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SUCCOT
Succot
itself celebrates the fact that as we travelled forty years in the desert, we
were surrounded by Hashem's presence. The physical manifestation of His
encompassing love and protection were the clouds that encircled us. The laws
concerning the construction of the Succah are there to provide us with the
opportunity to relive the experience of feeling Hashem's life-force surrounding
us without the distractions that blind us to Him. The solid stone,
bricks and mortar of our homes create the ambience of security, which is not
real. The inherent impermanence of the Succah forces us into encountering
reality. But in the very impermanence of the Succah lies its security, because
here we realise we are not alone! The reality that we face does not have to
terrify us. The Succah is a living allegory for our world, which presents us
with far more questions than there are answers that human wisdom can provide.
However, what makes this world a place of meaning rather than one of despair is
the fact that we can see what the stars embody -- brilliance and illumination.
We yearn for meaning and we find it when we focus our inner eye on the stars see
the majesty of Hashem's creations.
The intermediate days of Succot are called Chol HaMoed, during which creative work activities are permitted. However, in keeping with the spirit of the holiday, we try to avoid any work that could just as well be delayed until after the week of Succot. The
last day of Succot is called Hoshana Rabah. Jewish tradition records that the
heavenly decrees made on Rosh Hashana (and sealed on Yom Kippur) are actually
sent out on Hoshana Rabah. Our sages taught us that the nations of the world are
judged on this day.
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