By Rav Moshe Sternbuch
The following was written by Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis based on a drasha given by Rav Moshe Sternbuch, Rosh Av Bais Din of the Eidah Hachareidis of Yerushalayim.
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THE SIMCHA OF SUKKOS
While every Yom Tov is a time for simcha, Sukkos marks a high point of joy. Chazal tell us that “anyone who did not witness the Simchas Bais Hashoeivah (the water-drawing ceremony on Sukkos) never saw truesimcha in his lifetime” (Sukkah 51a). Why is the joy of Sukkos so much greater than that of any other time of year?
Everyone has problems; some are great and some are smaller. However, regardless of size or number, if we focus too much on these issues, our lives will be miserable. Recognizing that physical existence is fleeting can help us brush off all of the tribulations of life and enable us to be happy in this world.
This is one of the reasons for the great simcha of Sukkos. On Sukkos, we leave our permanent homes to enter temporary ones. Our relocation to makeshift huts symbolizes the recognition that our stay in this world, too, is only temporary, and that lasting fulfillment cannot be found here. That can only be experienced in the World to Come.
SIMCHA DURING THE WAR
In order to be happy in this world, it is crucial to recognize that every situation in which we find ourselves here is, in fact, temporary. While maintaining this outlook is never easy, during the Holocaust it was even more difficult. This was certainly true for those who suffered in the camps, but it was true, to varying extents, for Jews around the globe as well.
During World War II, Rav Sternbuch was in England at the yeshiva of Rav Moshe Shneider. Many of the talmidim had parents in Europe, and when they heard about the atrocities taking place, they were afraid for their families' lives. Every day for three years, they recited Tehillim and said Avinu Malkeinu - for three years, line by line, with great concentration.
When Sukkos arrived, the bochurim were in a dilemma. On one hand, they were obligated to feel great joy, yet there was a possibility that their families were being killed. They turned to Rav Shneider and asked therosh yeshiva what they should do.
Rav Sheneider replied that Hitler can take almost everything away, but there is one thing he cannot touch: our simcha for mitzvos. The rosh yeshiva said that they should celebrate Sukkos with great joy. Every Sukkosduring those years, the bochurim were able to keep the war out of their minds and feel the joy of the chag.
GIVING TZEDAKAH
While a person who has financial stability may at times have difficulties, generally these will pass and life continues as normal. For a person who does not have the basics needed to get by, every day is difficult. For this second type of individual, simcha on Sukkos can be a real nisayon.
The Rambam writes that whoever spends a lot of money to have an enjoyable Yom Tov for himself and his family has, indeed, gratified himself, but has not fulfilled the mitzvah of simchas hachag. Only by helping out and sharing one's simcha with those in need does one really fulfill this mitzvah. By helping others, one sympathizes with their plight and realizes that his own issues are perhaps not as bad as he had thought.
Rav Chaim Vital writes that his rebbi placed great emphasis on all mitzvos, but especially on that of tzedakah. Furthermore, one of the times out of the entire year that he was most makpid to give tzedakah was onErev Sukkos. Why did the Arizal find it especially crucial to give tzedakah on Erev Sukkos more than before any other chag?
Even though Jews spend a lot of money on their Daled Minim, the malachim in Shomayim say that the reason we do so is to impress others. We need to show that we spend our money for the sake of the mitzvahand not to show off our Daled Minim. By giving money to tzedakah, we show that we are interested in making Hashem happy and not just impressing others.
SIMCHA ALL YEAR
We now understand why the Yom Tov of Sukkos is a time filled with great simcha and how celebrating it properly can help us rise above the mundane issues of our lives. Yet, when it ends, we generally return to our same old issues. How can we perpetuate the simcha of Sukkos throughout the rest of the year?
During Elul, Rosh Hashanah and the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah, we cleanse ourselves of past transgressions. We take ourselves higher and higher until we reach Yom Kippur, when our transgressions can be wiped completely away. After Yom Kippur, when we have rid ourselves of our sins, we are ready to dwell in the sukkah together with Hashem.
After Sukkos, we leave the sukkah to celebrate Shemeni Atzreres. Atzeres literally means “stop.” Stop and hold on to what you have acquired so far. Through Simchas Torah, we can hold onto the simcha of Sukkosand try to bring it with us into the rest of the year, and through the simcha of Torah, we can try to hold on to the level we can reach during Sukkos and enjoy such elevated heights every day of our lives.
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Rabbi Travis is a rosh kollel of Kollel Toras Chaim in Yerushalayim, and is the author of Shaylos U'Teshuvos Toras Chaim and "Praying With Joy - A Daily Tefilla Companion," a practical daily guide to improving one's prayers, available from Feldheim Publishers. Rav Sternbuch's weekly shiurim on the parsha, compiled and edited by Rabbi Travis, are now available as a sefer titled “A Voice in the Darkness.” For more information about his work, contact dytravis@actcom.com.
TEASER
How can we perpetuate the simcha of Sukkos throughout the rest of the year?
