Around the Sukkah Table

Transcription

1 B H Have A wonderful Yom Tov! Around the Sukkah Table A Dvar Torah for Each Day of Sukkos Looking forward to seeing you by the Sukkah Fest this Thursday! Learn all about the guests that visit us each day of Sukkos! This booklet belongs to Have A Great Sukkos! A Project of GO 5773

2 Here is a short little piece for you to read each day about our regular and Chassidishe Ushpizin. If you read the piece each day and answer the questions at the end, you ll be eligible to win an amazing prize. You don t want to miss out, so make sure to say it and bring it back to us!! Introduction: Sukkos is referred to as the time of rejoicing. A happy person naturally wants to share his joy with others. Inner satisfaction may be felt alone, but exuberant celebration can be experienced only in the company of others. As an expression of our happiness, the Chachamim stress the importance of sharing the joy of Yom Tov by inviting guests to our Yom Tov Seudos. The Zohar teaches that our Sukkos guests include not only those who visibly take part in our festive meals, but also guests from a spiritual realm. On Sukkos we are joined by seven Ushpizin: Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Moshe, Aharon, Yosef, and Dovid Hamelech. In addition, the Frierdiker Rebbe taught that our Sukkos are also visited by the Chassidishe Ushpizin: The Baal Shem Tov, the Maggid, the Alter Rebbe, the Mitteler Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek, the Rebbe Maharash, and the Rebbe Rashab. In fact, he would actually point out particular places in his sukkah and say, Here sits the Baal Shem Tov, here the Maggid, and so on. Although these Ushpizin visit our Sukkah together on every day of Sukkos, on each day a different one of the Ushpizins characteristics are dominant, and his qualities can teach us lessons to apply to our Avodas Hashem. Questions: 1. What difference do the Ushpizin of the first night have and what does it teach us? 2. What do we learn from the fact that both Hillel and Elazar Ben Charson were obligated to learn Torah? 3. How is the Rebbe Rashab connected to the Sefira of Malchus? 4. What similarities does Yosef Hatzaddik and the Rebbe Maharash have with each other and how is it a lesson to us?

3 Day Eight; Chof Beis Tishrei Geulah The leaders associated with Shemini Atzeres, Shlomo Hamelech and the Frierdiker Rebbe follow the Ushpizin of the previous day, for they enhanced the contributions made by their fathers, Dovid Hamelech and the Rebbe Rashab. Though Dovid Hamelech established the kingdom in his family, his own reign was torn by strife and war; However to his son Hashem promised, I will grant peace and tranquility to Israel during his days. Indeed through his reign, the Possuk says, Israel dwelled in safety, every man under his vine and under his fig tree. In this atmosphere of peace, Shlomo Hamelech built the Bais Hamikdash, a permanent dwelling place for Hashem within our material world. This enabled the entire world to be refined, since the light from the Bais Hamikdash motivated people throughout the world to seek holiness. In a similar way, The Frierdiker Rebbe enhanced the achievements of his father, spreading the teachings of Chassidus throughout the world, thereby preparing the world for Moshiach. No place was too far removed, nor any individual too far for the Rebbe Rayatz to reach out to him, and connect him with the teachings that prepare us for the coming of Moshiach. This is the avodah left to our present generation, and the goal to which all our efforts must be directed: to make the Geulah a tangible reality. The Rebbe has said, Anovim Higiya Zman Geulaschem The time of the Redemption has arrived! Day One; Tes Vov Tishrei: Revealing Hashem The Ushpizin of the first day, Avraham and the Baal Shem Tov, share certain characteristics. Both Avraham and the Baal Shem Tov s mission consisted of revealing Hashem to the world; Avraham by founding the Jewish faith and the Baal Shem Tov through founding the Chassidic movement. Furthermore they both accomplished this by travelling from place to place and teaching those they met on their journeys. Like our father Avraham, the Baal Shem Tov dealt with the common people. He would ask them about their health, jobs, and other material concerns in order to draw out the response, of Baruch Hashem. In doing so, he demonstrated that G-dliness is part of even the most mundane parts of our existence. However, there were aspects to their lives in which they differed from each other. While Avraham lived a life of hardships and tests, the Baal Shem Tov lived a miraculous life, one that was completely supernatural. The fact that they share one avodah, of making Hashem known in the world, teaches us that we must reveal G-dliness to others, whether we live a life of hardship and difficulty, or one of wellbeing and abundance.

4 Day two; Tes Zayin Tishrei Influencing your Surroundings The characteristic shared by these two Ushpizin is hinted to in the Possuk, Do not abandon your place In contrast to the other avos, Yitzchok never left Eretz Yisroel. Similarly, unlike the other Rebbeim who journeyed from place to place, once the Maggid assumed leadership of the Chassidic movement he never left Mezritch. This teaches us the avodah of staying in one place, yet having a sphere of influence which goes beyond that. Although Yitzchok and the Maggid lived in one place, they had an effect on the entire world around them. The contrast between them is as follows: Yitzchok is described as being an olah temimah a perfect offering. The Maggid, on the other hand, seems to have the opposite quality. He is distinguished from amongst all the Rebbeim as being the only Rebbe whose connection to Chassidus came later in his life. The fact that they each had the attribute of a far reaching influence, despite their differences, teaches us that this quality can be possessed by every person, regardless of their background. Day seven; Chof Aleph Tishrei Moshiach The attribute shared by the Ushpizin of the seventh day is Malchus, of which the ultimate expression will come about in the times of Moshiach. Dovid Hamelech is particularly identified with royalty, for once he was anointed, he acquired the crown of kingship, which thereafter belonged to him and his descendants forever. Furthermore, Moshiach will be a descendant of Dovid, and is called Moshiach Ben Dovid. In addition, the prophecies which hint to the coming of Moshiach, discuss two anointed kings, Dovid Hamelech, and Moshiach. These qualities are shared by the Rebbe Rashab as is hinted by the year he was born "א.תרכ These כתרא Hebrew letters spell the Aramaic word ( crown ) reflecting his unique status as Malchus. The Rebbe Rashab also began Yeshivas Tomchei Temim in Lubavitch, giving the students the title of, soldiers of the house of David, whose primary goal is to bring Moshiach. As students of Tomchei Temimim we must realize that we are the ones the Rebbe Rashab meant and that it s within our power to bring Moshiach!

5 Day Six; Chof Tishrei Rising Above The qualities shared by the Ushpizin of the sixth day are expressed by Lechatchila Ariber, the famous expression of the Rebbe Maharash. The whole world says, If you can t crawl under, try to climb over, but I say, from the beginning, climb over! This is not a theoretical concept but rather a truth that can be applied practically as witnessed by Yosef, who rose above his situation as an imprisoned slave, leading him to become viceroy of Egypt. The influence that Yosef had on the surrounding nations is a taste of how it will be when Moshiach will come, and all nations will pay homage to the Jewish people. When we participate in a Simchas Bais Hashoevah, and dance in a public domain, we are automatically having an influence on the world around us, which brings the time period of Moshiach closer. However, even before Moshiach comes, the lessons of Yosef s life, are relevant to us all. Although we are in Golus, there is no reason for us to feel handicapped by our situation. Instead we can rise above and reach the highest levels of achievement both in spiritual and material matters. Day three; Yud Zayin Tishrei Torah Study Both Ushpizin of the third day are specifically connected with Torah study. The Torah describes Yaakov as, a simple man, dwelling in tents, which our Chachomim understand as a reference to the tents of Shem and Eiver, the leading bais midrash of that time. The Alter Rebbe s connection to Torah study can be seen through his first name Shneur, which can be read as Shnei Or two lights. The Alter Rebbe revealed the light of nigleh and the light of Pnimiyus Hatorah, through his two classics, the Shulchan Aruch and the Tanya. Every Jew has a share in the Torah, and this connection must be expressed in the way we act on a daily basis. Thus, our Chachomim teach, [the example of] Hillel obligates the poor and [the example of] Elazar ben Charsom obligates the rich. Although, Hillel was a poor man, who worked for his livelihood, he studied Torah diligently, whereas Rabbi Elazar ben Charsom, who was wealthy, did not allow his thriving business to divert his attention from Torah study. Regardless of one s financial status, everyone has both the potential and the obligation to devote himself to the study of Torah.

6 Day four; Yud Ches Tishrei Torah Study Continued The Ushpizin of the fourth day are also associated with Torah study. Moshe משה קבל תורה מסיני received the Torah on Har Sinai and transmitted it to the entire Jewish people. Indeed, the Torah is associated with his name to the extent that it s referred to as Toras Moshe. Moshe served as two functions to the Jewish people: (a) he served as intermediary who communicated the Torah to the Jewish people; (b) he interpreted the Torah, giving over it s teachings and explaining it so that all could understand. Like Moshe Rabbeinu, the Mitteler Rebbe served as both transmitter and interpreter for the works of the Alter Rebbe. Whereas the Alter Rebbe laid the foundation for Chassidic thought and philosophy, the Mitteler Rebbe developed these ideas, explaining them with examples and stories in a way which allowed them to be internalized and grasped intellectually. Day five; Yud Tes Tishrei Achdus The Ushpizin of the fifth day teach a lesson of love and harmony between us and our fellow man. Aharon epitomized this as it says his approach was one who, loved peace and pursued peace, loved all created beings, and brought them closer to Torah The use of the term created beings, implies that Aharon would reach out even to those whose only virtue was that they were created by G-d. Drew them near to Torah, implies that Aharon first concerned himself with the personal problems of the people, in the hope that this would draw them close to Torah. The Tzemach Tzedek represents the development of harmony among the leaders of the Jewish community of his time. Under his leadership, unity was established all the sectors of the Jewish community. This idea of achdus is clear from the story that the Rebbe brought down in a Farbrengen, about when the Tzemach Tzedek s was thinking about moving to Eretz Yisroel and his Chassidim asked who would lead them. The Tzemach Tzedek answered, first of all I have Banim, but it s the Achdus of the Chassidim, that will keep us going until Moshiach comes.