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Building Su kkahs
Brings Family Joy
RABBI DAVID A NELSON SPEC ALTO THE JEWISH NEWS
o one consulted me when
the Jewish calendar was
set up. Had the Almighty
spoken to me, I would
have suggested waiting a little
longer between Yom Kippur and
the onset of Sukkot. Two weeks,
at the very least, would have
helped considerably in preparing
for "the most joyous of all festi-
vals," as the Bible describes it.
However, it is clear from reading
the Torah that Sukkot comes on
the heels of Yom Kippur, and the
custom arose of knocking in at
least one nail of the sukkah upon
the completion of Yom Kippur.
For several years, following the
Ma'ariv service, surrounded by
young children, I have picked up
a hammer and proceeded to be-
gin the building of the Beth
Shalom sukkah. I am always re-
minded, when I do that, that one
is always actively involved and
engaged in preparing for the next
holy moment in Jewish life. We
never remain static.
N
•• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
t wasn't until I built
my own Sukkah...
that I discovered
that Sukkot was really
fun.
I
interpretations that fill many
books on the significance of the
lulav and etrog.
Traditionally, it has been seen
as the symbol of Jewish unity—
the combination of three differ-
ing species of fruits into one—the
branches of palm (lulav), the
boughs of myrtle (hadassim) and
the willows of the brook (aravoth).
The Midrash explains the sym-
bolical significance of the four
plants which are held together:
• The etrog has both taste and
fragrance
• The palm has taste but no
fragrance.
• The myrtle has fragrance but
no taste.
• The willow has neither taste
nor fragrance.
Similarly, the comparison is
thus made that:
• Some Jews have both learn-
ing and good deeds (etrog).
• Some have learning—
taste but no good deeds (palm),
fragrance (longer lasting)
• Others have good deeds
(myrtle) but no learning.
• Still others (willow) have nei-
ther learning nor good deeds.
Therefore, God said: "Let them
all be combined together and they
will atone one of the other (Leviti-
cus Rabbah (30:12). Hence our
view that the four species sym-
bolize the four types of people,
who though different in charac-
ter, must live in unity and mu-
There was a time, when I was tual understanding, if not
complete agreement. Today,
growing up, as the son of a Con- more than ever, we need all four
servative rabbi in Bridgeport,
species to be held together.
Conn., that hardly anyone con-
It is a source of great pride in
structed a family sukkah. Natu- each
congregation to see a long
rally, our synagogue put one up, and beautiful procession in the
but it was very rare to see a
synagogue with lulav and etrog.
sukkah in someone's backyard. For family involvement there is
It wasn't until I built my own no greater opportunity than
sukkah, and if you know how tal-
ented I am as a carpenter, you Sukkot. Imagine building your
know that it was my wife Alicia, own sukkah. You can consult the
Catalogue or you can de-
who built it, that I discovered that Jewish
sign your own individual cre-
Sukkot was really fun. All those
ation. This is one of the best
years I thought I was having fun, Jewish
do-it-yourself projects
rejoicing with the lulav and et-
with which I am familiar. Even
rog. Truthfully, there's only so
in Michigan, our children, when
much fun you can have with a
they were younger, slept in the
lulav and etrog. We tried so hard.
sukkah and thereby special mem-
We even made jelly fro the etrog,
ories were created that, I'm cer-
which was beyond awful. When
will always be linked in their
we lived in Brazil, we used to im- tain,
minds with the joy of Sukkot.
port "religious lemons," which
I love going to synagogue, but
was the way we described them
when
I lived "BMOS" (before my
for the customs authorities.
own
sukkah),
Sukkot meant spe-
Of course, there are beautiful
cial programs in the synagogue
and the special kiddush. the ex-
citement is in the sukkah, even
is
the
Rabbi David A. Nelson
in Michigan where you can safe-
spiritual leader of
.
Congregation Beth Shalom.
SUKKAH page P34