Thought for the Yom Tov Sukkos V'Zos HaBerachah , The Sukkah Test Rabbi Yaakov Winner - 5787

How are you? I hope everyone is hope everyone is healthy, strong and happy physically and spiritually. First of all today was of the whose famous saying was if the world says first go under then go over I say go over in the first place. So this is a message and a teaching the Reb would spread and talk about at all times. Our person shouldn't be affected by obstacles and opposition and challenges, but he should know to go with the approach with trust in Hashem. You have the power, you're empowered to be able to overcome any and all obstacles with Hashem's help. So the should bring us salvation and give us the power to overcome all obstacles that any is facing in any part of the world right now. today is now. So we have to discuss the connection between the par of and what's the unique holiday of suk is different the other that preceded but as usual we'll start with a and we usually start with a prayer today we'll say a which is in this week's par which in a certain sense is the most famous in the reb chose as the first of the sukim and it's brought that as soon as a child is able to speak, his father should teach him the Tory that was given to us as inheritance to the entire congregation to the entire nation. Every single has a connection to the entire. Now the connection between and is and it's actually in two one that follows the other. First is B. It says Misha says that the eternal came out from Sinai. He came out from Sinai to meet and he shown forth his glory to them after coming from se. What does Rashi say? First says Hashem came out to meet them when they came to stand at the foot of the mountain just like a bridegroom goes out to meet his bride. And then before that he went to the nation of which is when separated from he moved to se and he came to them first he came and asked them if they wanted to receive the didn't want and the continu which goes on Now interestingly there's a gim in a des takes up two blot and giml and it talks about what's going to happen when msiah comes and the yen is and hashem is going to reward the yen. So it's a very interesting gimmar because this pik is quoted in that gimra and it ends off with this whole debate so to speak between Hashem and the rest of the nations and in the end there's a story with a suka a suka test. So this story where it says is before but at the end thousands of years later comes Hashem reminds the of this and then it ends the debate case closed with the story of a suka test. So let's start with the gim. I'm just gonna get the the the the kernel of what it says in the gim, but I urge you to look it up yourself. It says when Hashem is gonna reward reward the world, reward the hidden nations are going to come forward and complain, we also want to be rewarded. The Romans are going to come and they're going to say we built marketplaces, we increased gold and silver, we brought more finance to the world and we did it all for the Eden. Hashem is gonna answer them, you fools of the world. Let's say, you did it for yourselves, for selfish reasons. You're trying to lie to me. You're trying to deceive me. And the same thing comes afterwards. The Persian nation comes, the Persian Empire, they said, "We built bridges, we built cities, and we did it all is so that they should be able to." So, Hashem says also again, You did it. P it for yourselves for selfish reasons. And the goes on and on and then it gets further. They tell did you then actually give it to us and we didn't receive it? How could you? So that's what they argue to Hashem. You never offered it to us. So on that says Could you say that? And he repeats the it says over here that's not true. I did offer it to you. Hashem turned to every single nation till he came to the Eden and they said, So then it goes on and then finally say you know what let's buy God we buy gods let's start a fresh from NOW GIVE US THE NOW and we'll do the so firstem says this is just a lesson now you come along after thousands of years the hidden who worked on mitz and worked all their life. Now when Mashiah comes so they're rewarded. You want to show up just now and get the reward and start work and doing just do the now and get rewarded for everything. So in the end still became still the says you know what I'm going to forego the thousands of years of that you didn't do I have an easy mitzvah I have an easy mitzvah it's called go make a suk what's a suka bang together a couple of boards and sit in the suka and you'll And that will be considered like you'll be able to get rewarded for that. Immediately the go and build a suka on the top of the roof. Hashem brings out a hot sun like in the month of Tamuz. and and every single all the kick the out of anger and they leave it. Why? Because because there's no obligation to sit in the suk if it's annoying, if it's painful, if it's not comfortable. But on this says, And answers, true, you're you're exempt from sitting in the suk, but does that mean you should be angry? You should kick the suka. And therein lies the difference between the yid and the The because he doesn't have the opportunity to fulfill the mitzvah. Kicks the suka. He's now angry that he doesn't get the reward because he didn't tick the box that he sat in a suka but he did would never get angry and one shot is that humbly he would say oh I lost the opportunity however great the accomplishing and the performing of the mitzvah suk is and whatever accomplishes I won't be able to accomplish but nevertheless humbly walks out but he cherishes the idea of the mitzvah of the he would never kick and be angry that he wasn't able to perform the mitzvah. And the continues and says something so awesome and laughs on the go. The one sitting in the heavens is laughing, smiling. This was the only day that Hashem was actually smiling. Maybe he could learn at a level. What that means is that because this is case closed. In other words, till now until this moment until we have the suka test until this moment when mashia comes actually rewarding the Jews there could be an argument. There could be a tina the go might have a this whole dialogue in the gim. But finally when it was put to rest, Hashem is smiling that this is it game over. We see how the Jew is different. So let's understand what does it mean how a Y is different. I don't want to elaborate so much on this idea of the distinction but more on what's the Gor. So on one level thehat is that the is in it for selfish reasons. He can never transcend self. And this is the difference between a Yu has kiss and a go who doesn't. And it's not degrading the ne. It's just we have to look at it that what a Jew could accomplish because he was chosen and Hashem gave him an he could reach absolute selflessness the nature of existence every single thing stays in its existence so to speak. In other words, even when a person dedicates himself to a higher cause and even when he dedicates himself to something which is greater than himself, but he can never lose, he can never achieve absolute selflessness, absolute transcendence. Why? Because it goes against the laws of creation. It goes against the laws of existence. It goes against the laws of all the as used to say. Yeah. A person could leap. No matter how much you could leap, wherever you're leaping, your head is still attached to you. You can't disassociate, sever your head from yourself. In other words, you cannot really separate the self from yourself. Absolutely. You can go higher. You could become a higher existence. You become a greater existence. But still the sense of self and absolutely become absorbed. Absolute transcendence into something greater than yourself cannot be accomplished by anything that's part of creation. Only not a part of creation could achieve that thing. So now let's get back to this gimra and this story we could learn on many levels. Number one, since they can never transcend self. So even when they're going to do something for Hashem and they agree that Hashem is greater and they asking their Hashem to give them a commandment but still there has to be something some percentage some aspect some dimension of it which is connected to self. And if Hashem gives them a mitzvah and they won't be able to tick the box and say they did the mitzvah therefore they're not getting reward so forget it now they're angry because what was the point of the whole thing that they got hot and they had to move. It's so annoying who has complete trust in Hashem. So he might be humbled by the fact that he doesn't have the mitzvah but he'll never be angry at the idea that the gave them an opportunity to do a mitzvah but they lost that opportunity. So there'll be another opportunity and the alterb connects it with the Gorrah a famous gmorrah which brings it out in slightly opposite way but the same idea the gmorrah says that if somebody gives charity if his son was unwell and he gives charity on the condition that a son should live so the gmorrah says that a Jew even if the son god forbid does not survive he still doesn't regret that he gave the stucker even though he made a so-called condition but the non-Jew would regret the fact that he gave charity so it's the same point in other words the mitzah was for his benefit how it's going to work out and if it doesn't work out in a way which is beneficial for him that he regrets it and the same exact thing is over here and the point is that the the yid is able to transcend himself completely and the guy cannot but now let's look at it still we have the question why was it dka the mitzvah of that brings out this point and over here we can connect it with the next that comes right away afterwards the holds the tribes of is dear all the sanctified ones are held in your hand that this is similar to the idea of a suka connected to another. How is it how is it connected to suka? Because the idea of a suka is that the suka represents the clouds of glory. We were surrounded by hashem. We were protected by hashem. Imagine in the palm of hem's hand. We're protected from all sides. Nothing could harm us. And that's what it means that we were surrounded by the clouds of glory. We're enveloped by Hashem. But to be more specific is discussed at length. I don't have time to elaborate. There's a that says Hashem's left hand was under my head and his right hand hugged me, embraced me. And the and explains Hashem's left hand was under my head goes on the days of war, the days of judgment. And that smiley smile represents severity judgment and it's connected to the his right hand embraces me. What does that go on that goes on? What's the idea? There's really a lot to elaborate but the time is running out. His right hand is after he went through and we're everybody had a perfect verdict comes now we have joy is embracing me and what is the emphasis on what's the mitzvah of what makes the mitzvah of unique different than every other mitzvah of You go into the suka and it's the only mitzah that you're completely surrounded. Your entire body from your top to your bottom, from your head to your toes in one iota is completely embraced just by going into the suka. And what does it mean? What does that mean? He embraces me including my back. In other words, they're different terms to bring out affection. There's gazing upon someone lovingly. There's kissing someone. What's the difference? What's the uniqueness of? There's speaking to someone. But the uniqueness and the of that is that it's not face to face. It's something that includes even my back. When you embrace somebody, you're holding on to him tightly and you're embracing his back. That means even his back is connected to you. You're not letting go. And what are you not letting go of? He not only not letting go of his MORE ATTRACTIVE SUPERIOR QUALITIES but even his back something which seemingly is not special at all and doesn't bring out how he's attractive it's just the back it's not a superior qualities etc etc every other relationship is a relation connected to pim connected to the face to face in other words that shows the way hashem is related to you in your better moments in your better self and that's what is about half the day is praying on rashash there's an earnestness there's a seriousness there's a spirituality and is totally spiritual etc so of course over there the is close like it says that's like it says in certain even with your the mud of your boots. You're going to the and that Hashem is embracing. In other words, sukus also represents how Judaism is not a subject but a way of life. Your regular daily so-called mundane life, eating, sleeping, breathing without even necessarily doing something which is a mitzvah is also a mitzvah. to just regular doing regular things that you would do otherwise doing it in a suka becomes a mitzvah. Now let's get back to why this mitzvah was the suka test because number one the idea there's a third level to the story. I'm going to say right now the third point and then we'll get back to the beginning. Another point is the Reb explains that concerning sukus it says that during sukus your that the impact that a suka has on the person is not only when you're in the suk but even outside the suk because there's a that says that bias every person that doesn't have a bias not considered right now what is your bias the so that means even when you're outside of the what makes your suk right now so guess what you could even say that another level over there was that the beauty of mitzv that whatever the situation on two more levels the mitzvah suk is different than every other mitzvah number one because it's not only when you're spiritual but when you're physical more than every other mitzvah. It's the only mitzvah where Judaism is not a subject but a way of life. What does it mean a way of life? The totality of your life. Every single aspect of Yiddish of a Jew is connected to Hashem. Not like by the nonju they have mitzvah but they don't have a connection to this idea of a suk which means that everything becomes part of the special connection and that we're ready to be dedicated and devoted 24/7 which is the idea of auk that everything becomes part of the relationship and that's uniquely connected to the but wait there's more the mitz of is even when your part That very moment when you're walking out of the you're not kicking the cuz at that very moment the suk is what makes you a man CALL ME RIGHT NOW the suk is your bias. So therefore it's still accomplishing and making you who you are in your very very existence for those days of sukis. So that's another whole new level in the why connected to the mitzvah the go can never appreciate it if he could take a box that I did a mitzvah fine but the idea that 24/7 there's no such thing as a private eye in a private space there's only me and Hashem 24/7 no matter what that's beyond them completely and now let's go back to another second level which I fl I said thehat is that now that I'm not sitting in the suka that itself is the so I embrace that and I'm happy with that too and that's a famous story you probably have heard it before that there was a melink and the name and his brother and they used to go they would go into wandering was a certain Hashem, but they would go into wandering. It was very it was connected to humility and bal and who knows elevating sparks. Who knows? One time they went into one of these towns and somebody said something bad about them. They were thrown into prison into a prison cell. Now in this prison cell, they didn't have, excuse me, they didn't have a restroom. They didn't have a toilet. And what they had was was a bucket in the corner of the cell. So there's and there were also other Gentiles in the cell and there's that bucket in the corner where people took care of their needs anyways and they slept in that cell overnight and when they got up in the morning is crying and he's crying and walks over to says why are you crying? What are you crying about? He says, "What do you mean? You see that? That pale over there? The smell? It's revolting. It's disgusting. I can't according to Davin in here. I can't d I can't connect with the I can't say. It's going to be the first day of my life. I'm not saying I'm not saying I'm not dinging." So says, "So you won't d So, what do you mean I won't die and I won't be connected to Hashem? How can I lose this opportunity of not being connected to tells him who says you can't connect to? The same Hashem that told us that we're meant to d every day today he says you're not meant to d because of the pale because of the smell that is that is the will of hashem anyways so start dancing because they came to the conclusion that no matter what the situation is you could always be connected to Hashem and they start dancing dancing and the goish of peasants or other gentiles that were in the cell start also dancing. So it's mamesh aite. There's a there's a party. There's a party going on in this cell. The warden sees everyone all of a sudden dancing in the cell and he's a real, you know, cruel person. These sort of wardens that are power hungry. He sees the dancing in the cell. He's furious. What's going on with it? He's supposed to be morose and downtrodden and feeling dejected and crushed. And here they're dancing. They're happy. He calls over one of the Gentiles and say, "What's going on over here? Why are they dancing?" He says, "I don't know. You have to ask them, what's going on?" And he says, "Oh, it's their fault." As usual, the Gentiles to the Jews says, "Those two guys over there with the beards, it's all their fault." Anyways, but explain me what's going on. I I can't can't I can't explain it to you. But but but explain it. Tell me right now. He says, "I'll tell you what it is. You see that bucket over there? They they they explained to us that because of that bucket right over there, they came to a new understanding and a new appreciation, a new relationship with God. And that caused them to get very excited and and for that um because they came to this new awareness, new new appreciation that they're dancing." Anyways, the warden gets so angry. And he said, "I'm going to teach them a lesson." And he takes that pale. And because that's the cause and the source of their joy, he says, "I'm taking it out of the cell." And he takes it out of the cell. As soon as he takes him out of the cell to teach him a lesson turns to the no. So this and this is exactly exactly the same story with number one. Yes, we can have the but guess what? But guess what? Especially as we explained before the mitzvah of suk still defines my entire being even when I'm not in the suk and this is true theal about our relationship with hashem that our connection to the is 247 and that's why alp isandic why the gim says the story the final distinction demarcation difference between A year and ago is the suka test that we should take from sukus which is number one this consciousness that we should live with this idea of to bring hashem to bring hashem in all areas of our life 24/7 Seven more and more to bring it in our consciousness and our awareness. this 247 and in everything in every single part of our lives and to make it manifest and to demonstrate in our lives and also connecting with the idea of sukis the sense that we're being surrounded being protected we have to increase in our that whatever the circumstances are it's part of Hashem's will and we are protected. Posting