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Tales for the Yom Tov Table Succoth The holiday of Succot is the only holiday in Judaism that doesn't celebrate a particular historical date. Even Rosh HaShanna and Yom Kippur commemorate the dates Adam was created and when the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies. Rather Succot commemorates G-d's constant protection of the Jews with 'clouds of glory' all the forty years they wandered in the desert. Something we must remember each time we sit in the Succa. But surprisingly, in our prayers make no mention of this! Rather Succot is called 'Zman Simchatenu" The holiday of Joy. What have we got to be happy about on this holiday in particular? To explain, here is a story I heard from a tape recording of Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Hecht. Yosel was a simple Jew but he was honest.
That's why every year he was
chosen to be the one to buy the 'special' Etrog and bring it back
to the There were other Etrogim in town but the 'special' Etrog was the one that everyone contribute to the whole year until a large enough sum was gathered to buy something 'special' from the nearby city for Succot. It was almost a two day journey each way but those few days of travel in the woods, buying the Etrog and bringing it back made him really glad that he was alive. This year it seemed that even his horse was happy plodding along the dirt road through the forest in the cool afternoon shade, Yosel recited Psalms by heart then, in the distance, something caught his eye. It seemed to be a person jumping up and down. With a flick of the reigns he sped his horse until he saw all the details. It was a Jew, standing by the side of the rode next to his fully-laden wagon holding his head and weeping aloud like a baby. "Hey, what's wrong?" shouted Yosel. "Why is a Jew crying?" The poor fellow just pointed to the ground in front of his wagon and wept even louder. There lay his horse, still as a stone, tied to the carriage with one leg in the air; a truly pitiful sight. Yosel immediately understood. This unfortunate was also on his way to the market and now without a horse he was stuck, this was probably his income for the next few months. "Come with me" offered Yosel. "My wagon isn't nearly as big as yours but you can put some of your things in." But as the words came out of his mouth he knew it wouldn't work. His horse wasn't strong enough to pull a laden wagon and even so, everything left behind would certainly be stolen. The fellow would loose his wagon and the remainder of his goods as well. "Look" Yosel said, "How much do you need for a new horse?" Suddenly the man stopped crying, looked in amazement at Yosel as though he was some sort of apparition, took a handkerchief from his pocket, dried his eyes, held up five fingers and rasped, "Five hundred rubles". Yosel took the 'special' money out of his pocket, held it up and said, "Here it is, jump in! We can make it to the market in a half a day; you can buy a horse there, ride it back here and make it back to the market again before tomorrow morning. You can repay the loan later." They rode like the wind and in a few hours the Jew had just finished shaking Yosel's hand in the marketplace, jumped on his new fresh horse and was off like the wind to save his wagon. But as he faded into the distance so did the smile of satisfaction on Yosel's face. Suddenly he realized he was alone and except for the 'Mitzva' he just did, all he had in his pocket was twenty rubles. What would he do now? He couldn't return empty handed and face the crowd. Who knows if they would agree with his giving their money for such a charity? Who knows if he would really get the money back? He helped one person but disappointed a hundred. He was a simpleton! A fool! He began to become depressed. But suddenly he thought to himself. "Hey! What possible good will come from being sad!? Exactly the opposite; The Baal Shem Tov says that 'Sadness is the doorstep to all sins' and even more; 'If you think 'good' things will be good.' Yosel rubbed his hand over his eyes to 'wake up, and began singing a happy song to himself. A little dance; a few spins to change his mood . and it worked. He felt great! He said a prayer to G-d, kept humming and began walking in the marketplace till he got to the Jewish section. It didn't take long to realize that twenty rubles would buy an Etrog that looked something like a potato. No no! That would never do. But he didn't loose hope. Suddenly he saw a large group of people gathered around one man. He approached and was startled by what he saw. An Etrog as large as one can hold in one's hand, as brilliantly yellow as the sun and spotlessly clean! It was magnificent. He had never seen anything like it in his life. In fact it brought tears to his eyes!! Selling price... One thousand rubles!! He began to turn away but then. What! What was that he heard? A raffle? Yes!! It seems that because no one had such a large sum the owner decided to make a raffle: Fifty tickets for... twenty ruble's each!! That way at least someone would have this Etrog for Succot. Yosel bought a ticket. His name was written on a piece of paper placed in a hat, a child was called from the crowd closed his eyes stuck his hand in and... YOSEL WON!!! Everyone in the crowd shook his hand! No matter who won everyone would have done the same thing. Yosel clapped his hands, thanked HaShem, spun around, did a few summersaults, kissed everyone within reach, brushed himself off and thanked HaShem again for his wonderful luck. He spent the night in his wagon and, after his morning prayers he set off back home; even more joyous than when he came. But he was in for a surprise. About half-way back he saw in the distance, standing by the same place as before, the same Jew jumping in the middle of the road waiving his hands like a madman. Again he snapped the reins, his horse quickened his pace and in minutes he again reached him. "Oy! Am I glad to see you!" the wide-eyed Jew yelled with open arms and a huge smile on his face. "What is it this time?" Yosel asked. "A miracle! An open miracle!! When I came back with the new horse I found that the old one. the one I thought was dead .. Wasn't dead!! He must have just been tired or something, but there he was standing there eating grass! "So I hitched both horses up to the wagon and in no time I made it to the market and sold all my goods in just a few hours at a nice profit. Then I sold the new horse you bought me and raced out here last night so I could intercept you on your way back home and now here you are!! Here! Here's your money back!!! So Yosel got a 'special' one thousand ruble Etrog for only twenty rubles, got all his money back and helped another Jew in need all because of his simple joy. If he would have thought too much he might not have even begun by loaning the money. And this is the lesson of Succot, especially of the Succa: To realize that HaShem alone is creating us, providing our needs and protecting us from all sides constantly... for free! [As the Talmud says "Can one sheep be surrounded by seventy wolves (for almost 2,000 years) and still exist?"] And that this is the ONLY way one can begin to have real joy in life. Therefore the first mitzvah we do on Succot is to sit in the Succa at night. Because the foundation of life is the joy of being alive. But there is a higher type of Joy; when we realize that we can pay HaShem back by doing His will. And this is the message of the Lulov and Etrog; a deeper more personal type of Joy. That is the next commandment we do the next morning. The Joy of serving HaShem. But all this joy will be revealed totally only in the days of Moshiach (which the Lubavitch Rebbe says has already arrived if we just open our eyes). All that is lacking is the joy and positive thinking to accept it. That is why the Rebbe said it is so necessary to be informed about Moshiach and to all we can to reveal him. This is the real message of Succot; to give
us the joy to receive... Rabbi Tuvia Bolton * * * This holiday is named after the commandment of living (or at least eating and sleeping) in a 'Succa' (a hut with only branches and leaves for a roof) for seven days beginning the fifteenth of 'Tishre'. Like all the Jewish holidays and commandments, Succot and the Succa are connections within the creation (time and space) to the infinite Creator. But here is something unique: Succot is the only Jewish holiday that does not commemorate a date upon which a miracle occurred. For example; Pesach is the date the Jews left Egypt, Shavuot; when we received the Ten Commandments, Rosh HaShanna; when man was created, Purim; when we were saved from Haman etc. The only exception is Succot. Succot reminds us that G-d protected the Jews with clouds of 'glory' for the entire forty years they were in the desert. The Rabbis have explanations why G-d wants us to celebrate when we do but all agree that no special miracle happened on the fifteenth of Tishre. Why is Succot different? Here is another strange fact; Chabad Chassidim do not sleep in the Succa; they claim it makes them spiritually 'uncomfortable'. Although according to the Shulchan Aurach,
(Aurach Chiam 640:4) it is
permissible to refrain from sleeping in the Succa for this reason,
but
usually Chabad Chassidim are renowned for their self-sacrifice regarding Even the Lubavitcher Rebbe himself, while he was living in Paris (before he was Rebbe) just after the German conquest, actually risked his life a few days before Succot for a commandment. He traveled alone through the war zones and over dangerous borders to Italy to buy an 'etrog' (a citrus fruit used in the 'Mitzva' of 'shaking the Lulov') because there was none in Paris that fit his qualifications. Why, then, when it comes to sleeping in the Succa, is Chabad different? Here is a story that will help to explain. The Lubavitcher Rebbe rarely left Crown Heights. In fact he seldom left his headquarters in 770 Eastern Parkway. But it so happened that once the Rebbe had some problems with his eyes that required a check-up. A doctor, who happened to be a religious Jew, was contacted and a special appointment was made after working hours for the Rebbe to visit his office. The examination required that the doctor put drops in the Rebbe's eyes and, because the drops took several minutes to begin their effect and the Rebbe had to sit and wait, the doctor sensed that it was a golden opportunity to ask the Rebbe a question that had been bothering him. The Rebbe agreed and the Doctor asked. "Rebbe, I've traveled around the entire world and everywhere I go I see Chabad houses and Chabad representatives working day and night helping Jews. "I mean, their dedication is really amazing. They live in the worst conditions, have great difficulty getting Kosher food or teachers for their children or a million other things that religious Jews need, and sometimes they even endanger their and their family's lives, I mean they live in some places of the world that are not always Jew friendly. "So my question is; if they are doing so much .. Then why hasn't Moshiach arrived yet? Why hasn't he come? The Rebbe looked up at the doctor very seriously, hesitated several seconds and answered. "I have the exact same question and it doesn't allow me to rest. "But one thing I can tell you" the Rebbe continued, "is that I don't let the my Chassidim (followers) rest either. I don't let them sleep at nights" The next story is about an ex-basketball manager who became a 'baal tshuva' of the Rebbe. The story is a long and interesting one but one episode is very relevant to us. The Rebbe took a special liking to him and once told him that he should get more sleep. "But Rebbe," he replied "You also don't sleep very much. Look at how black your eyes are. Why do you worry about me? You should worry about your own health." The Rebbe looked at him and smiled "My job is to worry for all the Jews in the world, and that keeps me awake nights. But your job is to listen to me and get more sleep." >From these two stories we can learn something about sleeping. But first, why do we sleep? The Rebbe once asked this question in one of his discourses. Why did G-d create man in such a way that he has to sleep? Isn't it is a bit strange that we waste a third of our lives in a semi-comatose state? He explained that without the change of sleep and then waking, life would be one continual state of consciousness and man would never be aware of the fact that drastic, incomparable personal change is possible. But now, after we wake from sleep, we sense that perhaps we can 'wake up' again; that we can 'jump' even higher, namely from normal consciousness to a knowledge and awarness of the Creator. And this is exactly the topic of the Succa; as the sentence says (Lev. 23:42-43) 'Sit in Succa seven days.. in order that you should KNOW etc.'
In fact, the Succa, more than any other commandment, symbolizes the days of the Moshiach. We ask in our prayer after eating all the meals of Succot "May G-d re-establish the fallen SUCCA of Dovid" (i.e. the Reign of Moshiach) We also pray in the evening Sabbath prayers that ' G-d spread His SUCCA of PEACE over us'; (which also refers to Moshiach when there will be universal peace. (see the end of Rambam)). Another clear connection between Succot and Moshiach is how the Holiday of Succot deals uniquely with the gentiles as only Moshiach will do (as we say thrice daily in 'Alenu'). In the days of the Temple a total of Seventy
oxen were sacrificed in the
course of the seven days of the holiday in order to bring blessing
to
the 'Seventy' nations of the world. And our reciting of those sacrifices Similarly the HafTorah for the first day
of Succot (Zacharia 14) tells
us that in the days of Moshiach all the Gentiles will come to Jerusalem Also, the holiday of Succot featured the 'Water drawing' ceremony which again refers to Moshiach when the G-dliness will fill the world like WATER. (See end of Rambam) So that answers our first question; The reason Succot does not celebrate any particular date or miracle is because it, more than any other Jewish Holiday, commemorates the coming of Moshiach. And the arrival of Moshiach is supposed to occur any and every moment. The reason Chabad doesn't sleep in the Succa (it seems to me) is. The job that the Chabad Rebbe's have assumed,
more than any other
leaders in the history of Judaism, is to prepare the world, begining Moshiach is the goal of creation; he and only he will reveal the true Oneness of the Creator to the entire creation but it all depends on G-d's chosen people (in fact that is what they were 'chosen' for). And, as we saw in the above stories, when trying to bring Moshiach there is so much work to do that there is no time to sleep. On the other hand, after Moshiach arrives there will be no NEED to sleep. The changes will be so great, awareness of truth will be so incomparable and people will have such a drive for G-dliness that there will be no need for sleep to teach us to change ourselves. So in any case, sleep and the Succa (at least as far as it symbolizes Moshiach) just don't go together. And because Chabad is so consumed with the goal of bringing Moshiach it is specifically THEY that don't sleep in the Succa. The reason that Succot occurs when it does is because hopefully we will be so pure-minded after the intense prayers and soul searching of Rosh HaShanna and Yom Kippur that we will realize the awesome lesson this holiday is teaching us. May HaShem reveal His true peace upon the entire world, raise the fallen Succa of Dovid and give us all a Chag S'meach with... Moshiach NOW!! Rabbi Tuvia Bolton Torah Online Site: http://www.ohrtmimim.org/torah * * * Everyone in the town of Braditchev was worried; it was just 12 hours before the holiday of Succos, and they still had no Esrog (A citrus fruit used in one of the Commandments of the holiday). The entire town gathered in the large Shul
(Synagogue) to read Psalms, with the hope that G-d would have mercy
on them, and send them a Into the Shul walked a uniformed man, obviously someone's servant, and began asking for directions to the hotel. It seems that his master, a devoutly religious and very wealthy Jew, was waiting in the carriage parked outside, and wanted to rest for a while before continuing the last leg of a long journey. Immediately Rabbi Levi Yitchak, the holy Rabbi of Braditchev, raced outside to the carriage, and personally invited the man to his home. Minutes later they were sitting in the Rabbi's study. "Ahh yes, I have certainly heard of you Rabbi," Said the rich man "and it is a true honor and privilege to be your guest. I am so grateful to HaShem for this opportunity." "That is a beautiful silver case you have there, Mister Goldblatt," said the Rabbi, pointing to the silver box that his guest was careful to not let out of his site, "Surely it must house a splendid Esrog. May I see it?" The Rabbi took the case and opened it. "Ahh, exquisite!" The Rabbi slowly closed the lid of the silver Esrog box, and looked Goldblatt squarely in the eyes. "You know Mr. Goldblatt, you look like a very unique man, a man of principle and extreme kindness". "Thank you Rabbi" Said the obviously flattered Goldblatt "And I plan to give a fine donation to your wonderful community. Now, please, if you will excuse me for just half an hour. I would like to just lay down for a while, as I'm very tired from the road, and I have a six hour drive ahead of me. Please excuse me Rabbi". "Yes, of course" Said the Rabbi. "But that is exactly what I want to talk to you about. You see....we need your Esrog here in Braditchev". "My Esrog?" gasped the incredulous guest, "Why...it cost me Five hundred Rubles! And that's not including the time and bother. No no, Rabbi, please understand and forgive me, but I cannot. This Esrog is the8 entire reason that I made this arduous five day journey, and my family and friends are all waiting. No, it's simply out of the question. Excuse me, Rabbi, please forgive me, but I will be forced to leave now and forgo my rest, I am sorry, I can not part with my Esrog". But the Rebbe was not to be discouraged so easily. "Mr. Goldblatt, how would you like half of my place in the world to come?". Suddenly Goldblatt's mind snapped to attention as he sat back down in his chair, looking all the while into the Rabbi's holy eyes. Goldblatt was no fool, he knew a good deal when he heard it, and he knew a serious deal when he heard it, and this was probably the best and most serious deal he ever heard in his life. The words made his mind spin. "Half of my place in the world to come!" Goldblatt was a believer, an observant Jew; he knew very well what the Rabbi meant. He knew that after one dies he is at the mercy of the Creator, and who could describe the terrible pain and horrors of Hell, or the infinite bliss of Heaven! Especially such a Heaven as that of Rav Levi Yitzchak!!! "Of course I would" he answered. "But is such a thing possible?" "If you will agree to stay here for the holiday with your Esrog, then it's yours" answered the Rabbi. Without hesitating he answered, "Yes, I agree!" Rabbi Levi Yitzchak called to ten of his pupils, took out a quill and a piece of parchment, and began to write out the deed of sale. He wrote all the details, had the pupils sign, and ceremoniously gave the document into Goldblatt's trembling hands. "Travel on without me!" Said Goldblatt to his servant. "Tell my wife and family that I'm fine, and I'll return and explain everything after the holiday". That night, the Shul was in an unusually joyous mood; it was the Holiday of Succos, and G-d miraculously sent them an Esrog. And to top it all off, they had an honorable guest; the generous Mr Goldblatt. After the prayers, the entire congregation filed by Goldblatt to express their gratitude, and wish him a joyous holiday. One by one, until finally, after receiving hundreds of smiling handshakes, he was left standing alone in the huge Shul with a big smile on his face. "Hmm" He thought to himself, "They forgot to invite me to eat. I'll just sit here until they realize their mistake". After fifteen minutes of waiting, he decided that he would go outside and have a look around. Maybe someone would see him. But no one was to be seen. They were all sitting in their Succos, enjoying their Holiday meals. Melodies and laughter echoed in the the cold, empty streets. He couldn't just wait there, so he walked to the first house he saw with a Mezuza on the door, and knocked on the door of the Succa there. "Ahhh, Mr. Goldblatt, what an honor! What! No one invited you to eat? How can that be? Go to the home of the Shul President, he will set this thing aright". But when he got to the house of the President no one was home; probably they were eating by someone else. Over an hour had passed since the end of the prayers. People were already coming out of their Succos, and taking strolls to settle their meals. Goldblatt was getting desperate, and hungry. "Good Yom Tov Mr Goldblatt!" One of the strollers yelled in his direction. "Good Yom Tov" he answered waving, and trying to force a smile. "Can you tell me where is the Succa of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak?" he said. Ten minutes later he was knocking at the door of the Rabbi's Succah. "Ahhh, Good Yom Tov Mr Goldblatt! Probably you want to eat the Yom Tov meal. I have a full meal set for you...in my house". "In your house?!" asked Goldblatt incredulously. "I want to sit in a Succah like all the other Jews. I want to eat my meal in a Succah - not in a house!" "Ahhh...you want to do the Mitzva (commandment)?" Said the Rabbi. "Why didn’t you say so? All right, just give me back the document". "What!?" Cried Goldblatt, "My Olom HaBa! (World to come). No way! I'm not giving up my place in Heaven just to sit in a booth with some leaves on it! That's crazy! What do I need it for? I have your promise! I'll get heaven whether I do the Mitzva or not, right? Especially because you are preventing me from the Mitzva for sure I have nothing to worry about. I'll eat in the house!" "Good" said Rabbi Levi as he took his guest by the arm and led him through the door to the lavishly set table in his home, poured him a cup of wine, and opened the prayer book to the "Kiddush" blessing. Goldblatt took the cup in his hand and began to say the blessing, and then he stopped. He stood like that for over a minute, deep in thought, until he put down the cup, wiped off his hand, and from his breast pocket pulled out the deed that the Rabbi had written earlier for him. "Here" he said proudly. "Now let me eat in your Succah". "Certainly!" Said Rabbi Levi Yitzchak, and he escorted him back outside. This time, however, Goldblatt felt like a different man. He was no longer Goldblatt the shrewd businessman; he was now Goldblatt the Jew. Never ever in his life had he been so sure of himself; he was doing the Commandment of G-d and NOTHING was going to stop him. Rav Levi Yitzchak moved the meal from the house into the Succah, while Goldblatt just sat there in the Succah, looking up at the leaves and branches of the ceiling. He filled the wine cup and made Kiddush, washed his hands for bread, and ate a few bites. He then closed his eyes, began rocking back
and forth in his seat, and began singing a happy song until he felt
as though the whole universe The next thing he knew, they were dancing. Spinning and singing, clapping their hands like....like JEWS! Finally, when they were out of breath and could dance no more, he looked at the beaming Rebbe and said; "Thank you, Rebbe, thank you! You have given me a new soul! Who cares about Heaven! Now I am really alive! For the first time in my life I am feeling what it means to do a Commandment" The Rebbe succeeded in putting the Succah inside of his guest. This is why Succos is more connected to Moshiach than any other holiday, because the Succah encompasses us, and also permeates us totally with the feeling of faith, joy, and peace of mind. And that is exactly the job of Moshiach; to fill the world with the knowledge of G-d and spread over us "Succat Shlomehchaw", HaShem's Succa of Peace. Moshiach NOW! Rabbi Tuvia Bolton * * * About two hundred years ago, in a certain
village in Poland, there lived a Rebbe with several hundred Chassidim,
The Rebbe was very careful in the Mitzva of Succa. The Succa he
had built for himself every year was a sight to see. The walls were
of the thickest and best wood, and were It so happened, that one year everyone in the village decided that they too could afford to build beautiful Succas like their Rebbe, but they weren't so good at building. What did they do? About twenty of the Chassidim,
the ones that knew how to work with their hands, joined together
to be the "Succa-builders", Needless to say, they had to work day and night non-stop, and made a lot of money that year building Succas. But, just a few hours before the holiday, as they finished the last Succa, they realized that they had been so busy working for everyone else that they had forgotten about themselves! They had no Succas! What could they do? There wasn't enough time for each one to go home and build his own Succa, so they decided that they had no other choice than to take all the scraps and leftover wood, and build one big Succa near the outskirts of the town. They finished building their large rickety edifice with just enough time left for everyone to run to the Mikva, wash up, and run home to change clothes before sunset. One and a half hours later, all the workers were sitting in the Shul looking radiant, holy, and very happy like everyone else, engrossed in loud enthusiastic prayer. The prayers finished, they sang and danced
together, shook hands and For the first few minutes it looked like
it wouldn't last long, but then it got stronger and louder and louder.
The strong wind and rain made it hard to even close the Shuls doors
again,and the sound the torrential rain and things smashing in the
street, made it seem like it would never stop. But after a half
an hour the rain ceased. The Shul doors opened All the Succas had been destroyed in the storm! In a few minutes, everyone was standing in the street, in front of their houses, not knowing what to do. Then someone had an idea "Let's go to
the Rebbe! He is a Holy man, I'm sure his Succa is still standing."
"Good Idea!" They all shouted in unison, and they set
out for their Rebbe's home. But as they approached, It seems that the Rebbe's Succa had been destroyed, just like everyone else's; the walls had been completely shattered, and one had even been lifted into a tree. Then from far away they heard singing! It was coming from the direction of the worker's Succa. Immediately the children ran in the direction of the music, and in minutes they returned breathless with the good news, "The Worker's Succa is...standing!" "Nu, Kinderlach" (children) said the Rebbe to the gathered crowd "Get your food. We are going to eat in a Succa after all". The entire night the congregation took turns
crowding into the worker's Succa, two or three families at a time.
Ten minutes for each shift, This is what they did for the next three meals. One the next morning, and two in the day, until they were able to rebuild their Succas. (Note: the Holiday of Succot is seven days, but the first two days are the Holiest, and work is forbidden). The next day there were about one hundred Chassidim in the Rebbe's house with the same question "Why was everyone else's Succa destroyed except for the Succa of the workers?" At first the Rebbe tried to answer that maybe the winds were weaker on the outskirts of town. But that didn't, work because trees were actually uprooted there. Then he said that maybe it was because theirs was stronger one than everyone else's. But that also wasn't so, because their Succa was built so hastily, that the whole thing shook when anyone just pushed it. So the Rebbe thought for a minute and then a smile broke on his face. "I know!" He declared, "I know why their Succa remained standing. Because our Succas were built each person for his own self and his own family. But when they built their Succa it was with unity, each built for everyone else. And when there is unity between Jews, all the storms and the hurricanes in the world can’t break it!" That is why Succos is so connected with the Moshiach (See the HafTorah of the first day) One of the main jobs of Moshiach is to unite all the Jews and thereby "Raise the fallen Succa of King David (the Moshiach)". May this Succos be when all the Jews see
how G-d is protecting us just as He was when He took us out of Mitzriam
with the Clouds of Splendor. With the arrival of Moshiach NOW!! Rabbi Tuvia Bolton * * * About two hundred years ago
in a certain village in Poland there lived a Now it so happened that one year everyone in the village decided that they too could afford to build beautiful Succas like their Rebbe but they weren’t so good at building. What did they do? About twenty of the Chassidim,
the ones that knew how to work with their hands, joined together
to be the ‘Succa-builders’ and they set to work going
from house to house building new Succas for everyone. What could they do? There wasn’t enough
time for each one to go home and build his own Succa, so they decided
that they had no other choice than to take all the scraps and leftover
wood and build one big Succa near the outskirts of the town for
everyone. One half an hour later all the workers were
sitting in the Shul looking The prayers finished, they sang and danced together, shook hands and wished one another ‘Good Yom Tov’ someone opened the huge doors for everyone to leave and suddenly… it began to rain. For the first few minutes it looked like
it wouldn’t last long but then it All the Succas had been destroyed in the
storm! Then someone got an idea “Let’s go to the Rebbe! He is a Holy man, for sure his Succa is still standing!” “Good Idea!” They all shouted in unison and they set out for their Rebbe’s home. But as they approached they heard from afar the cries from his backyard; “OOOY MY SUCCA!! My BEAUTIFUL SUCCA!!!! OOOOOOY!!” It seems that the Rebbe’s Succa was even more destroyed than everyone else’ s; the walls had been completely shattered and one had even been lifted into a tree. Then from far away they heard singing! It
was coming from the direction of the worker’s Succa. Immediately
the children ran in the direction of the “The Worker’s Succa is …. standing!!” “Nu, Kinderlach” Said the Rebbe to the gathered crowd “Get your food we are going to eat in a Succa after all!” The entire night the congregation took turns
crowding into the worker’s So they did for the next three meals, one the next morning and two the day until they were able to rebuild their Succas. (Note: the Holiday of Succot is seven days but the first two days are the Holiest and work is forbidden). The next day there were about one hundred Chassidim in the Rebbe’s house with the same question: “Why was everyone else’s Succa destroyed except for the Succa of the workers?” At first the Rebbe tried to answer that maybe
the winds were weaker on the outskirts of town. But that didn’t
work because trees were actually uprooted there. So the Rebbe thought for a minute and then
a smile broke on his face. “I And when there is unity between Jews, all
the storms and the hurricanes in That is why Succos is so connected with the
Moshiach May this Succos all the Jews see how G-d
is protecting us just as He was With the arrival of Moshiach NOW!! Tuvia Boloton |
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