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Parshas Ha’azinu / Succos 5780 Chabad of Beverly Hills Vol. 22 Issue 53 Friday, Tishrei 12, 5780 / Oct. 11, 2019 9145 Wilshire Blvd. Beverly Hills, CA 90210 Chabadofbeverlyhills.com Candlelighting Heaven on Earth The Challenge of Wealth Rabbi Yosef Shusterman וַיִשְ מַ ןיְשֻׁ רּון וַיִבְ עָּׁ ט וגו': )דברים הַאֲזִ ינּוהַשָּׁמַ יִם .. . וְתִשְ מַ עהָּׁאָּׁרֶ ץ (Los Angeles) Rabbi Mendel Shusterman לב:טו( וגו': )דברים לב:א( 6:06 PM [G‑d said,] “Listen, O heaven . . . [Moses said,] “The [formerly] 310-271-9063 Hear, O earth.” Deuteronomy 32:1 upright people became fat and Friday Mincha: G‑d addressed both heaven and kicked.” Deuteronomy 32:15 There is nothing wrong with wealth 6:20 PM earth in order to teach us that we BUILDING A SUKKAH are called upon to harmonize the per se, as long as we take the necessary An essential component of preparation two. The Torah originates in steps to ensure that we retain the prop- LATEST SHEMA: 9:47 AM er perspective. We should answer the for the joy of Sukkot is the building of heaven and consists of G‑d’s vi- challenge of wealth by striving all the a sukkah—a hut with a roof of palm Shabbat Schedule sion for the perfection of the more to refine our human-animal na- fronds, branches, reeds, or bamboo in world. By spreading the tures, taking care not to indulge in which we are commanded to dwell  8:45 AM knowledge of the Torah to our- excess mundane gratification – material during Sukkot week. Some people have selves and to others, we are or cultural. We can then refine the the custom to begin building their suk- world, as well, by shining the light of  Shacharit 9:30 AM bringing heaven down to earth. kah on the night immediately following the Torah outward,1 using the blessings followed by By reshaping both our own lives Yom Kippur; others build it between Kiddush, and the lives of others in accord- of wealth for their intended purposes: 11th and 14th of Tishrei. Cholent & to support and further the study of the ance with the Torah’s teachings, Torah and the dissemination of Juda- What is the significance of this mitzvah? we are bringing life on earth up ism.2 While it might be nice to get together to heaven. When we have made If we encounter someone who has in this quaint setting with family and 5:05 PM life into “heaven on earth” – “gotten fat and kicked,” we should not  Insights on friends, have a party, camp out (if it reconciling the division between give up hope, since even the most Succos isn't pouring), etc.—is there really any the two – heaven and earth testi- disinterested Jew remains a Jew at personal relevance to us today in this 5:50 PM heart, and the light of truth will pene-  Mincha fy how we have fulfilled our mis- strange mitzvah? followed by sion in life.(Likutei Sichot, vol. 9, trate even the hardest barrier. Seuda (From: Daily Wisdom. Translated and Shlishit pp. 213–214. ) Adapted by Moshe Wisnefsky The story of the 18th century Chassidic Master, the Maggid of Mezritch, gives Maintaining Focus one answer to this question.  Shabbat 7:06 PM HaYom Yom Tishrei 13 יְסֹבֲבֶנְ הּו וגו': )דברים לב:י( ends The Maharash passed away [Moses said,] “[G‑d] made [the on this day in 5643 (1882). He was A wealthy man came to visit the great Jewish people] surround Him [by interred in Lubavitch. sage and was shocked to find him living Announcements: commanding them to camp The beginning of Igeret 22 and its in sparsely furnished shack on the out- around the Tabernac- close were not published in Igeret skirts of town. Dismayed, he offered to Hakodesh.1 (It was printed in the Happy Birthday to Gila personally provide the Maggid with le].” Deuteronomy 32:10 publication Hatamim No. 2.) Lipsker, Rachel Meisel By studying the Torah regularly, quarters befitting his stature. & Gershon Meisel. we construct a “Tabernacle,” i.e., a dwelling for G‑d, in our per- HaYom Yom - Tishrei 15 In reply, the Maggid asked the wealthy man to describe his home—which, of Yartzheits: Rachamim sonal lives. By commanding the When giving the etrog-lulav set to another for him to pronounce course, was a mansion—and then to Davidpour- Tishrei 16, Jewish people to encamp around the b'racha, say explicitly that describe his accommodations while Leo Frankel - Tishrei the Tabernacle, G‑d teaches us this is a gift conditional on its traveling. When he finished the Maggid return, particularly on the first 17, Walter Tannenbaum that we should center our lives said, "I see that your accommodations around this inner sanctuary. The day. This is of value for the - Tishrei 20 giver1 and the recipient. My while traveling on business are much innermost point of the Tabernac- father instructed that one more modest than the place you call le was the Ark, which housed the should start saying shehechey- home. It's the same with me. Someday, Tablets of the Covenant, i.e., the anu with the lulav in one hand you'll come to my true home and you Torah. When the Torah is the and etrog in the other.3 will see how completely different it is." GOOD SHABBOS! The verses Ki amarti, etc. (p. & CHAG focal point around which our 326) are said only on Hosha'ana lives revolve, it can positively Raba. The sukkah reminds us that we are just SAMEACH! affect all facets of our lives, as it is During the day, the b'racha of travelers in this material world. Our meant to. Furthermore, once the leisheiv ba'suka (p. 251) is also true home is not here. Our dwelling said after kiddush (p. 250), not Torah is illuminating and influ- places, as beautiful as they may be, are after hamotzi. not our true home, which is much encing our lives as it is meant to, We know the procedure (for the more grand and beautiful than any- its influence can spread still fur- congregant) during the blessing of the kohanim4 because the thing that money could buy or that we ther outward, enlightening and Alter Rebbe would take the could even imagine. refining all humanity and the Tzemach Tzedek, before the entire world.(Hitva’aduyot 5744, latter's marriage, under his Meaningfullife.com vol. 4, pp. 2649–2650.) tallit during the blessing of the kohanim. SUCCOS SCHEDULE - Story of the Week: tears. He addressed G-d, crying, Sukkot is a time of unity and comradery. We "Master of the Universe! See how sit together in the Sukka, dance together, 5780 Before Reb Mordechai of Your children love the mitzva of pray together and recite a blessing on the Neschiz assumed his posi- dwelling in a sukka! Here You see Arba Minim, the four species of plants that Sunday Night,Oct. 13 tion as rabbi, he was a mer- a poor, wretched cobbler, lame in are brought together. chant. His son, Reb one leg, with torn clothing and no The mitzva (commnadment) of the Arba Minim Candlelighting 6:03 PM Yitzchak, recalled that every proper shoes tramping through the is based on the verse, "You should take for time he would return from a Mincha 6:20 PM mud, doing what! - looking for yourselves a beautiful fruit of the tree (etrog), a buying trip, he would take a boards to build his sukka! Heavenly date palm frond (lulav), a sprig that has a thick portion of his profits and put Father, look down from Your holy woody stem (hadas) and willows of the brook Monday, Oct. 14 it aside in a special box to be (aravot)." dwelling place and bless Your peo- used to buy an etrog. Our Sages attribute great symbolism to this Shacharit 9:30 AM ple, Israel--`Spread out over them One year he had amassed mitzva, specifically regarding the unity of the Mincha 6:10 PM Your Sukka, Your Tabernacle of Jewish people. Torah knowledge is the flavor of the sum of six silver rubles, Peace.'" and he made his way to the Judaism and performing mitzvot is the fra- Candlelighting Not before 7:03 Reb Mordechai went outside, grance. As far as flavor and fragrance are con- town of Brody to purchase climbed his roof, and searched until cerned, there are four kinds of Jews. PM from a pre-existing flame the etrog. As he travelled he discovered a few loose boards. First there is the lulav, a closed date palm down the road, he was sur- He then called his attendant and frond, leaves united together, straight and tall. prised to hear the sound of instructed him to bring the boards The dates that grow on the palm are flavorful SHEHECHEYANU IS RECITED weeping. He came upon a to the poor cobbler, and since time but do not have a distinct scent. This is the poor man sobbing over the BOTH NIGHTS was short before the holy Shabbat, species that we mention when reciting the loss of his horse, without to help him to build the sukka as blessing on all four kinds - "al netilat lulav." It which he had no means of well.. symbolizes our Torah scholars, whose main support. Reb Mordechai told occupation is studying Torah, the flavor of Tuesday, Oct. 15 (From: L’Chaim #1443) - lchaimweekly.org the man to stay put, and with Judaism, just as dates have flavor. (While they Shacharit 9:30 AM his silver rubles, he rushed observe mitzvot, they are recognized for Torah Mincha 6:10 AM off to purchase a new horse study.) They are tall beacons of light we look to for the man. The poor man A Beautiful Etrog for guidance and leadership. Yom Tov ends 7:03 AM couldn't believe his eyes The etrog, a citron, is pretty, fragrant and Each Sukkot morning, after perform- when he saw Reb Mordechai flavorful. The etrog stays on the tree year ing the mitzvah of taking the “Four approaching with a horse! round, uniting the seasons. This symbolizes the There will be no classes He gratefully heaped blessings on Kinds,” the previous Lubavitcher very well-rounded Jew who studies Torah his benefactor and went on his Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneer- regularly and fulfills the commandments with next week. joy and love. way. sohn, would allow all who wished to Hadasim, myrtles, whose stem is woody and As for Reb Mordechai, now left do so to use his lulav and etrog. Daily Minyonim Many chassidim availed themselves thick, has leaves that smell so good. Its leaves without any money, he also turned are clustered in united groups of three, with the of the opportunity, though they had towards home. He realized that he top of the leaves of the bottom cluster covering Weekday Shacharis: would be without an etrog for the a set of “Four Kinds” of their own, the bottom of the leaves of the higher cluster. upcoming festival, but he thought regarding it as a great privilege to Hadasim are symbolic of Jews who love doing 6:00 AM & 7:30 AM to himself: "What's the difference? perform the mitzvah with their Reb- mitzvot. They strengthen all the Jews around Buying an etrog is a mitzva com- be’s set. them with their mitzvot and kindness. They manded by G-d, and helping my learn Torah as well, but in general they are busy One day, after the Rebbe’s etrog was Sunday Shacharis: poor brother is also a mitzva com- "doing." returned to him bruised and stained manded by G-d." A smile crossed Aravot, willows of the brook, commonly have 7:00 AM & 9:00 AM from being handled by hundreds of his face and he chuckled to him- redish stems, with clusters of two leaves up its self: "Everyone else will make the hands, one of his chassidim said to stems. They grow bunched together, united and in abundance. They have neither taste nor blessing over an etrog; I'll make him: “Why do you allow so many Mincha/Maariv: distinct smell. Aravot are symbolic of those of my blessing over a horse." And so people to use your etrog? Look at us whose involvement in Torah study and 6:15 PM he continued home in a very hap- what has happened to it! It has lost its hiddur (beauty)!” [1] observance of mitzvot are minimal. py mood. In fact, someone Which of these Four Kinds is most important? It brought him an etrog in good time “Why,” replied Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak, would seem to be the lulav as it is named in the Resepct for the Sukka to use for the Yom Tov, and that “this is the most beautiful etrog in the blessing. And yet, the Biblical verse mentions it The attendant of the Rebbe Maharash year he made a blessing not only world! What greater hiddur can there second, only after the etrog. If you leave out once entered the sukka while angry. The over an etrog, but over a horse as Rebbe said to him: You need to behave be for an etrog than the fact that any of the four and remain with only three, you well! can no longer do the mitzva. The Torah gives with derech eretz (respect) in front of the hundreds of Jews have performed a primacy to the lulav in the blessing and to the s'chach (the folliage on top of the sukka); ****** mitzvah with it?” the s'chach do not like anger. (Seifer Preparations for the festival of etrog in the verse to teach us that each of the four kinds are equal. HaSichot 5704) Sukkot were under way, but for Meaningfullife.com The same is true for every Jew. Each one of us the poor, there were often obsta- Affecting the Supernal Realms is necessary, with a unique part in the Jewish When a Jew sets up the walls of the sukka, cles. Finding wooden boards with Rainy Days mission. The mission is incomplete without which to erect the sukka was al- the walls of the supernal sukka are set up. Rabbi Fishel of Strikov would sit in every Jews contribution. The value of every Jew When he covers it with s'chach, he thereby ways hard, and so every year Reb the sukkah even in the pouring is infinite. It is time to embrace every Jew. covers the supernal sukka. When he sits in Mordechai of Lechovitch amassed When we are united we complete each other. the sukka, all the lights and revelations of wooden boards that he lent out to rain. Once he was asked: When we are united, G-d is overjoyed; our unity the supernal sukka are drawn down needy Jews. “Does not the Shulchan Aruch is irresistible. Therefore, our unity is what will (Likkutei Dibburim) One year when the eve of Sukkot (The Code of Jewish Law) clearly bring Moshiach. Adapted by Rabbi Yitzi Hurwitz from the teachings No Sukka Decorations fell on Friday night, a tattered- state that, ‘If it rains, one should looking man limped up to Reb of the Rebbe, yitzihurwitz.blogspot.com. The Previous Rebbe explained that "In go back into the house’? And does ( From: L’Chaim #1443) - lchaimweekly.org Lubavitch" they did not make sukka deco- Mordechai's door and asked if he not the Rama add, ‘Whoever is rations, not under the s'chach and not on could borrow a few boards to build the walls of the sukka. "By my holy father, his sukka. The tzadik replied that absolved from sitting in the sukkah the Rebbe [Rashab], the sukka decorations unfortunately there were none left. and does not leave it, receives no were those who sat in the sukka. The fear Without a word, the poor fellow reward for this and is nothing but a of accepting the yoke of heaven on Rosh turned and limped off to continue HaShana, the avoda of Erev Yom Kippur simpleton’?” and Yom Kippur, and the joy of Sukkos his search for the requisite boards. Said Rabbi Fishel: “I’d rather be a were, for my father, experiences of the Reb Mordechai watched sadly as simpleton than leave the sukkah.” innermost soul." (Seifer HaSichot, 5704) the man disappeared into the al- Meaningfullife.com LChaim #1443 - lchaimweekly.org leyway, and then burst out in