blogs/rabbi-huberman

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson decide to go on a camping trip.

After dinner and a bottle of wine, they lay down for the night. Hours later, Holmes wakes up and nudges his faithful friend.

"Watson, look up at the sky and tell me what you see." Watson replies, "I see millions of stars."

"What does that tell you?" asks Holmes.

Watson ponders for a minute. "Astronomically, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets.

"Astrologically, I observe that Saturn is in Leo. Horologically, I deduce that the time is approximately a quarter past three.

"Theologically, I can see that God is all powerful and that we are small and insignificant.

"Meteorologically, I suspect that we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. What does it tell you, Holmes?"

Holmes is silent for a minute, then speaks: "Watson, you idiot. It means someone has stolen our tent!"

Ah, the great outdoors. How we love it. A few times a year, many pack up their cars or campers and head for the open spaces.

Tents, sleeping bags, a cooler and flashlight are essential. Now, there are new gadgets: solar powered phone chargers, traveling hammocks, filtered water bottles, deodorant wipes, bear spray and hydration packs.

Ah, the joys of nature.

But there is a beautiful theme to all of this. When we look up at the starry skies, when we doze off — sleeping bag to sleeping bag — when we hear the crackle of a fire first thing in the morning or enjoy the taste of s’mores, we are brought together.

In many ways, these trips capture the essence of the Biblical festival of Sukkot, which begins tonight. It’s not the most practiced of Jewish holidays. And, after the intensity of the High Holidays, many are “shuled-out” or — this year — “Zoomed-out.”

But, while the period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is designed to pluck us out of our routines and focus on our souls, Sukkot is a physical holiday that parallels, in many ways secular, Thanksgiving.

It teaches us about humility and gratitude, and that all we truly need is a table, a chair, a view of the stars and the company of family and friends. 

In a word: simplicity.

During the more than 40 stops along the way from Egypt to the Promised Land, all the Israelites had were simple tents — Sukkahs — and life’s basics.

Judaism began within that “wilderness.” We are all descended from those tents.

During one of our recent congregational trips to Israel, our group paused at a location about halfway between Jerusalem and Masada known as “Abraham’s Tent.” There, actors provide tourists with a desert experience, including camel rides, homemade pita and local stories.

I recall one of our participants peering from a hilltop over the barren desert and musing, “How could people live like this?” To which our host replied: “With all the noise, pollution, crime and lack of space in New York, how can you live like that?”

Indeed, Sukkot carries a message of simplicity.

It is traditional during Sukkot, to leave our homes and eat, drink and sleep in a Sukkah — under the stars. Is there anything more spiritually fulfilling than a camping trip with God?

During the recent High Holidays, despite not being able to assemble in person, Zoom provided a surprisingly intimate experience. This tells me we can create a spiritual Sukkah wherever we choose.

So, though there will likely be fewer Sukkahs than usual this year — and no Sukkah hops or festival gatherings — let us still remember how lucky we are to have the shelter that we do.

Many of our parents and grandparents lived under such basic conditions when they first came to this country — perhaps a room in someone’s house or a tiny apartment in an ill-lit, badly ventilated building. How lucky we are and how far we have come.

Nevertheless, there are still many in our area, and elsewhere on the planet, who do not have enough to eat or wear or even a basic Sukkah in which to shelter. As we continue in our congregation collecting food for the needy, let us be mindful of the narrow bridge which runs between prosperity and hardship.

That is one of the central themes of Sukkot, as we move from a time of introspection to a resumption of our “normal” lives. As we’ve learned during the past six months, we are living in a new reality — whether that be how we work, how we socialize, how we connect and how we pray. 

It has become the “new normal.”

Therefore, as we enter this week of Sukkot, let us pause to embrace our ancient Jewish thanksgiving: a time of humility, gratitude and charity.

Even though our physical Sukkahs may be limited this year, we can create sacred places, redefining what it means to be spiritual and the places in which we can attain spirituality.

In the end, it’s just us, some shelter, our friends and family, and universe embracing us each day.

The freshness of a camping trip with God. The basics. That’s all we really need.

Perhaps more importantly, as we learned during this year’s High Holidays, our true Sukkah — a Sukkah of gratitude, humility and love — exists in our hearts.

As the Torah teaches, “It’s really not that baffling.”

In fact, it’s quite elementary.

Chag Sameach. Happy Sukkot. Shabbat Shalom.

Rabbi Irwin Huberman

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Please enjoy the following video, based on the book of Ecclesiastes — read this time of the year — which tells the story of King Solomon, who, in spite of all the frills he enjoyed at the palace, found happiness and meaning through the simplicity of Sukkot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wcG5v2BFQU