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The Sukkot–Shemini Atzeret Dynamic Rabbi Elan Mazer National Director, Mizrachi Canada

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The Sukkot–Shemini Atzeret Dynamic Rabbi Elan Mazer National Director, Mizrachi Canada Sukkot 5778 ▪ October 2017 of Mizrachi Canada עלון חגים The GPO Photo by Moshe Milner The Sukkot–Shemini Atzeret dynamic Rabbi Elan Mazer National Director, Mizrachi Canada s Shemini Atzeret a new holiday? subjects, afterwards requests of him to Throughout history, the discrepancy I Immediately following Sukkot, we make an exclusive feast so that he can between these two themes has been at begin our fourth holiday of the month enjoy his company.” Again, we see that the focal point of conflict between the of Tishrei: Shemini Atzeret. There is an the holidays are linked, but with unique Jewish people and other nations, as well as interesting discussion in the Gemara themes and goals. between camps within the Jewish people. Are we supposed to be an exclusive nation, in Masechet Sukkah (47) as well as in Universal and unique isolated, not to be considered amongst the Masechet Rosh Hashanah (4b), as to Sukkot is a universal and inclusive nations, as Bilaam prophesies (Bamidbar whether or not Shemini Atzeret is a holiday, and Rashi explains that the 23)? Or are we an integral part of the separate holiday from Sukkot. On one hand, purpose of the seventy sacrifices is to ask the holidays are definitely connected, for if international community, responsible for one doesn’t bring the holiday sacrifice on their wellbeing, a light unto the nations, Sukkot they can make up for it on Shemini with our temple serving as a house of Atzeret. On the other hand, the Gemara Success is seeing oneself as prayer for all nations (Yeshayahu 49, 56)? says that they are distinct holidays since a unique, essential part of The dangers of both they have different communal sacrifices the greater whole. History has proven that following and mitzvot, and because we even say a either school of thought to the extreme new Shehechiyanu blessing specifically for can easily lead to hate. When a nation Shemini Atzeret. believes that they are unique and This relationship is further developed for rain and sustenance for all the nations. therefore better than all others, it can by Rebbe Elazar later on in Masechet Zecharia also views Sukkot in this light lead to hatred towards them from the Sukkah (55b), “The seventy cows [offered as he prophesizes that the in the end of nations, and genocide. Likewise, the call as sacrifices on Sukkot] correlate to the days Sukkot will be the time when all the for complete equality amongst nations seventy nations of the world while the nations of the world will come together to the point of neutrality has proven single cow [offered on Shemini Atzeret] in Jerusalem to serve Hashem. Shemini to be equally dangerous, as with the corresponds to the singular nation of Atzeret on the other hand, is a time for the communists in Russia murdering all Israel. Just as a king asks his personal chosen nation to celebrate their unique religious leaders, as well as the path the servant to make a grand feast for all his relationship with Hashem. provincial government of Quebec took ▶ ▶ in recent years, all under the banner His Word to the nations of the world. Rav to succeed as an individual, to make our of equality. Kook explains that both of these aspects distinct marks on the world; nor should are essential to accomplish the goals that success be defined only by one’s ability to Balancing the extremes the Torah has set for us. Rav Kook in Orot do what is expected as a part of society. Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret call for a (Israel 1:5) further defines Am Yisrael’s Rather, success is a synthesis of the two. balance between these two extremes. status as the chosen nation, not as a Success is seeing oneself as a unique, In his book, Ein Ayah (Berachot 1), Rav separate entity removed from the rest of essential part of the greater whole. This Kook explains that the reason that we say mankind but rather as an essential part of is also how we should view our friends, Shema – the acceptance of Hashem as materializing the potential that lies within family, students and colleagues — as our God – twice daily, every morning and all of reality. distinct individuals who are intrinsic parts night, is to represent these two missions of the puzzle. of the Jewish people. Just as the night is Completing Tishrei a time to settle down from all the day’s The dynamic of Sukkot and Shemini We culminate this fusion of ideals by work, so, too, the night-time Shema Atzeret, of being unique but only as a celebrating our Torah, the Divine Book represents a more passive and reflective part of something bigger, is the final step that defines us as a nation as well as religious experience, focusing on building in the process of the month of Tishrei. guides us in realizing our responsibility to one’s personal devotion to God. The day- This message is not only a national one, the world. time Shema represents a more outward but also a personal – human and Jewish active acceptance of God, by spreading – one. Our ambitions should not be only The full-body experience Rabbi Daniel Thwaites Shaliach, Bnei Akiva Schools and Rav, Ayin L’Tzion congregation n Yom Kippur, we stand before take us to our next spiritual high? beings. Torah is about growing in all OGod like angels on high, completely Even more difficult is the fact that, aspects of our being, both physical and refraining from all physical activity. We although living in the sukkah is a mitzvah, spiritual. focus on refining ourselves and reaching the actual building of the sukkah is Over Sukkot we should continue to great spiritual heights. The question regarded only as a preparatory mitzvah take the great spirituality that we have becomes, what can we do next? How can at best. Why would this be our focus on attained over Rosh Hashanah and Yom we use this spiritual height to reach even motzaei Yom Kippur? Kippur and channel it into acts of great higher? Rav Kook suggests that the reason physical growth as well. One might expect that, with the spiritual for this custom is that over Yom Kippur buzz that we leave Yom Kippur with, we’d Rabbi Daniel Thwaites was born and our souls were fully engaged in the raised in Manchester, England. After making be commanded to engage in a mitzvah spiritual mitzvot of teshuvah and tefillah, aliyah at the end of high school, Rabbi of great importance. Perhaps everyone however this may create an imbalance, Thwaites studied at Yeshivat Har Etzion for should go out and give tzedakah. Or else and therefore, on motzaei Yom Kippur eight years where he combined Torah study we should all engage in learning Torah, or we give our bodies an opportunity to with his service as an infantryman in the IDF some form of gemilut chasadim. Yet the catch up by engaging in the physical and also studied for Rabbinate Ordination. In widely accepted custom on motzaei Yom mitzvah of building the sukkah. Rav addition, Rabbi Thwaites worked extensively Kippur is that the first mitzvah we engage Kook here is teaching us a fundamental with the overseas program, as well as in is building the sukkah. Why is this the lesson. Growing religiously is not only a studying History and English Literature at mitzvah of choice? How can this mitzvah spiritual act, as we are not only spiritual the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. MIZRACHI CANADA Facebook.com/MizrachiCanada ▪ www.mizrachi.ca ▪ [email protected] ▪ 416-630-9266 OUR PARTNERS Bnei Akiva of Toronto ▪ Camp Moshava Ennismore ▪ Moshava Ba'ir Toronto Bnei Akiva Schools ▪ Emunah Canada ▪ YU/Torah Mitzion Beit Midrash Zichron Dov DESIGN & LAYOUT Daniel Safran ▪ [email protected] PHOTO CREDITS Cover: Birkat Kohanim at the Kotel 1995, by Moshe Milner, Government Press Office (Israel) Page 7: Fritz Cohen, Government Press Office (Israel), CC BY-SA 3.0, http://tinyurl.com/ybpseghw 2 Shavuot 5777 Survival of the weakest Rabbi Hillel Van-Leeuwen Educational director, Mizrachi World Movement s a child and later as a teenager, I altar in the courtyard of the Temple hanging there lifeless and miserable Awould get frustrated each year throughout the seven days of Sukkot, right in front of the massive celebrating when I would see how quickly the Arava with their ends bent onto the top of crowds. On top of being a catalyst for leaves lose their vitality, shrivel up and the altar (Mishnah, Sukkah 4:5), and the the upcoming prayer for rain recited on die, on the last few days of Sukkot. In chavata (the five Aravot we tie together the last day of Sukkot, this sight serves my attempts to keep them fresh like and beat on the floor in shul at the end as a symbolic reminder of our complete the beautiful Hadas branches, I kept of the hoshanot on Hoshanah Rabah, a dependency on Hashem, and of the the Aravot rolled up in a wet towel in custom originated by the early Prophets thirst for Torah one should feel. the fridge, standing in a bucket of fresh (Mishnah Torah, Lulav 7:24). The same applies to the chavata, water, even tucked away inside the So here is a fresh look at the Arava: the beating of the Arava on the floor. freezer, but to no avail. Nothing seemed Sukkot is known as the “judgment day Remember what the shul’s floor looks to work. Recently, however, I have a new like at the end of tefillah that day? outlook on those pale, dried leaves.
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