Survival to Celebration
The abrupt mental and physical transition from Yom Kippur to Sukkos deserves explanation. On Rosh Hashanah, we stood before Hashem and asked to be written in the Book of Life. We had the ten days of repentance culminating on Yom Kippur, when we revisited the initial request and asked Hashem to forgive us, remove the sins and obstacles that may be holding us back, and ultimately seal us for a good year and for life.
And then, almost immediately, at a rapid-fire pace, the Torah tells us:
“ושמחת בחגך” “You shall rejoice on your festival.”
We are asked to quickly switch gears from pleading for our lives to rejoicing. Besides the practical aspects of physically getting ready for Sukkos, how do we transition so quickly from the emotional exhaustion of Yom Kippur to rejoicing?
It seems almost counterintuitive.
Furthermore, in some ways Sukkos seems to contradict the objectives of the Yamim Noraim that came before. We’ve spent weeks asking for security, stability, health, and life. And then we celebrate by deliberately leaving the security of our comfortable, permanent homes to move into a Sukkah? The structure that reminds us of the protection Hashem provided for Bnei Yisrael when they left Egypt and traveled through the desert is intentionally temporary and fragile.
Perhaps that is exactly the point.
Sukkos teaches us that true security does not come from the permanence of our surroundings. It comes from knowing Who is protecting us. On Rosh Hashanah we appointed Hashem as King over us, putting our trust in Him. Once we have Yom Kippur to remove all the remnants of sin, what better way to start the new year than to celebrate the exact message of Rosh Hashanah: Hashem is my Protector. He was there for my forefathers, and He’s here today for me.
The sukkah is no more than a short-term shack. The walls are flimsy. The roof is open to the sky. Yet we sit there and say, “This is where I am going to rejoice.”
And how do we create that simcha?
The Gemara (Pesachim 109a) explains that true Yom Tov joy means making sure that everyone can experience it: children with treats, women with clothing and jewelry, and men with meat and wine, each according to what brings them joy.
The Rambam reminds us to include the poor and vulnerable when we sit down to experience the joy of Simchas Yom Tov.
Perhaps this is the culmination of the journey that began in Elul and on Rosh Hashanah.
On Rosh Hashanah, we ask:
Will I have another year?
On Yom Kippur, we ask:
What do I need to change so I can enter that year differently?
And on Sukkos, Hashem seems to answer:
Now go live it. Be happy as is.
Step outside your comfort zone. Trust Hashem, recognize that the things you think make you secure are temporary. Take what you have been given and share your simcha with others.
Maybe the greatest lesson of Sukkos is that happiness doesn’t have to wait!
Sukkos teaches us to be happy even without a permanent house. We can wear new clothing and jewelry anywhere; we can eat meat and drink wine wherever we are. We don’t have to wait until every problem is solved, or wait to see exactly what the year will bring. We begin the year immediately with whatever tools we have and with what we can do.
On Friday night, when we step into the Sukkah, we can think about our relationship with Hashem, now stronger after experiencing Rosh Hashanah, Aseres Yemei Teshuva, and Yom Kippur. We can choose to be happy and fulfill “ושמחת בחגך”, “You shall rejoice on your festival,” regardless of the details.
Reader’s Reflection
What is one thing you can do this Sukkos to create more genuine simcha for yourself or for someone else?