Remembering Our Ultimate Death

When Noach is first approached by G-d, it is explained to him, why it was necessary to destroy the world.

Noach is told קץ כל בשר בא לפני, “The end of all flesh has come before Me.” The choice of using the word, קץ, is significant. The Keli Yakar says that really the word, קץ, does not mean, “the end,” but it is referring to the יום המיתה, the day of death.

In other words, the literal translation would be that Hashem is telling Noach, that the day of death is coming to all living things. Even the animals became corrupt, and mated with other animals, not of their species.

The lesson that the Keli Yakar is teaching, is that most sin comes because the transgressor, forgets about his own יום המיתה. He removes from his thought process, the inevitability of his own day of death.

Although we are not supposed to be obsessed with death, we are also not to pretend that it does not exist. If one remembers that he is placed on this earth for a limited time, he might also realize that there will be a day of reckoning, where he will be held accountable for his transgressions.

It is the people that believe that they will live forever, who go about life in a reckless manner. They forget about a Day of Judgement, that will come.

The Noach story is a reminder that we need to get our priorities straight. It is our task to work on ourselves, and constantly try to elevate ourselves. Not only will this give us meaning and purpose, but it will allow us to stand proudly before G-d, because we know we did our best.

Positive Influences

There is an important lesson to be learned from Noach. It is truly remarkable that he was able to withstand the pressures of the corrupt world that existed at that time.

We similarly give credit to Avraham Avinu, who was able to be unique in his generation. He was strong and steadfast in his belief in the one true G-d in a surrounding of Avoda Zara, idol worship. This is why both Noach and Avraham are given so much praise. It is really difficult to stand alone, against enormous pressure to be like everyone else.

We must accept that we are not Noachs or Abrahams. We are likely to be influenced by the behavior of those around us. It is extremely naive to think that we could stand alone with our beliefs and convictions, when we are the only ones who feel that way.

This is why the rabbis emphasize the importance of choosing to live among good people, that share our beliefs, and way of life. We are able to get strength from being around such friends and neighbors.

The only exception is living in Eretz Yisrael. The Talmud tells us that it is better to live in a city of idol worshippers in Israel, rather than in a city of Jews, outside of Israel.

Obviously, this is not the recommended place to live in Israel. But the Talmud is letting us know how we are influenced positively, simply by breathing the air of Eretz Yisrael, and walking on its holy soil.

Over the years, I have warned students and friends, not to settle in a place that they would be affected negatively. Those who didn’t listen, were affected negatively. This is very sound advice. After all, we must recognize that we are not Noach or Avraham.

Every Jew Was Violated

The tragedy of the events of October the seventh, is a reminder of a stark reality. A Jew is a Jew, regardless of his affiliation and religious beliefs.

We witnessed a mini-Holocaust, with all of its ugliness and savagery. The animals that perpetrated these crimes, did not care if their victims were religious or not, liberal or conservative. Their entire motivation was to kill Jews, just like in the Holocaust.

Whether the Diaspora Jews are aware of this or not, they feel this tragedy, not as sympathetic Americans or Brits, or Frenchmen. They feel it, because it touched that spark of Jewishness that is in the soul of every Jew. It was an attack on them, as much as it was to those living near Gaza.

This should clearly be seen as a wake up call to all of the Jewish people everywhere. We are one family, and we must be united as a family. We cannot escape our Judaism by assimilation and intermarriage. And we cannot live as the elite, strictly observant, in our Jewish ghettos, oblivious to the plight of our fellow Jews. We began as a family-nation from the twelve sons of Jacob. They first multiplied to seventy, and then to 600,000. We never stopped being this family-nation.

It is clear that we were given a special role to play in the world. “We are a nation that dwells apart.” Our destiny was to teach the world morality, and what is right and what is wrong. We gave the world the Bible, as the guide to teach people to live as compassionate human beings.

Over the centuries, there were those who admired us for who we are. But, as witnessed last week, we saw those that allowed themselves to sink to a level that was less than human.

It is time for all Jews to embrace their Judaism, and live as proud Jews. And it is time for all Jews to embrace one another. We are a family, and families must stick together.

No Laws-No Morality

The Keli Yakar described the corruption of the generation of the Flood. They were guilty of three major sins. They practiced sexual immorality, idol worship, and theft.

Noach was praised for not allowing himself to be involved in any of these transgressions. When the Torah says that he was an איש צדיק, a righteous man, it implied that he did not steal. When the Torah says, תמים היה בדורותיו, that he was naive in his generation, it was an indication that he remained faithful to his wife. And when the Torah said, את האלוקים התהלך נח, that Noach walked with G-d, it was a proof that he did not worship false gods.

It is interesting to take note as to what happens when one abandons his belief in G-d. Since he no longer has accountability to a higher being, he can do what he wants.

He will not need to restrict himself in satisfying his physical urges. He will justify being in an adulterous relationship, because “it feels so right.”

He might need money, so what’s so bad about cheating, misleading, and stealing from someone. Everybody gets away with it, so why shouldn’t he?

He may be seduced into believing in some kind of blasphemous cult. He needs the love that they profess that they will give him. And they are always willing to feed him. Since his needs are being met, he need not examine the truth or lies of the cult.

We get a glimpse from the Torah how society can easily go bad, when they negate the greatness and power of the Al-mighty. It was true then, and sadly, it is true today as well.

Two Lines of Lineage

There is an interesting and subtle reference to the two lines of genealogy, mentioned in the Torah. There is the קין, or Cain line, and there is the שת, or Seth line.

At the end of Parshat Bereishit, the Torah tells us that בני האלוקים, literally, the Sons of G-d, saw the בנות האדם, the daughters of man. They saw that they were good, meaning, attractive, and they took them as wives, even if they were already married.

The Seth descendants, were referred to as, “Sons of G-d,” and the Cain line, were referred to as, “Sons of G-d.” The Torah does tell us that Cain married and fathered children. He married his twin sister, and because of murdering his brother, his descendants were tainted. They were not considered pious men, and the seventh generation, had Lemech, accidentally, kill Cain. There was also a Chanoch in this line, who was not considered anything special.

The Seth line, on the other hand, was more pure. He was Adam’s third son, who was not tarnished. His descendant Chanoch, “walked with G-d,” and was taken from this earth, at a relatively young age. There was also a second Lemech, that descended from Seth. He was the father of Noach.

The Kuzari wrote that each generation, had only one worthy offspring. This is the one mentioned in the Torah. The other siblings of that generation, were also considered not particularly special. The first person who had completely righteous offspring, was our father, Yaakov. Because all of his twelve sons were righteous, they were worthy to become a Family nation.

The Cain line did not survive, and the Seth line, ultimately, produced the Jewish people.

The Real Battle

In Parshat Bereishit, we are introduced to the real battle that each individual must fight throughout his life. This is the battle with the Yeitzer Hara, the evil inclination.

Hashem explains this to Cain, after he kills his brother. He tells him that if he chooses good, he will carry it, the Yeitzer. And if the Yeitzer wins, he will himself at the doorway of sin.

At the end of the Parsha, Hashem makes the realization that the inclination of man, is only evil, from his youth. It is now clear that overcoming the Yeitzer Hara, is so challenging, that it cannot be accomplished without laws, to help win this war.

Clearly defined rules, with clearly defined consequences, are the only way not to succumb, to the temptations of the Yeitzer. Without such clarity, man will rationalize and fall.

There is a story in one of the Mussar books, of Jews that come back victorious after fighting a war. When they report this victory to their sage, he tells that the real war has just begun.

There must be a daily awareness that decisions will need to be made. The Yeitzer Hara’s job, is to fill us with doubts, and entice us into doing the wrong thing. Such an awareness will motivate us, to overcome such temptations.

The Talmud in Kiddushin, says that Torah is the antidote to the Yeitzer Hara. If you want to weaken it, drag it into a house of study. Cleaving to the principles of the Torah, will allow us to remain strong and victorious over the Yeitzer Hara.

Humans Don’t Murder

After Cain kills his brother, Abel, he is asked by Hashem, “Where is your brother, Abel?” He was given an opportunity to explain himself.

The Keli Yakar is very surprised by Cain’s answer. He says, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” What did he mean when he said, לא ידעתי, “I do not know?”

Could he have been saying that he did not know that murder was unacceptable? He did acknowledge that there was a G-d, because he did go to the trouble of offering a sacrifice to the Creator.

Hashem’s initial response to Cain, is how is it possible for you not to know? The taking of a life, falls under the category of מצוות מושכלות, Mitzvot that the intellect would dictate that this is wrong, even without a formal commandment.

If murder was permitted, humanity would cease to exist. This is why the אדמה, the earth cries out. It is because of the desolation that remains, when lives are taken.

I can recall accounts of the first, “March of the Living,” when the death camps were visited. Students spent time reburying bones that had been exposed. One spiritual friend said, “The ground has not yet recovered from the atrocities committed there.”

This is the meaning of the verse, “The voice of your brother’s blood, is crying out from the earth.”

It is clear that those involved in the horrific savagery of this past Shabbat, have lost any semblance of humanity. They are lower than animals, and epitomize evil to the highest degree.

It is our responsibility to remove evil from this world, and to get people to act human. This includes the numerous individuals who justify a life of immoral behavior, where anything goes. This behavior reduces them to a level below animals as well.

Self indulgences are not as bad as butchering human beings, but the world is still affected negatively, when it loses all sense of decency. There is right and wrong, that will become clear when all evil is removed from the face of the earth. The immediate obligation is to deal with Hamas, and those who threaten the Jewish people. When this is done, the world will be a better place. Other evils will become more blatant, and gradually, people will return to their senses. There will once again be the realization that it is G-d that runs the world, and all must put their faith in Him.

Cain and Abel

The Keli Yakar explains the incident of Cain and Abel, from a different angle. He writes that they had an ongoing debate regarding man’s ultimate purpose.

Cain was of the opinion that man should live for today, as he did not believe in an afterlife. He was a farmer and connected to the ground. He saw this world as permanent, and nothing followed it.

Abel, on the other hand, concluded that this world was temporary, and a greater world awaited us. We needed to apply ourselves to deserve to have a part of that world.

He dealt with shepherding, as the sheep were movable items, and temporary, just like this world.

Cain held one thing over Abel. He was the one who initiated making an offering to Hashem before Abel. It annoyed him that he stole his idea, and outdid him by offering a higher quality offering than him.

This was his motivation in killing him. They had very different philosophies on life, and Cain allowed jealousy to consume him, to the point that he murdered his brother.

Clarity in Jewish Law

The Talmud makes it clear that death came into the world because of Eve. Had she not eaten from the Tree of Knowledge, and convinced Adam to also partake, people would have lived forever.

We are also told that the same state of innocence and purity, returned to the Jewish people, at Mount Sinai. They were on such a high level, that death would have been eradicated, had they not sinned with the Golden Calf.

The Keli Yakar does not put all of the blame on Eve. It was Adam that gave the message to his wife, that it was not only forbidden to eat from those special trees, but it was also forbidden to touch the tree. He thought that adding the prohibition of touching the tree, would give his wife added protection from sin.

Eve did not realize that this additional precaution of not touching the tree, came from Adam. She thought it was from Hashem Himself.

The Serpent epitomized evil and cunning, and used this misunderstanding to his advantage. He pushed Eve to touch the tree, and convinced her that just as nothing happened from touching the tree, only good would come from eating it.

It is so important that we study Jewish Law thoroughly, so that we are able to know the difference between Torah law, Rabbinic law, custom or חומרא, stringency.

If we do not possess that level of scholarship, we should be certain to ask the person that tells us that something is forbidden, to explain why. He should be to tell us the specifics of a particular law, and its origin. If he cannot, he has no business telling us of this prohibition.

We learned this lesson from Adam and Eve. We paid a heavy price for this lack of clarity. Such situations must not happen again.

Let Us Make Man

When the Torah describes the creation of Adam, the language used is, נעשה אדם, “Let us make man.” The usual explanation is that Hashem was showing His humility, by making it seem that He was seeking the help of the angels.

Obviously, He did not need anyone’s help, and man was created by Hashem alone.

The כלי יקר has a different explanation as to why it says, “Let us make man.” He writes that help was needed from the earth to complete him. Hashem would provide the soul, and the eternal part of his being, but He did require the help of the earth to create his material, or חמרי, side.

The emphasis of the Keli Yakar, is not to imply that the Eternal, needed help. It was to remind each individual of his own composition. He has a physical side, with very real needs and desires. But he must not forget that he possesses a part of godliness within himself.

The goal is to elevate the physical, so that every action has a bit of spirituality in it. But man must understand that he achieves meaning and purpose when his focus is on the soul and coming closer to Hashem.

This is the clear description of man’s struggle in this world. Is he going to let the physical control him, where he lives a life of pampering and self indulgence? Or, will he overcome these temptations, and be one who gets satisfaction by giving to others, and easing their lot in life.

There is a very clear, right and wrong. We all need the strength to do what’s right, and connect to the spiritual side, and not give much attention to the physical. After all, the earth was only needed to complete man. But he is meant to go higher and higher.

Proof of G-d’s Existence

This year, our special commentary will be the Keli Yakar. His real name was Rabbi Shlomo Efraim Luntshitz. He was from Prague and lived in the early sixteen hundreds. He was a contemporary of the Maharal of Prague, and they are buried near one another.

The opening verse of the Torah, is out of order. It should have said אלוקים ברא בראשית, that G-d created in the beginning. This is how the seventy-two rabbis translated the Torah into Greek. They did not want others to think there was a deity named Bereishit, so they all, miraculously, switched the order of the verse.

The כלי יקר felt that the change in order was necessary, in order to grasp, more clearly, the essence of G-d. In this way, the concept of a god, was less abstract.

He would be able to be perceived by witnessing the work of His hands.

The Rambam stated this idea as well. Not only would we be aware of G-d’s existence, but marveling at the amazing world He created, would bring us to a level of fear, and even love of G-d.

The whole idea of the plagues in Egypt, were meant to be a strong response to Pharoah’s question, “I don’t know of your G-d.” Each plague was a further proof that there is a being that runs the world. He can act in a supernatural manner, any time he sees fit.

Some might remember the last line of the movie, “The Ten Commandments,” where Yul Brynner played Pharoah. He said, “The G-d of Moses, is G-d.

It is possible to come to the knowledge of G-d, by way of an intellectual knowledge. The use of the intellect, could bring a person to realize that there must be a Creator, that is actively running the world. But for most people, the intellect may be considered too abstract, and seeing is believing. This is what the Keli Yakar meant when he suggested switching around the wording of the first verse of the Torah. He understood the need for evidentiary evidence, in order to strengthen the belief in Hashem. This bond with G-d can and should become stronger, every day of our lives.

Changes in Emotion

In Israel, the holidays of שמיני עצרת and שמחת תורה, are combined into one day.

It is an emotionally charged day, as we go from dancing enthusiastically with the Torah, to remembering our loved ones in the Yizkor prayer. We must also be very solemn when we recite תפילת גשם, the prayer for rain, in the Mussaf service.

This change of emotion is seen later in the year, when Yom Hazikaron, the day we remember our fallen soldiers, is immediately followed by Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day. There is great celebration as we commemorate the miracle of the State of Israel.

Our history has taught us that we have experienced many highs and lows. Our exile was mostly a “low,” as we were torn away from our beloved homeland. The saddest part of this exile, is that most Jews are unaware of how unnatural and painful it is, to be scattered among the nations. The high we experienced was having all Jews living peacefully in their land, according to the dictates of the Torah. Those were the most glorious times in our history.

As we are about to conclude the holiday season, and go back to our normal routines, we must pause and reflect as to where we are. We must begin by showing gratitude for all that we have, and take nothing for granted.

Rabbi Berel Wein often has described the scene in Chicago on May 16th 1948. A huge crowd came to Chicago Stadium to celebrate the declaration of the State of Israel. All of the rabbis of all philosophies, attended that rally. And when the Israeli flag was raised to the rafters, everyone wept for ten minutes straight.

Great men like Rav Aryeh Levin expressed concern that people would one day take this miracle for granted. We must not take anything for granted, even if it involves dramatic changes in our emotions.

Appreciating the Torah

This week, we will be celebrating Simchat Torah, when we finish the yearly cycle of reading the entire Five Books of Moses. It is a day of rejoicing, when we show appreciation for our most precious gift, the Torah.

It has been recognized by all religions, the importance of having a Torah, for guidance and direction. But it is the aspect of it being a book of laws for all mankind, that gives it, its special significance.

The non-Jewish world is commanded to follow the Seven Noachide Laws. One who observes them meticulously, is capable of becoming righteous. For Jews, there are 613 commandments, and one who observes them with great care, is able to achieve holiness.

The most essential point to recognize is that the Torah is a book of laws, and without laws, man cannot survive. Often I will hear people describing their growth in becoming more spiritual. It is good to seek spirituality, but if this quest is not accompanied by a basic system of laws, it will not succeed.

The Torah recognizes this when it says that man’s inclination, is evil from his youth. When man is left alone, he will rationalize, and be led to sin.

This is so evident by what has been taking place in the world. When there are no rules, there is no morality. The yardstick becomes, “feeling good,” or doing whatever “makes you happy.” And when this philosophy has no limitations, anything goes.

The Torah’s laws and principles, are desperately needed, to set limits. It recognizes that man is incapable of deciding what is good and right. For if he is allowed to do so, he will self destruct.

We show our gratitude for the Torah on Simchat Torah, as we acknowledge that without it, the world would again be filled with nothingness.

Bayit-Succah

The Maharal gives an interesting explanation as to why we add in the Birkat Hamazon the prayer, הרחמן הוא יקים את סוכת דוד הנופלת, “May the Merciful One rebuild the fallen Succah of David.”

This is based on a verse from the Book of Amos, that says, “On that day I will rebuild the fallen Succah of David.” The Maharal explains that the House of Israel, is referred to as a “Succah,” and not a “Bayit.”

The great empires of history, Babylonia, Persia, Greece, and Rome, are described as a בית. Sometimes, it could be written as בית רומי or בית בבל, the House of Rome, or the House of Babylonia. Yet, Israel is merely, the Succah.

The difference between a house and a Succah, is that when a Succah falls, it is much easier to rebuild than when a house falls.

This represents the nature of the rise and fall of these empires. They begin as strong houses, but when they fall, they are not rebuilt.

But Israel’s history has been tentative and shaky, like a Sukkah. But when Israel falls, it rebuilds itself as easily as rebuilding a Succah.

Israel is the only nation in all of history, that saw days of glory, that was followed by a lengthy exile, and were able to rebuild again. Witnessing the rebirth of the State of Israel, is not only miraculous, but it has never been duplicated in the history of mankind.

This is why we are referred to as a Succah, and why we pray that the Succah of David should be rebuilt.

The Joy of Succot

There is a particular emphasis on happiness, connected with the holiday of Succot. One of the names for this holiday, is זמן שמחתינו, the “Time of our joy.”

If one has taken this holiday season seriously, he will get to that emotion of absolute happiness. He has diligently attended all of the Selichot services. He prayed with deep emotion on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and he experiences an elevation of his soul.

Upon entering his beautiful and colorful Succah, he magically feels the Shechina, Divine Presence, descending into his temporary dwelling. He is transformed to a higher level of spirituality, and it feels good.

Not everyone is able to achieve this level of sanctity, but it is a worthwhile endeavor. If we didn’t get to this level this year, it is something to strive towards, next year.

The situation in the Beit Hamikdash, made it much easier to feel this joy. Having a Kohein Gadol intercede on our behalf, and being able to witness the red ribbon of scarlet, turn white, had to be very uplifting.

The celebration of the שמחת בית השואבה, literally, the happiness of the water drawing, was an amazing sight to behold. The Talmud says that one who has not witnessed the Simchat Beit Hashoeva, has not seen real joy in his lifetime.

There was non stop dancing, with music, jugglers, and acrobats. There were many who barely slept the entire week of Succot. It is also told that four beams, with four receptacles each, lit up all of Jerusalem. A woman who lived several kilometers away, would have enough light from the Temple, to thread a needle!

Succot is the holiday of happiness. But in order to feel that intense joy, we must apply ourselves in our service of Hashem. The results are most worthwhile.

Message of Kohelet

It is our custom to read the Book of Kohelet on Succot. It appears that the commandment to be in a state of joy, does not go well with Kohelet. Some view this book as very depressing, when all of the vanities of the world, are pointed out.

According to Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, the emphasis of Kohelet, is man’s mortality. Many people put the notion of death, out of their minds, and act as though they will live forever.

The message from its author, Shlomo Hamelech, is that if we don’t accept our ultimate demise, we will waste our lives with foolishness. The effort to amass a fortune, comes with the sobering possibility, that it will be squandered away by the next generation.

And so it is with all of man’s pursuits and achievements. They are not likely to last, nor is there a likelihood, that these achievements will be remembered for very long, after we leave this world.

According to Rabbi Sacks, the reason for all of the material pursuits, comes from a denial that our days are limited to 120 years, at best.

Succot, also known as חג האסיף, the Holiday of Gathering, was the most prosperous time of year, when most of society dealt in farming. They were not to let this prosperity go to their heads. Kohelet helped give perspective on the permanent and the temporary, the holy and profane.

The focus on our spiritual side, and our connection to our souls, is connecting to eternity. We do take with us the Torah we studied, and the Mitzvot we observed. And the true Tzaddikim leave an eternal legacy. Their contribution to the world is never forgotten. We speak of Rashi and the Rambam, as though they are still with us. This is the reason for the rabbinic statement, צדיקים אפילו במותם, נקראים חיים, “that the righteous, even after their death are considered alive.” Real joy comes from closeness to Hashem. This is the goal of Succot, and this is the message of Kohelet.

Glorify G-d

One of the themes of the holiday of Succot, is זה א-לי ואנוהו, “This is my G-d, and I will glorify Him.”

The lesson is that we are supposed to beautify all of the Mitzvot that we do, by not holding back the expense involved. We should try to purchase a beautiful set of Tefillin, nice Tzitzit, a Shofar that is majestic, and a Sefer Torah with perfect writing.

This theme is connected with Succot, because we need to go to the trouble of building a Succah, and purchases the Arba Minim, the four species. There is a wide range of prices and effort in these two areas. One can purchase a small, do it yourself Succah, with minimal decorations. Or, he can go to the trouble of building a large, beautiful Succah with creative and tasteful decorations. The Arba Minim can be bought for a small amount, or a much larger amount for the perfect Etrog.

Obviously, we should spend within our means, but the way we go about doing these Mitzvot, shows how much we cherish them, and how much we want to give glory to G-d.

It sends a bad message when we find the funds for trivial, unimportant things, but cannot bring ourselves to spend lavishly in the performance of Mitzvot.

The Halacha regarding Succah decorations, is very interesting. Once they are designated for the Succah, and are placed there, they may not be used for any other purpose. If they fall down by themselves, they still may not be used, unless a stipulation was made before the Chag.

Succot serves as the reminder to glorify Hashem by spending extra money, to show how dear the Mitzvot of the Torah, are to us.

Shabbat Succot in Temple

This year, we have the unusual situation of the first day of Succot, falling on Shabbat. After the destruction of the Second Temple, our sages decreed that we do not take the Lulav on Shabbat, for fear of carrying the Arba Minim from one domain to another.

When the Temple was in existence, they did take their Lulav and Etrog, even when the first day of the holiday, fell on Shabbat. This was in spite of the fear of carrying on the Chag.

They also needed to devise special leniencies for the bringing of water from the Shiloach, for ניסוך המים, water drawing, as well as bringing the ערבה, the willow, for its special ritual.

In the case of the Lulav, all were advised to bring their Lulavs before Shabbat, and place them on special shelves in the Temple. In the event that someone would take the wrong Lulav, a declaration was made. “Anyone whose Lulav should mistakenly come into their hands, should view it as a gift, and is permitted to use it.” This solved the problem of carrying on Shabbat, and the declaration solved the problem of taking the wrong Arba Minim.

We are told that when the third Temple will be rebuilt, we will go back to the old system, and again bless our Lulav and Etrog on Shabbat. Hopefully, that time will come soon!

Interesting Succot Halacha

There is an interesting Halacha related to Succah that has Shabbat ramifications. It involves that which is permitted to be used for Schach.

We are forbidden to use any vessel on the roof of our Succah that is מקבל טומאה, that is susceptible to ritual impurity. This applies today, even though there are no laws of טומאה, applicable today.

The definition of a כלי, a vessel, is something that has a use, as in a receptacle. A wooden chair is an example of such a vessel. This means that one cannot use a wooden chair as Schach, because it is מקבל טומאה.

However, if a chair was broken into pieces, those wooden pieces, could be used as Schach, since they no longer constitute a vessel.

The Shabbat laws work in a different manner. A chair, is not Muktza, and we are permitted to use it on Shabbat. But if the chair breaks, its fragments no longer have a purpose, and become Muktza, and may not be moved or carried.

Regarding Succot, the chair cannot be used as Schach, but it’s fragments are permitted for use. But regarding Shabbat, the chair has use, but it’s fragments do not.

This is a confusing type of Halacha, as the same object, the chair, has different ramifications depending on the context it is used.

Clouds of Glory

The Succot that we build are to remind us of the ענני הכבוד, the Clouds of Glory of the desert. These clouds were in the merit of Aharon, and were a symbol of Hashem’s constant protection.

By leaving our comfortable homes and moving into the temporary dwelling, known as the Succah, we confirm that we understand how tentative life really is.

We must never forget for a moment, how we are not in control of our destiny. Our free will allows us to decide the direction we want to take in life. However, whatever transpired after this, is out of our control.

When we asked for forgiveness for the sin of תמהון לבב, confusion of the heart, on Yom Kippur, it refers to this very idea. This is generally understood to mean that we have not seen the hand of Hashem in everyday events.

We may have allowed ourselves to think that there are “coincidences.” Rabbi Avraham Twerski wrote that the definition of a coincidence is a miracle where G-d chose to remain anonymous.

The time we spend in the Succah should be on reflecting on our own vulnerabilities. This realization is to our benefit, as it allows us to get closer to Hashem, and feel His protection.

In the desert, the Clouds of Glory, were an obvious manifestation of Divine protection. The Succah is meant to remind us of this protection, and our total dependence on G-d.