VOLUME 117 NUMBER 10
Tishrei 11, 5786
October 3, 2025
Parshas Ha’azinu
Candlelighting Time 6:21
On Yom Kippur, the holiest day on our calendar, we reached the epitome of sanctity as we recited the Neilah service crying out to Hashem for His mercy and compassion. We concluded with Shema, the national call for acceptance of Hashem’s sovereignty and we answered with a resounding yes but it requires an explanation. How do we implement in our daily lives that acknowledgment? Some of the Succos are already up and certainly more will be built by Monday evening. What does that represent for us as a follow-up after the exalted days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur?
One of the verses that we recite on Rosh Hashanah in the Musaf Prayer refers to the indomitable faith of our forebears that they left Egypt with the shirt on their back and some unleavened bread and embarked on a journey into the desert, the vast unknown without any hesitation. Surely they had witnessed the immense destructive clout of Hashem in devastating the Egyption empire into submission after they were rendered powerless. However, that doesn’t necessarily appreciate Hashem’s capability to provide for millions of people. Yet, a new-born nation of freed slaves undertook the risk and followed Moshe and Hashem into a harsh new environment fully relying on Hashem to care and sustain them! How might we have reacted in such a difficult situation?
Although we are not suggesting that our proclamation of allegiance to Hashem was lip service, however, implementation of one’s ideals and formulation of those very concepts are not identical. One can firmly believe in a certain principle but that reliance can actually fall short within the realm of reality. In this scenario, the trust that the Jewish nation had for Hashem parallelled their realization of their faith that Hashem would provide for them.
We follow in the footsteps of our ancestors. Today, after Yom Kippur we are prepared to leave the security of our comfortable homes and live for several days outdoors without all the amenities that our living quarters provide for us. Although we have beautified our Succos and they are wonderfully decorated with lighting and even heating to keep us cozy on some of the cooler nights, the comparison to our home is feeble. This is the finale of our elevated zenith that we attained on Yom Kippur.
And the ongoing dedication to Hashem is not complete without the Lulav and Esrog. The four species that we shake on Succos serve as a guide for us to recognize that the very essence of this world is a gift that Hashem has bestowed upon us and we do not take it for granted. So, we elevate the Lulav, Esrog, Myrtle branches and Willow branches to a higher existence. Each of those represents a level of relationship with Hashem that we endeavor to achieve on Succos.
Idealism catapulted into realism is the protocol Hashem has devised for us to keep our incredible experience that we treasured on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur current. And if we keep this thought uppermost in our minds, then we will have the capacity to continue our solid relationship with Hashem throughout the year.
A BYTE FOR SHABBOS
The Midrash compares the four species to weaponry that we raise displaying our victory over the forces of evil that prevail in this world. IYH we should all have a year of success in reaching great heights in our service to Hashem and our relationships with others.
GOOD SHABB0S
