Abraham’s Sister Sara

The incident in the Torah where Avraham asks Sara to say that she was his sister, is very puzzling. It looks like he is asking her to tell an outright lie.

Rashi justifies Avraham’s behavior by describing the lowly people of Egypt, and how they never saw such a beautiful white woman. It was a kind of Pikuach Nefesh that necessitated this subterfuge. Had he not done this, he would have been certainly killed.

The Ramban takes a different approach completely. He wrote that Avraham Avinu demonstrated a serious lack of faith. He should never have left Israel in the first place!

The Ramban felt that this act was so grievous, that it was the primary reason why his descendants had to go into exile.

The famine was one of tests placed before Avraham. He should not have placed his wife in a situation where one of the three cardinal sins would be violated.

The Alshich pointed out that there was great reward for the Jewish people in the merit of Sara’s virtue and Yosef’s virtue upon being faced with temptation in Egypt.

Pharoah himself rewarded Sara by giving her the land of Goshen, where the Jewish people later settled when they went down to Egypt.

The concept of מעשה אבות סימן לבנים, the incidents of the patriarchs, are a sign for their children, is also brought by the Ramban. We are to study and analyze what are our ancestors dealt with, and how they overcame obstacles, so that it helps us make the right decisions. And there are times when the decisions we make, come with scrutiny and doubt. With Hashem’s help, we should always do the right thing, and not be placed in such difficult situations.

Abraham’s Blessings

The Alshich describes in greater detail the nature of the material blessings that Avraham Avinu received from Hashem. These are the ultimate blessings one can achieve in this world.

When Avraham is told, “I will make you into a great nation,” this refers to the blessing of offspring. He is told that he will have children who will carry on his beliefs and his legacy.

When it simply said, ואברכך, “And I will bless you,” this refers to the blessing of good health. Avraham lived a long and healthy life.

“And I will make your name great,” refers to economic well being. The Torah tells us that Avraham achieved great wealth because of Sara’s righteousness, and her having been respected by her husband.

We see that on a physical level, Avraham was granted good children, good health, and economic prosperity. These are the three things we all pray for, and we must be grateful for all that we have. Avraham realized that having these physical comforts were only given to him so that he would be able to fulfill his lofty mission in the world. Being free of material worries, allowed him to teach the world about monotheism, and the need to follow in Hashem’s ways. Material comforts in themselves, do not bring a person joy. It is the closeness to Hashem and the peace of mind that comes with observing the Torah and doing acts of kindness.

Seven Noachide Laws

The Seven Noachide Laws were given to all of humanity, right after the flood. When the Jewish people received the Torah on Mount Sinai, they were given 613 commandments.

The Noachide Laws were meant to be the basic framework necessary for a society to survive and thrive. These laws became necessary when Hashem was convinced that without these basic laws, man would self destruct.

The seven laws are fairly obvious to anyone with an understanding of right and wrong. Murder, idol worship, and sexual immorality, could not be tolerated. The sanctity of marriage, needed to be upheld.

Respect for other people’s property was a necessity. Therefore, stealing could not be tolerated.

There needed to be a basic respect for animals, and people could not act in a barbaric manner. The tearing of the limb from a live animal, was the fifth of the Noachide Laws.

It also became necessary to insist that proper respect was given to G-d. The sixth Noachide Law forbade blasphemy, or cursing Hashem. It needed to be clear who rules the world.

The final law was the implementation of a court system that would enforce the other six laws. If there weren’t serious consequences for violating these laws, they would not be taken seriously.

Hopefully, this brief description of the Seven Noachide Laws, will give a better understanding of the basic needs of any society.

Spiritual Awakening

There is a spiritual awakening taking place in Israel today. It is difficult to see when the country was going through a war, and the pain of the hostages was so real.

It has also been difficult to see this awakening when the left leaning, anti religious media has such a loud voice.

The truth can no longer be camouflaged. The courage and determination of our brave soldiers, and the faith exhibited by the hostages in captivity, have been the main reason for this spiritual awakening.

An additional reason is connected to the ridiculous response of the world to the tragic events of October the seventh. Instead of gaining sympathy from the rest of the world, the war ignited the ugly flames of anti semitism. Jews were faced with the sobering knowledge that we stand alone, and are no longer welcome in most parts of the world.

It is sad that it takes tragedies to wake us up, but this is exactly what has happened. There were two short clips that came out recently that demonstrate this change. The first came from a soldier in Gaza, and the second involved a recently released hostage.

The soldier was reciting a prayer giving thanks to Hashem for allowing him to fulfill the Mitzva of defending the beautiful land and people of Israel. He was grateful to be fulfilling his fifth tour of duty in Gaza. This was quite impressive.

But even more impressive was the description of the partially tattooed hostage, Omer Shem Tov, who was previously a secular Jew.

Omer described how he prayed daily to G-d, and developed an actual friendship in the darkest places. He learned how to show gratitude for the mere morsels fed to him by the Hamas barbarians. He further described how he was shielded by the Divine light in the darkest place.

He even mentioned that now that he was free, he missed that special bond he had developed with his Maker.

Stories like these that we will continue to hear, are changing the overall attitude towards religious observance.

Shabbat is once again sacred for so many more Israelis. The same is true of Kashrut and Tefillin and Tzitzit. There is a silver lining that comes with tragedy and suffering. There is an exciting reawakening to the way of life that our ancestors have been fulfilling since the time of the Torah. Great things are ahead for the Jewish people!

Proper Speech

The Gemara in Masechet Pesachim noted that there is a reason for the Torah’s choice of words in describing the animals unfit for a sacrifice.

Instead of simply saying that there were animals that were טהור, pure, and animals that were טמא, impure, it was worded differently. The word, “טמא” was not used. The Torah took the effort of writing eight more letters, and called these unfit animals as איננה טהורה, “not pure.” It was to serve as a reminder that one must not allow his mouth to utter an unclean or inappropriate word.

Aside from the obvious demand that one should not use profanity in his speech, he should also realize the power of words. Specifically, cursing another person or wishing that bad things happen to a person that one dislikes, can be a very serious matter.

This is why speech can be more harmful than causing bodily harm. One’s wounds can heal, but one can never take back the words that left his mouth.

The curses are potentially very dangerous. It can certainly happen that the evil that one wishes on his adversary, will come back to him. His curses can bring about his own downfall.

This is the lesson of the Talmud. We must never minimize the power of words. If I hear that someone uses language like, “Drop dead,” or “I wish he were dead,” are dangerous statements to make. Jews are not supposed to speak that way.

The righteous are connected with the attribute of silence. They choose their words very carefully. They take the message of the “not pure” animals very seriously. We must do the same.

No Authority

A great deal can be learned from the Torah’s description of the cause of the “flood.” The Pasuk says, “And the land became corrupted before Hashem, and the earth was filled with corruption.”

The decline of man, that allows him to act in a way that is immoral, corrupt, and without shame, begins with a lack of Yirat Shamayim, fear of Heaven. Once that individual does not care about fulfilling the laws between man and G-d, he will no longer care how he treats another human being.

When there in longer an authority, that a person must answer to, anything goes, and everything can be justified.

This was the corruption of the generation of the flood. Not only was there sexual immorality, but people did not respect one another. It was their stealing, that sealed their fate. It represented a complete breakdown of society, where nothing was sacred.

There is a story told about the Chafetz Chaim, who was traveling in a horse and carriage. He did not let the driver know of his identity. At one point during the journey, they passed a delicious fruit tree. The driver decided to steal some of the fruit. He asked the Chafetz Chaim to be on the lookout in case anyone was watching him commit his crime. After a few minutes, he shouted out, “He’s watching!” The startled driver asked, “Where is he?” The Chafetz Chaim pointed towards heaven and explained that it was Hashem who was watching.

We often see the Pasuk שויתי ה׳ לנגדי תמיד, “Hashem is opposite me at all times,” placed on the curtain covering the Aron Kodesh in synagogues. This is meant as a constant reminder as to how we are to behave in this world.

The generation of the flood fell in the worst way, when they ignored that Hashem is opposite us at all times.

Reality of Human Nature

The lesson of Noah’s Ark, and the necessity to start the world anew, was very basic in terms of the reality of human nature.

It is possible that there are certain righteous individuals who are so pure that they are incapable of wronging another individual. But, unfortunately, such individuals are a rarity.

There must be a clear set of laws in order for man to thrive, and behave himself. The Torah is clear about this when it said, “The nature of the heart of man, is only evil, all the days of his life.”

This is a reference to the Yeitzer Hara, or evil inclination, that entices us to make the wrong decisions, and is the source of evil in the world.

This is the reason for the “Seven Noachide Laws,” that applied to all of mankind. Without consequences for our actions, man’s weaknesses will lead to rationalizations and justifications for bad behavior. Without a higher authority that sets limits and restrictions, man might even make his own rules that he might think are right, but are immoral.

We are witnessing a return to G-d and accepting His authority. This comes after witnessing the outcome of man made laws. There has been a breakdown of the sanctity of marriage, and all that is holy and pure.

The Ark and the flood, taught us this lesson of the need to follow basic laws that come from G-d. Hopefully, this lesson is now being relearned, and the world will accept that Hashem is the Creator. His laws are Divine, and only good comes when these laws are cherished and observed.

The Ark and the Temple

There is a dispute among the commentators regarding the level of righteousness that Noach possessed. Was he only righteous relative to his generation of sinners, or would he have been considered a Tzaddik in any setting?

The Alshich felt that it was necessary for Noach to earn special merit by spending a year in the Ark. He would be doing acts of kindness around the clock in caring for the animals that were with him.

There is even an opinion that the Ark represented a new world order that was meant to be similar to Messianic times. It had the potential of creating a more perfect world.

The Ark was similar to the Beit Hamikdash where miracles were witnessed. Specifically, they stood near one another in prayer, with very little room to move. But suddenly, the area of the Temple expanded, so that everyone had room to bow on the ground when Hashem’s holy name was mentioned by the Kohein Hagadol.

Similarly, it was a miracle that the food set aside for the animals, expanded to last for an entire year. On a natural level, much more food should have been needed.

Another aspect of Messianic times, was the prophecy that “the lion shall lie down with the lamb.” It was a miracle that the animals of prey did not attack the other animals in the Ark.

Even the dimensions of the Ark were the same as those mentioned in the construction of the Mishkan. The goal was to fix the flaws of the generation of the flood, in creating a more perfect world. Noach did gain merits by his acts of kindness. But he missed his full potential by planting the vineyard.

The world gradually declined. The Torah and the Jewish people were needed to correct the weaknesses of mankind. The Messianic goal is very much alive, when evil will be eradicated, and goodness and acts of kindness will prevail.

Why Was Chanoch Taken Early

Upon giving the chronology of the generations that followed Adam, the Torah informs us about an unusual individual named Chanoch. He died at the age of 365. This was considered young for those generations.

We learn that he was the father of Metushelach, who lived to be 969 years old, the oldest man who ever lived.

We also learn that Chanoch was taken before his time because he “walked with G-d, and was, therefore, taken by G-d.”

The commentators, such as the Chatam Sofer, explained that Chanoch distanced himself from others, so that he would not be influenced by their evil ways. Had he not secluded himself, he may have lived longer.

It says in Pirkei Avot, that if one wishes to find merits in the masses, he will not come to sin. Chanoch should have used his righteousness to help others. Because he did not do this, there was no point in leaving him in this world.

Our Rabbis have taught that it is our duty to share the Torah that we have acquired. We must not assume that we are incapable of influencing others. Our sincere intentions to help others, goes much further than we realize.

This is an important message for the coming year. We must not be like Chanoch, and worry about our own righteousness. We must study Torah diligently, with the intention of teaching it to others.

This is particularly true today after enduring two difficult years. There is a fulfillment of the prophecy that a time will come when there will be a famine in the land. It will not be a thirsting for water, or the eating of bread. It will be a famine, where there is a hunger and thirst to hear the word of Hashem. That time is now!

Eve’s Confusion

There is a clever explanation as to why Eve got confused regarding the instructions not to eat from the forbidden tree. She told the serpent that she was also not allowed to touch the tree. The Midrash says that he pushed her and made her touch it. The evil one said that just as no harm comes from touching the tree, no harm will come from eating it.

The reason for her confusion relates to the prohibitions of Pesach and Yom Kippur. On Pesach, we are not allowed to have Chanetz in our possession. We may “not see and not find.” This would mean we shouldn’t touch it, either.

On Yom Kippur, where there is a similar penalty of Karet, we are allowed to touch food. The prohibition only involves eating on this sacred day.

Eve thought her prohibition from eating from the tree, was similar to Pesach’s, which implied, no touching either.

The mistake she made by adding to G-d’s command was that she made it seem that it was His command. In reality, she added to His command on her own, which led to her downfall.

It is not necessarily wrong when someone takes upon himself certain stringencies. But it must be clear that these are his personal stringencies needed for his spiritual growth. When he makes the mistake in thinking that these were ordained by Hashem, himself, he has crossed the line. His good intentions will not bear fruit, since he is misrepresenting Hashem’s Torah.

We must learn from Eve, the serious consequences of misrepresenting Hashem’s Torah.

G-d Teaches Humility

One of the more problematic verses of the Torah, begins with the words, נעשה אדם, “Let us make man.” It was not to be understood, G-d forbid, that there was another deity, besides Hashem.

When the seventy-two wise men were placed in separate houses, and were asked to translate, all were confronted with this problematic Pasuk.

Miraculously, all seventy-two wrote, “I will make man,” instead of the literal translation of, “Let us make man.” They wanted to be certain that there would be no misinterpretations of the Torah.

Rashi explains the true intention of, “Let us make man.” Even though Hashem did not receive any help in the creation of man, He wanted to teach Derech Eretz (proper manners) and the importance of ענווה, humility. It is similar to where the one in command asks his constituents what he should do, when it is clear that he, exclusively makes all the decisions.

The Ramban wrote to his son that the key to success in this world, is acquiring humility. This is achieved by conquering anger and arrogance. Hashem wanted to give this clear message to all. There is no place in this world for arrogance, and Hashem does not tolerate such a person. He demonstrated by personal example, the importance of humility. He said, “Let us make man,” at the risk of being misunderstood.

Night Before Day

The days of creation end with the words, ויהי ערב ויהי בקר, “And it was evening and it was morning.” This is the source for the idea that in Judaism, the day begins at night.

We see this with all of the special days of the year, including Shabbat and all of the holidays. They all start at sundown.

Therefore, it is possible for someone to be born after dark but before midnight. His Hebrew birthday will already be the following day, while his secular birthday is determined whether he was born before midnight.

The Imrei Shefer commented on this by explaining that this is symbolic of Jewish history. The night represents darkness and suffering, judgement and punishment. The Jews have endured suffering and hardships throughout the generations. But in the end, the light shines with salvation and healing.

Regarding the nations of the world, the opposite is true. They start out with the light shining upon them, but in the end, there will be darkness because of their harsh treatment of Am Yisrael.

This is expressed by the statement of the Rabbis, “The righteous begin with suffering, and end with tranquility. The evil ones begin with tranquility, and end with suffering.”

It is our sincere hope that the two years of suffering endured by the people of Israel, has now come to an end. After the healing, great joy awaits our people. With Hashem’s help great prosperity and a spiritual awakening will be visited upon us. The Hand of G-d was clearly visible these past two years, for those wise enough to see. The light is now upon us, where we see Hashem’s blessings showered upon us.

Venom of Serpent

The episode of Cain and Abel has various ways of explaining how it was possible for one brother to murder the other.

On a more simplistic level, Abel was the one who gave a sacrifice to Hashem generously. Cain was the farmer who was not as generous. When Hashem received the offering of Abel, out of jealousy, Cain murdered his brother in a deceitful manner.

The Alshich explains the story a little bit differently. He spoke of the זיהום, or pollution that came from the serpent. Cain was inherently far more evil than his brother, Abel.

This evil that possessed him, made him act wrongly towards his brother.

This impurity existed for many generations until Yakov Avinu. He was the twenty-third generation from Adam. Yakov was the first to have all righteous offspring. Avraham had Yishmael, and Yitzchak fathered Eisav. The pollution from the snake and its influence had ended.

This allowed the Jewish nation to be formed. The twelve righteous sons of Yakov, grew to a family of seventy. And the seventy grew to 600,000, when the Jewish people left Egypt.

Evil is something very real in this world. It was created by Hashem Himself to test us. It is our job to remove evil from our midst. Eventually, in Messianic times, evil and the pollution of the serpent, will be eradicated forever.

The Sins of Adam and Eve

The Alshich has an interesting take on the sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. He puts the primary blame on the serpent.

He explained that the serpent desired Eve when he saw her being intimate with Adam. He wanted her for himself and wanted Adam killed.

He committed three sins. He had no right to enter the Garden of Eden. He spoke against Hashem, and it was an obscene desire to try to take her away from her husband.

Eve’s sins were that she caused Adam to sin and that she ate from the forbidden fruit.

Adam ate from the tree and showed ingratitude by blaming “the woman that Yiu gave me.” He was forced to work the land “by the sweat of his brow.”

The serpent became an enemy to man. He was destined to slither in the dust. He represents evil and trickery.

Eve needed to atone for her role in this incident. Death came to the world because of her sin. Three Mitzvot were given to women to bring about this atonement.

Lighting Shabbat candles by women, were to bring light unto the world after Eve brought so much darkness. The Nidda laws related to menstruation were an atonement for the death and bloodshed brought to the world. Childbirth and pregnancy were connected with these laws.

The separation of the dough, known as “Hafrashat Challah,” was a law given to women. She took from the world without permission. The הפרשת חלה was meant to be a gift to the Kohein.

It is difficult to take this story literally when it involves a conversation between a woman and an animal. The symbolism is that the snake represented the Yeitzer Hara, the evil inclination, and how it entices us to sin.

This story is meant to be a reminder that we all have the same battle with the Yeitzer Hara. Its job is to get us to fail and make wrong decisions.We must learn to overcome these enticements and do what is right in the eyes of G-d.

Secret of Creation

It is very difficult to truly understand the creation of the world, as described in the Torah. It is very much covered with the aspect of סוד, or the secret aspect of interpretation of the Torah.

The first man, Adam, was not the product of a mother and father. His creation was directly from Hashem, which explains why he was very perfect.

It is interesting to note that Eve, the first woman, was not created from the earth, as Adam was. She was created from his rib, because man and woman were meant to be one being.

Ideally, a marriage is meant to create such a bond between husband and wife. They are to become as “one flesh,” as they live together, and their love grows each day.

It is hard to imagine the high level of holiness and purity that existed at that time. The original intention was for man to live forever.

The Garden of Eden was both a physical and spiritual location. Eternal bliss was meant to be experienced there. It was the sin of Adam and Eve that brought about the decree of death.

Eating from the Tree of Knowledge, removed their innocence. They were now subject to the enticements of Satan and the evil inclination.

All of the above really is difficult to comprehend. But what is clear is that the world was created by Hashem, with a very definite plan. He is the One that is totally in command and we must remember that we are totally subservient to Him. He is the our father in heaven and the earth is His and all that is in it.

The Joy of Torah Study

One of the greatest pleasures that was given to the Jewish people, was the study of Torah. The Haftarah of Simchat Torah comes from the first chapter of the Book of Joshua.

He reminds the nation that “the Torah must not be removed from our mouths and hearts. We must recite words of Torah by day and by night. For then you will be wise and succeed in all of your ways.”

Joshua stressed the importance of constantly studying the Torah in the morning and evening, all the days of our lives.

The pleasure that comes from this study was expressed by my rebbe, Rabbi Zelig Starr. He used to describe the greatest pleasure when, “I would sit down with my cup of tea, and play ball with Abaye and Rava.”

He was transformed back to the days of the Amoraim, and he participated in their debates, in trying to uncover the truths of the Torah.

Appreciating the absolute bliss that comes with immersing ourselves in the study of Talmud and our holy books, takes time and effort. It is like entering a swimming pool that seems very cold. At first it is difficult to bear. But if one perseveres, he will not feel the cold. He will be swimming joyfully.

Many feel that they tried studying Torah, but never got that blissful feeling. They probably did not give it enough time, or they blocked themselves from allowing the Torah to become a part of their lives.

This is why Olam Haba is described as a place where the righteous are wearing crowns on their heads as they immerse themselves in Torah. They are experiencing eternal bliss. This same pleasure and joy is available to all of us if we would make the effort described by Joshua.

Blueprint of the Universe

The Midrash points out that there were seven things that existed before creation. Among them, Torah, Teshuva, Gan Eden, Gehennom, Throne of Glory, Beit Hamikdash, and the name of Mashiach.

There is a great deal of symbolism in each of these items. The focus right now should be on the significance of Torah.

There is another Midrash that says that the Torah was the blueprint of creation. Just as an architect draws up plans before constructing a building, Hashem used the Torah as His plans for the universe.

This Midrash is strange for does Hashem really need to draw up plans? The answer is that the Torah’s plans, meant that He tapped into His own Divine wisdom in creating the world.

The Torah is an essential part of creation. It is like the DNA of our existence. We see this when the sixth day is referred to as יום השישי. All the other days are described as יום אחד or יום שני, without the extra letter ״ה״. The Torah is hinting to the sixth day of Sivan, when the Torah was given. Hashem is saying that if His Torah is not observed in the world, he will turn the world back to a state of תהו ובוהו, of nothingness.

It is becoming clear what happens to a world lacking in spirituality. People wander aimlessly looking for purpose, and ultimately, self destruct because of their lack of direction.

The Torah was the greatest gift given to the world. It taught morality and defined right and wrong, holy and impure, and loving kindness instead of cruelty.

The Torah became the vehicle to allow people to get close to G-d. Its observance and study, brings peace of mind and contentment.

It is understandable that the Torah is much more than a book. It truly is the blueprint of creation.

The Byrds

The third chapter of Kohelet, became the lyrics of the famous song by the Byrds in 1965, “Turn, turn, turn.” It reflects the idea that “There is a season and a time for every purpose under Heaven.”

Rav Steinsaltz elaborated on this idea. The knowledge that everything is conducted in accordance with a plan, does not resolve the question of the purpose of man’s existence.

Even if one recognizes that all the events that transpire in this world, are arranged and directed from Above, he remains ignorant of G-d’s design for the world. He does not comprehend the meaning of all of the events that unfold before his eyes.

Nevertheless, certain conclusions do emerge from the poem of Ecclesiastes. One must be aware of his limitations and his place in relation to G-d. The world is in Hashem’s hands, and the person who focuses on conducting his life joyfully, and in the performance of good deeds, will be privileged to receive His gifts.

In addition, one must keep in mind, that although the ways of the world, might sometimes appear to be perversions of justice, ultimately Divine justice will be revealed.

I’m not sure if the Byrds had all of this in mind in their song, but the explanation of Rav Steinsaltz is very powerful.

Kohelet

The Book of Kohelet is read on Shabbat Chol Hamoed. It was written by King Solomon and reflected his perspective on the physical, natural world.

It is read on Succot, because this was traditionally, a time when people felt wealthy, after harvesting their crops. It was a kind of wake up call that people needed to reflect on what was truly important in this world.

King Solomon said, “Behold, I have increased and added wisdom, beyond all who were before me over Jerusalem.” He was hinting to the episode where Hashem granted him great wisdom, because he asked only for, “an understanding heart,” and did not ask for wealth.

He used this knowledge to carefully analyze all that exists “under the sun.” He not only analyzed the world, but experienced many of man’s pursuits in this world.

He studied the sciences, he built buildings, he attempted laughter and frivolity. He claimed to have tried most of the pursuits of man.

His conclusion was that everything “under the sun,” in this physical world, led to futility. The world was filled with so many injustices, and difficulties.

The only thing that made sense was to, “Fear G-d and keep His commandments, for this is all that there is to man.”

It is amazing to see a transformation in the world, where there is a collective realization that all pursuits in this world that do not include Hashem, are destined to fail. We must reflect on what is “above the sun,” which are spiritual pursuits, rather than what is “under the sun,” the futile physical and material pursuits.

Lessons of Succot

The Succah is known as דירת עראי, a temporary dwelling. This is why the main part of the Succah is the roof, known as “Schach.”

The walls are able to be thick and strong. But the roof is meant to represent its temporary nature. It is covered with materials that grow from the ground, but are detached.

The message is clear that we must acknowledge the temporary nature of man’s existence. This was said very well by the late, great, Dodgers baseball announcer, Vin Scully.

He was describing an injury to one of the players. He said, “He is listed as day to day.” Then he paused and said, “Aren’t we all!”

Succot was the most prosperous time of year for the majority of Jews, who were farmers. They gathered and sold their crops, and felt pretty complacent.

Our Rabbis warned us that when one feels like he “has it all,” he tends to forget Hashem, and the realization that his abundance comes from Him.

Our דירת עראי, temporary dwelling, is to drive home the point that we must make the most of each day. We must realize what is important, and what is not.

Money can be a blessing, a curse, or a test. We must see that all that we have is a gift. We should use this gift to help others, and lighten the burden of the needy.

If we can do this, we will have put the lesson of the Succah to good use. This will add to the joy of the holiday, and allow us to fulfill the commandment of ושמחת בחגך, “rejoice on your holiday.”