Giving Joy to Hashem By Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser

R’ Chaim of Sanz came to visit the Zhikover Rebbe, who was not well. The Rebbe said to R’ Chaim, “Mechutan, please be mispallel for me that I should have a long life.”

The Sanzer asked him, “Why do you want to remain in this lowly world? Wouldn’t it be better to be in the olam ha’elyon?”

The Zhikover answered, “But a person has to come up there equipped.”

The Sanzer answered, “Halevai, that all the Yidden would be prepared like you are.”

The Zhikover pleaded, “Sanzer Rov, have mercy. I cannot leave my children without parnassah, chas v’shalom.”

“And if you live,” said the Sanzer Rov, “what will you do for your children? You will try to see that they are set up in this world. I promise you that I will make sure that they all have what they need as if you were living.”

The Zhikover answered, “Mechutan, when I sing during the Yomim Noraim, “Ein kitzvah l’shenosecha – Your years are limitless,” it causes a great simcha in the Upper World. All the Heavenly Hosts dance with great joy in Shamayim. If I will not be here in this world that nachas ruach (pleasure) that I give to the Heavens will cease.”

The Sanzer Rov then said, “If that is so, then I have to pray that you have an exceedingly long life, in order that this great nachas ruach should not end.”

With that, the Sanzer Rov took leave of the Zhikover Rebbe and went to be toivel (immerse) in the mikvah. When he returned he told the Zhikover, “I have davened for you to live a long life.”

And so it was. The Zikhover had a refuah shleimah and regained his former strength.

A Reciprocal Love By Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser

The Gemara in Brachos 6 tells us that Hashem wears tefillin and queries, “So what is written in His tefillin?” After all, our tefillin contain various chapters professing our love and devotion to Hashem; surely those are not Hashem’s tefillin! The Gemara explains that, in fact, Hashem’s tefillin contain four chapters expressing Hashem’s reciprocal love for us, such as “Who is like Your nation, Yisroel”!

The Medrash explains that the lulav alludes to our love for Hashem, while the succah proclaims Hashem’s devotion to us that He housed us in booths in the searing hot desert. It is therefore fitting that in the Torah, written by Hashem, the mitzvah of succah which represents Hashem’s love for Klal Yisroel should take precedence. While in the Torah Sheb’al Peh, written by the Yidden, the mitzvah of the Arba Minim, which expresses our great love for Hakodosh Boruch Hu, comes first.

The Four Species By Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser

Similarly, the lulav and esrog characterize our position in life. The Talmud tells us in Taanis that we declare before Hashem that just as these species cannot exist without water, so too our existence is contingent on the essence of life derived solely from Hashem.

An interesting aspect is noted relative to the mitzvos of the Yom Tov of Succos. In the Torah, Hashem commands us first about the mitzvah of the Four Species (Vayikra 23:40) “Ulekachtem lachem bayom harishon pri eitz hadar … and you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of a citron tree … .” Then (Vayikra 23:42) we are directed to dwell in the succah, “Basuccos teshvu shivas yamim – you shall dwell in booths for a seven day period.”

In contrast, when we study the Oral Law (Torah Sheb’al Peh), e.g. Mishnah, Rambam, Shulchan Aruch, the mitzvah of succah precedes the elucidation of the mitzvah of the Four Species. Why is this so?

A Temporary Dwelling By Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser

As we celebrate the joyous holiday of Succos, it is interesting to note how the various mitzvos we perform are a means to facilitate our spiritual growth and clearly define our true purpose of life in this world.

The gemara in Mesechta Succah 2a expresses the mitzvah of sitting in the succah as “one should leave his permanent dwelling and reside in a temporary dwelling.”

In fact, the yom tov of Succos is known as “zman simchaseinu – the time of our rejoicing.” Rationally, then, such a practice could be upsetting rather than increasing our state of joy. However, our sages explain that this exercise is intended to teach us the true perspective of Torah life. The individual who imagines that this world is a permanent dwelling can never experience true inner joy, for one who is steeped in the vanities of this world cannot enjoy true simcha. It is only the person who realizes that this world is a temporary residence, and prefers to completely exert his life to coming closer to Hashem, he will be able to feel genuine simcha.