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October 10, 2003/Tishri 14 5764, Vol. 56, No.3
Sukkot gives meaning, purpose to our lives
Torah study
RABBI IRWIN WIENER
Sukkot
Sukkot is one of three pilgrimage holiday - a time set aside to reconnect to our roots. A time for coming together to rejoice and give thanks for all that we are and all that we have. And much more.
It is different than the other two pilgrimage holidays, Passover and Shavuot. Passover commemorates the concept of freedom. Shavuot acknowledges the purpose of our existence, our religious identity. Sukkot, on the other hand, incorporates the meaning of the other two and adds a significant dimension - Sukkot emphasizes the tenuousness of our lives, the fragility of our existence and the temporariness of our sojourn.
Sukkot also is a reminder of God's protection. Just as the sukkah we erect gives us shelter, God attempts to shelter us from the consequences of our choices. Just as the temporary dwelling reminds us how precarious is life's journey, God attempts to guide us through the paths we determine for ourselves. And just as the lodging can disappear without warning, God reminds us how fleeting our existence is and comforts us in our time of need.
The holiday is known by several names, my favorite being Z'man Simhateinu - a time for celebrating. We have just completed our High Holiday observance and we are satisfied that our expressions of contriteness and our wishes for a better tomorrow have been accepted. It is certainly a cause for jubilee.
Additionally, Sukkot gives us the opportunity to succeed in our efforts to understand that all is not good nor is everything bad. We need to learn that good and bad are connected, and we are the link that can separate them enough to give meaning to our lives.
Sukkot enables us to comprehend the true meaning of life: to be thankful for all the harvests of our days. And God is where God should be - in our hearts and minds, in our deeds and actions, in our relationships and understanding of each other.
Sukkot should help us realize that we are responsible for each other and that there can be no true jubilation without this moral standard.
The Rabbis loved to demonstrate this with the story of a man sitting in a boat filled with many people. All of a sudden the man began drilling a hole under his seat. The other passengers were outraged and admonished him for doing something so foolhardy. His reply was that he was drilling the hole under his seat and could not understand the commotion. Everyone exclaimed that if he continued to drill the hole the boat would fill with water and everyone would drown.
We are responsible to others for our actions and for the consequences that will result. We are responsible to God for those things that relate to our spiritual well being. We are responsible to ourselves to ensure that our lives will have meaning and purpose.
Our lives are tenuous, our existence indeed fragile and the gift of life so temporary that we must take the time to celebrate, rejoice and give thanks. Then the ultimate blessing of the season - sukkat shalom - peace in our homes, which translates into peace in our lives, will be our reward.
Rabbi Irwin Wiener is the spiritual leader of Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation.
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