blogs/rabbi-huberman

Succoth -- The Festival of "Others" #470

There was a practice introduced by the great Rabbi Simcha Bunem (1765-1827) of Pershyscha, Poland. He would walk around with two slips of paper, one in each pocket.

The first read, "For my sake the world was created." The other read, "I am but dust and ashes."

The first slip of paper reminded him that life is an adventure. It challenged him to experience new things, to enter new domains, to open new doors, and to take chances.

The second cautioned him to remain humble. It helped him to recall that his time on earth was limited, and it was therefore imperative to cut through arrogance and ego, and to ensure that the needs of others were met.

This exercise is often suggested by rabbis around the High Holidays, to remind us that life involves balance. We are here not only to meet our full potential, but also to serve others.

During the period from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur, we tend to focus on self. We are introspective. We ask "What are we doing?  What changes do we need to make?  What do we need to let go of?" 

And that, of course, is as it should be: this is the time of year to take an honest inventory of self, to face the new year with fresh energy and understanding, and free of last year's toxic weights.

But, come Sunday evening, things change.

With the arrival of the festival of Succoth, we shift our focus to others.  We thank God for the gift of shelter. We praise God for the miracle of food. Most importantly, we take note of those who have neither.

In ancient times, Succoth rituals focused on rain. Without rain, there would be no crops, and the Israelites would be driven from their land.  But, over time, as our direct connection to the land diminished, the nature of Succothchanged to a more universal focus.

The Succahs we now build remind us that we are descended from a nation of desert wanderers who never took comforts for granted: it is a time of year to look around and ensure that we ourselves are not too complacent in our own comforts. 

We are encouraged to invite friends and strangers to our huts, where, under the stars, we inhale the brisk fall air and experience God's creation.

A few years ago, the Cantor and I were blessed with a bar mitzvah student who taught us to look at Succoth in a different manner.  As his bar mitzvah, scheduled forSuccoth, approached, we observed his struggles preparing his Hebrew prayers and readings.

So, rather than engage him in a tortuous regime of Hebrew repetition, we encouraged him to re-examine Succoth in a manner which was more meaningful to him.

One afternoon, we walked with him through the forested area which separates the edge of our synagogue from nearby Cottage Row. There we discovered that a number of homeless men were using our woods for shelter.

After we cleaned up the food wrappers and empty bottles, he turned to us and said "We need to be creating moreSuccahs in this world, so that no one has to live this way."

From there, he dedicated his bar mitzvah preparations to supporting our local men's shelter, and gathering of food for the needy.

This combination of prayer and action provided a bar mitzvah experience he will never forget. 

The holiday of Succoth reminds us that it is a great gift to just to be alive. We are blessed to live in this country of peace, shelter, and sustenance.

But this is not true for all.

Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur may have been created for introspection and self-improvement, but Succoth no motivates us to extend our blessings to those whose access to shelter is not assured.

We are a people descended from immigrants, who came to this country without guarantees of food and shelter. Our ancestors relied on those who came before them. All the more reason for us to be sensitive to immigrants, refugees, and others who are seek opportunities to attain what we often take for granted.

Succoth encourages us to find ways to support others.  It is one reason why our synagogue's Social Action Committee shifts into high gear at this time of the year.

If there is a winter coat you no longer wear, please bring it to our synagogue, and it will be assigned to a person in need.

Our synagogue is also currently collecting food and prepaid credit cards for a number of local families who require assistance making the transition from the summer to winter.

We are also accepting donations to families in Haiti who lost their homes during the recent hurricane.  And we continue to collect food for those who rely on the Interfaith Food Network.

We, perhaps more than any other people - survivors of countless expulsions and persecutions - understand what it is to be in need.

Let us therefore open our hearts.

In ancient times, Succoth may have been about rain and agriculture, but in an era where food supplies are now assured ---at least for us -- we need to shift the emphasis ofSuccoth towards ensuring the sustenance of those less fortunate.

As Rabbi Bunem taught, we are on this earth to experience, but we must never forget our partnership with God heal this broken world.

It is therefore incumbent upon us to feed, shelter, welcome and sustain the other.  The opportunities are there.

During the festival of Succoth -- often overlooked under the shadow of the High Holidays --  let us embrace and bless that we have. 

We remember at this time, that we are mere dust and ashes. Life is so fragile. Let us therefore, from the depths of our mortality, work to elevate the lives of others.

For we are all precious and deserving in God's sight. 

Shabbat shalom, v'kol tuv (with all goodness)

Rabbi Irwin Huberman