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The Symbolic Sukkah

Shabbat Sukkot
Leviticus 22:26-23:44;
Numbers 29:12-16
Zechariah 14:1-21

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Trouble speaking clearly?

4-
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he Exodus was
to overcome.
not something
The Schach teaches
that happened
us something about the
once to the Jewish people
true nature of security
in history, and then was
and protection. We gain
finished. It was intended
power and status in the
to be an ideal that human
hope of excluding death
beings are meant to be
and disaster and the
free; they are endowed
unexpected. The sukkah
with dignity as children
argues that at least once
of God; some day, the
a year, we should give up
Rabbi Irwin
whole world will be so
this
pseudo-safety.
Groner
If
we learn how to
ordered that each person
Special to the
will know value, security
renounce
them, as we
Jewish News
must, then we become the
and justice. This is the task
of the Jewish religion, to
masters and not the slaves
offer testimony, to bear witness to this
of our efforts and our achievements.
The sukkah also asks us not to
hope.
That is why the Torah insists that
become overly rooted, particularly
not in exile. For thousands of years,
every Jew must relive the Exodus so
Jews have built homes in diaspora.
that everyone will feel as if he/she
personally came out of Egypt. Every
Civilizations of extraordinary rich-
day there are reminders — in the
ness — culturally, religiously, often
economically and socially - have been
morning prayer, in the fringes, in the
tefillin.
achieved. But outside of Israel, all such
homes and civilizations have proven
But, twice a year, the Jewish people
to be temporary.
actually reenact the drama of the
Exodus — during Passover and dur-
Sometimes self-deception and
ing Sukkot. Passover is observed as
desire to claim permanent roots led
the anniversary of the Exodus. Sukkot, Jews to deny what was happening
which comes six months later, focuses
until it was too late to escape. The
on the wandering of the Hebrew peo-
nature of human beings is to abso-
ple in the desert after the Exodus.
lutize the present, not to be able to
conceive of any other home but the
Living in the sukkah is meant to
recapture the spirit of the Exodus
present one. Sukkah asks us to avoid
generation who left thick walls under
that illusion.
The very consciousness of fragility
secure roofs to brave the elements.
gives us a deeper sensitivity to the
They placed their confidence in
Divine love — which is the only true
daily joy and the miracle of its exis-
source of security. In a real way, the
tence. And that capacity not to deceive
us when change takes place is made
sukkah pays tribute to Jewish courage
possible by the sukkah.
and faith.
In that act of faith, we are told that
Irwin Groner is rabbi emeritus of
God will never abandon Israel. The
Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Oakland
most important part of the sukkah is
County.
the schach, the material of vegetable
origin, which forms the roof. The
connection to nature should not be
broken.
Conversations
Schach is the expression of the true
Why should Jews relive the
nature of Divine protection. God is not
Exodus? What is the central
a mechanical shield, which protects us
symbol of Sukkot? What does
from all evil. God is the presence who
the sukkah pay tribute to?
gives us the strength to persevere and

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