Shabbat Sukkot

Written by Rabbi Dr Michael Shire Tuesday, 10 October 2006

Sukkot

Whenever I go to someone’s sukkah, I always think of it as a tardis. For those not familiar with Dr Who, the tardis was Dr Who’s time machine that took him and his friends to times past and present. What was even more intriguing was that the tardis was disguised on the outside as a simple telephone box but inside due to some supposed 3D telemetry, it was virtually a whole house. So when you see a sukkah from the outside and then walk into a carpeted, heated, decorated and table laden extravaganza with a power generator for lights etc, I think of the tardis. We also know that despite the fact that this is a îִöְåָä of building space with one of the few full body mitzvah experiences — to dwell in the sukkah — the sukkah still reminds of Heschel’s reminder that we Jews build holiness in time rather than space. How so?

A îִãְøָùׁ from the 5th century aggadic collection Pesikta de Rav Kahana asks the question why does Leviticus start with saying that Sukkot falls on the 15th day of the 7th month and then follows with ‘you shall take the lulav on the first day’. Why does the Torah shift from counting days in the month to counting days of the festival. It quotes an aggada whereby the people of a city owed the king taxes. The king came to the city to collect it but the notables came out of the city ten miles to praise the king. The king remitted a third of the debt. Then the elders of the city came out 5 miles from the city and praised the king. He remitted another third. Then finally the king entered the city and the whole population praised the king. The king said let bygones be bygones; from this moment on there shall be a new reckoning. Likewise when Israel resolves to repent on Rosh Hashanah, God remits a third of the punishment for the people’s sins. When pious people fast during the ten days, God remits another third. Finally during Yom Kippur when all fast, God forgives all punishment for their sins. Since God is feared, the uncertainty of forgiveness instills people to atone for their sins.

After Yom Kippur we are told to ‘Go on your way, eat your bread with joy and drink your wine with a good heart for already God has accepted your labour’ (Kohelet 9:7). Finally on the first day of Sukkot with Lulav and etrog in hand, we sing God’s praises. And God says; I have already forgiven you that which has taken place. From now on reckon your inquities anew. Therefore Leviticus says On the first day- that is the first day of the rest of your life. The first day again on which you will be judged and counted.

So as we move from inward building during these past 10 days to outward building for Sukkot, let us remember that Sukkot puts us back in the flow of real time. Time that counts for ourselves, our family and friends, our teachers and our People. count each day and make each day count. There are only 363 days left to next Yom Kippur!

Rabbi Dr Michael Shire