANOT PAGE 48 PAGE 33 If you would like to dedicate an issue of HaMizrachi in memory of a loved one or in celebration of a simcha, please send an email to [email protected] TORAT MIZRACHI www.mizrachi.org [email protected] +972 (0)2 620 9000 CHAIRMAN Mr. Harvey Blitz CHIEF EXECUTIVE Rabbi Doron Perez EDUCATIONAL DIRECTORS Rabbi Reuven Taragin Rabbanit Shani Taragin PUBLISHED BY THE MIZRACHI WORLD MOVEMENT EDITORIAL TEAM Daniel Verbov Esther Shafier CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jonny Lipczer GRAPHIC DESIGN Hadas Peretz PRODUCTION AND ADVERTISING MANAGER Meyer Sterman [email protected] HaMizrachi seeks to spread Torat Eretz Yisrael throughout the world. HaMizrachi also contains articles, opinion pieces and advertisements that represent the diversity of views and interests in our communities. These do not necessarily reflect any official position of Mizrachi or its branches. If you don't want to keep HaMizrachi, you can double-wrap it before disposal, or place it directly into sheimos. Chag Sameach! HaMizrachi Dedication Opportunities If you would like to dedicate an issue of HaMizrachi in memory of a loved one or in celebration of a simcha, please send an email to [email protected] 2 | TORAT MIZRACHI Rabbi Doron Perez Celebrating Vulnerability here is no more intense feeling people and caused almost one million The author of the haunting Unetaneh of vulnerability than over the deaths, with over 1,000 in Israel, partic- Tokef prayer captures this sense of Yamim Noraim – The Days of ularly affecting the elderly and infirm. human transience and vulnerability TAwe. The very name conjures up trepi- Waves of widespread sickness continue with some powerful imagery: “like a dation for the Great Days of Judgement, and the situation seems far from under broken shard, like dried grass, like a when the world in general, and our lives control. COVID has profoundly altered faded flower, like a fleeting shadow, like in particular, hang in the balance. The our religious, social, financial and com- a passing cloud, like a breath of wind, image is powerfully captured in the munal lives and an inescapable feeling like whirling dust, like a dream that slips Mishna that says every creature passes of vulnerability hangs over us almost away.” before G-d to be judged, one at a time, every day. All these images describe the tenuous and humanity’s fate is determined over fabric of the human condition. Grass, these days.1 Vulnerability is linked to a lack of con- trol. When we think we are in control of flowers, shadows, clouds, dust... all are susceptible to external elements that This sense of vulnerability is particu- our lives, we feel things are stable, pre- can dry them up, blow them away or larly acute this year, as we embark on dictable and permanent. The moment make them disappear in the blink of an 5781. Each of us continues to experience we lose control, we begin to feel the eye. Their predicament is volatile and the unthinkable reality of how a tiny uneasy sense of instability, unpredict- unstable and their similarity to our own microscopic virus has wreaked such ability and transience. We are now fragility is strikingly all too close. havoc in almost every single corner vulnerable. Things can change for the of the earth. Over the last 10 months, worse in a moment and life, G-d forbid, Because the stark truth is that the this invisible foe has infected 30 million can cease in an instant. vicissitudes of life guarantee we will Continued on page 4 | 3 TORAT MIZRACHI Continued from page 3 profoundly encounter this existential theme, the species which degenerates unpredictability and purpose in seem- reality at different times in our lives. the quickest, the willow, forms the cen- ing chaos. This allows us to transform terpiece of our prayers on the final day our perspective and trust that the Somber? Most definitely. Depressing? of Sukkot, Hoshanah Rabbah. And the Almighty knows what He is doing. Not at all. megillah we read on Sukkot is Kohelet, which focuses on this very same theme Such is the transcendent power of faith The festivals of the month of Tishrei and belief. It is for this very reason the offer a strong spiritual response to this of life being vulnerable and transient while celebrating its inherent joy. Zohar calls the sukkah “tzila deme- unavoidable vulnerability. Yes, we do himenuta,” the shadow (or shade) of have an inevitable fear and concern, What happened here? How did the faith. Nothing is more temporary and awe and trepidation over the Yamim very feeling which provoked such con- transient than a shadow. It has no exis- Noraim – we are being judged and our cern, anxiety and trepidation suddenly tence of its own and can disappear in a fate is being decided. morph into joyous national celebration? moment. Nevertheless, our temporary But this is only part of the story. sukkah is the shadow cast by the most The answer is two-fold: the power of permanent reality of life – G-d, the Cre- When we fully accept our vulnerability acceptance and the power of Faith. ator and Sustainer of all Life. When we and life’s fleetingness – and embrace Regarding the former, M. Scott Peck understand we live in His shadow and them – an amazing transformation brilliantly summarized it in the opening all that happens is somehow a reflection occurs. We are able to celebrate them. of his bestselling book: “Life is difficult. of the purposeful plan of Providence – This is precisely the point of the imme- This is a great truth, one of the great- whether we understand it or not – we diate transition from the Days of Awe est truths. It is a great truth because are ready to transform. to the days of unbridled celebration on once we truly see this truth, we tran- Sukkot. So as we begin the new year, still very scend it. Once we truly know that life much in the throes of the old, we can No, our vulnerable state has not mirac- is difficult – once we truly understand change. With our belief that everything ulously vanished within the space of and accept it – then life is no longer is ultimately for the good, we can begin four days. What has changed is our difficult. Because once it is accepted, to celebrate the gift of life. We can cul- the fact that life is difficult no longer attitude. Having accepted vulnerability 2 tivate peace of mind and faith-based as an unavoidable reality, we are now matters.” serenity in our unpredictable, vulner- ready to embrace and even celebrate it. In our context, after experiencing the able world. intensity of the Days of Awe and inter- Our sense of vulnerability is certainly Wishing everyone a Chag Sameach and nalizing and accepting this reality – that no less on Sukkot than it is on Rosh a healthy, happy and joyous 5781. Hashanah and Yom Kippur – perhaps our vulnerable state is an inescapable even more so. We leave our safe and component of life – we are now ready permanent homes and live for an entire to celebrate it. 1 Rosh Hashanah, Chapter 1, Mishna 2. week in flimsy huts and temporary Acceptance and submission are the 2 The Road Less Travelled, page 1. booths – totally exposed to the ele- gateways to transformation. We are ments, both natural and manmade. For now open to the power of Faith. seven days, we shake the Four Species, all of which have to be severed from In our unpredictable and transient the ground and detached from their world, there is one immutable con- permanent source of life. As each day stant – G-d. It is our unshakeable faith of Sukkot passes, they all slowly wilt that everything is somehow ultimately Rabbi Doron Perez is Chief Executive of away in our hands. Pertinently to our for the good. There is Providence in the Mizrachi World Movement. 4 | Managing your wealth and financial future is key to a successful Aliyah. 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It is critical we use 12 lthough there is a mitzvah of itatively greater than any other.