Be Happy! It's Sukkot!

It's been two years since Oct. 7th 2023, which this year falls on the first day of Sukkot. For me, when I think of Sukkot, I think of this picture

This was taken on October 4th, 2023. It was the last time my entire family was together before October 7th and at the time, we had no clue how significant that was going to be. My brother and brother-in-law were immediately called up on October 7th. My brother-in-law got badly injured in January, only regaining consciousness in late March. Our lives truly changed forever. To me this picture holds a lot of pain.

But wait! Aren't we supposed to be happy on Sukkot?

Well yes, Sukkot is the only holiday in the Torah that we are actually commanded to be happy: "You shall rejoice in your festival" '(Deut. 16:14). But our commentators explain that this does not mean you are supposed to have a smile plastered on your face the entire holiday.

We have just experienced Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, two holidays of awe, fear, deep faith and transformation. Then we know our fate is being determined and sealed for the upcoming year. We have thrown away our sins, heard the blasts of the shofar, fasted, prayed, asked for forgiveness; and now it is out of our hands.

On Sukkot, just a few days after Yom Kippur, we are supposed to eat and sleep outside, exposed to the elements, seeing the stars. We must have complete faith in Hashem that the weather will be fit for us to fulfill the mitzvot of Sukkot. In a way, it's a perfect continuation to the High Holidays. It is a complete expression of emunah (faith) and trust in Hashem now that our fate is no longer in our hands.

Not only do the mitzvot associated with the sukkah express our emunah, but so too does shaking the four species each day of the holiday. The four species are seen by some as the different types of people in our nation that are bound together to make one unit. We see that in order to be whole, we need the different shapes, smells, and flavors of our people. Sukkot expresses our emunah, and the importance of our unity as a nation.

In order for us to truly embrace these ideas, we need to be happy and positive. Release the concern, worry, and awe, and immerse in the beauty this holiday offers us.

So when I look at the photo from Sukkot 2023, yes I do feel pain, but I also feel a lot of emunah. I am thankful to Hashem for all the blessings, for the happy memories, for the health and strength of my family and our nation. In a way, that fills me with joy.

Wishing you and your families a joyful Sukkot filled with emunah, unity, beautiful moments and memories.

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