Sukkos 5782-What happens in the Sukkah, SHOULD NOT stay in the Sukkah
Sukkos 5782-What happens in the Sukkah, Doesn’t Stay in the Sukkah!
Torah Psych101
Dr. Jonathan M. Lasson
Coming off a Yom Kippur and diving straight into the חג of Sukkos always poses a dilemma for the contemplative person. Don’t we need time to process what we just went through? For me personally, four days just does not do it for me. But perhaps it should. Let me explain.
The revelation came to me through undergoing my own pursuit of happiness. What is most important to me and what did I truly glean from ראש השנה and יומ כיפור that actually has some sticking power?
I believe I came out from Yom Kippur with some degree of contentment. Then my daughter reminded me that it’s time to get the Sukkah ready. I went into full Sukkah mode realizing that this is the fast pace of life that I might never have chosen if this were up to me. But I have subjugated myself to a life of תורה, מצות and אהבת ה'. I believe that Hashem set things in this order, at a quicker pace than I might have chosen for a reason. It is capitalizing on relationships. Let’s say, I would have waited to ‘process things’ gleaned from the Yom Kippur experience? I might have lost some of the momentum during a prolonged break. Instead I am thrust into full Yom Tov mode. I am capitalizing on my revisited relationship with Hashem that can only be accomplished on a day like Yom Kippur. I feel extremely privileged to have led many parts of davening which pulled me closer and closer to Hashem. As mentioned in the past, I was extremely overtaken, in a very good way by the Tefillah of כי הנה. Realizing that we are connecting with Hashem and totally subjugating ourselves to his mercy is a very liberating feeling. Going to the Mikvah before Yom Kippur was especially meaningful and special to me as I felt I could enter the holiday בקדושה ובטהרה.
The recognition that my internal happiness does not come from things, is something that anyone who knows me can appreciate. I receive my internal happiness through human connections. For this reason, I have committed over this next year to reaching out to fellow Jews who might not have a strong connection or understanding of their roots. I am not a trained Kiruv professional but I feel I can contribute in a very authentic way.
I read recently about an Emory University study (1) that showed the correlation between the amount of money spent of the purchase of wedding rings and the longevity of that marriage. The results were astounding. Ladies, whose rings cost more than 20,000 dollars were three and a half times more likely to divorce than others who spent less.
Basically, if we spend more money on our relationships than ‘things’, we will have a more favorable outcome.
On Sukkos, the שלה הקדוש says, there should be no anger inside the Sukkah. I believe what happens inside of the Sukkah does not stay in the Sukkah. It’s not like Vegas. Don’t get angry in the Sukkah. How profound? We need to strike while the iron is hot. The iron is still hot from Yom Kippur and the inner connections we formed with Hashem. Those connections should extend into our relationships with others. So just as we should have no anger towards Hashem based on those newly formed connections, we should have no anger towards others during such jubilant times.
In the גמרא in ביצה, which the Daf Yomi learners just studied last week, we are told that everything is preset for us between Rosh Hashona and Yom Kippur with the exception of paying tuition, expenditures for Shabbos and expenditures for Yom Tov. If we cheap out on any of these three things, Hashem will set our ration at a lower rate. If we spend more on these three things, Hashem will grant us more. This is an amazing concept. Hashem is telling us to focus on what is most important in life. Educating our children and reconnecting with beautiful and delicious Shabbos and Yom Tov expenditures.
The fast pace of going straight into Sukkos is intentional. The happiness that comes from being in the Sukkah should not stay in the Sukkah as the Chag ends. We need to take these relationships to a whole new level. This will lead to what Sukkos is supposed to be-A זמן שמחתנו!
Gut Yom Tov and Chag Smaeach!
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(1) https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/morning_call/2014/10/emory-study-expensive-wedding-ring-does-not-mean.html
(2) Beitza (16a)