Imagine the scene. Thousands of Jews from around Eretz Yisrael embark on a journey and swarm ירושלים, Yerushalayim, to celebrate the holiday of סוכות, Sukkot. They congregate at the בית המקדש, the Temple, to celebrate with song, dance, juggling and acrobatics. It was so packed that a new section called the עזרת נשים, the Woman’s Quarters, needed to be constructed to house the massive number of patrons who came from near and far to celebrate the moment of the ניסוך המים, the drawing of the water from the Shiloach, one of the pivotal services during the holiday.
Wait, really? Yes, really! The greatest of Torah scholars performed juggling acts, fire breathing spectaculars and danced the night away in religious parties called the שמחת בית השואבה, the festivals of the house of drawing. It was considered such a spectacle that the Misnah in Sukkah explains that if you never saw the event live you never experienced pure joy:
אָמְרוּ, כָּל מִי שֶׁלֹּא רָאָה שִׂמְחַת בֵּית הַשּׁוֹאֵבָה, לֹא רָאָה שִׂמְחָה מִיָּמָיו:
They say that anyone who did not witness the celebration of the שמחת בית השואבה has not experienced happiness in their days - Sukkah 5:1.
Joy, שמחה, is at the center point of this holiday. Are we not commanded to celebrate and rejoice during the other holidays as well? While happiness is a result of the holidays that we celebrate throughout the year, סוכות is the only holiday where there is a biblical commandment to “be happy.”
וּלְקַחְתֶּ֨ם לָכֶ֜ם בַּיּ֣וֹם הָרִאשׁ֗וֹן פְּרִ֨י עֵ֤ץ הָדָר֙ … וּשְׂמַחְתֶּ֗ם לִפְנֵ֛י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים
On the first day [of Sukkot] you should take for yourself an etrog… and you should rejoice before Hashem for seven days - Vayikra 23:40
What about the holiday of סוכות calls us to not only be happy but to be commanded as such? Is there any correlation between the holiday of סוכות and the fact that פרשת וזאת הברכה, Parshat V’Zot HaBracha, is the only torah reading not read on a Shabbat, rather, it is read on the final day of סוכות known as שמחת תורה, Simchat Torah?
Our answer lies in understanding what connects the drawing of the water and the holiday of סוכות together. After a month of in depth personal reflection in which we have rededicated ourselves to Hashem being the Master of the universe, we have a new found understanding and appreciation for how little control we have over our physical lives. The holiday of Sukkot coincides with the time of harvest and agricultural growth. The drawing of the water and the subsequent rituals around it celebrate the gifts that Hashem bestows upon us to provide for ourselves, our families and our communities.
Our joy stems from the knowledge that Hashem looks over us, protects us and ensures the security of our present and future generations. That security is represented by the life giving and preserving nature of water. It supports the growth of the crops, symbolizes the rain that is critical for that growth and alludes to the study of Torah as well.
The holiday of סוכות is not just a time to rejoice for the sake of joy. It is the time for us to reaffirm what true happiness looks like. Eating a savory piece of steak smoked just right or enjoying that moment on the beach are all joyful experiences tailored for us by Hashem. Yet, true joy is experienced when we realize we are part of something bigger than ourselves, that we are part of a community of like minded people and that we are striving for something together, arm in arm, side by side, along the path lit by Hashem’s guidance. The euphoric realization brings us to new understandings and even greater heights.
The last Torah portion highlights the path that each of the 12 tribes are to take in order to fulfill the ultimate dream of reaching Eretz Yisrael and building it up to be the center of the world that Hashem designed. Moshe explains that we each have a unique set of gifts that we must implore in order to reach that end. As such, we read this portion not on Shabbat but on the final day of סוכות on שמחת תורה, the day we celebrate the real joy of life - the Torah and the way of life it prescribes.
May this message be the guiding light for the many months ahead. May we all look toward the heavens for direction as we look to build ourselves up, our children and our great communities.
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach!