Clean Sukkah

The Rif at the end of Sukkah says that if one must use their sukkah to eat in on Shemini Atzeret because they have no other place, then for a small sukkah, one puts a candle in it that will diminish the size of the sukkah, but for a big sukkah, one should bring in their utensils that should normally not be brought into the sukkah, the disgusting utensils.  The Baal Hameor asks on the Rif that bringing such utensils in will not disqualify the sukkah?  Hence he says that the point of bringing in the utensils is not to disqualify the sukkah, rather just to indicate that one is not using it as a sukkah ,just as their house to avoid בל תוסיף.  The Ran understands that the Rif agrees with this and the terminology of the Rif, לפסול is not precise.  The Raavad understands the Rif is literal and the sukkah does become disqualified because a person becomes disgusted with such a sukkah.  Rabbenu Manoach (6:14) also understands the sukkah becomes disqualified rabbinicly in these circumstances and one can not say a beracha on a sukkah that one's disgusting utensils are in it.  (The Shar Hatzion 639:13 is חושש for this opinion.)  The Chasam Sofer beginning of siman 639 asks why does Rabbenu Manoach say the sukkah is disqualified, the person is not living in the sukkah כעין תדורו  but why is it possul?  It seems that Rabbenu Manoach held this lack of תשבו creates a problem in the sukkah itself.  As we see in the Ran on that very Mishna at the end of Ch. 4 which says one shouldn't take out the nice things out of the sukkah on the last day of sukkot.  The Ran explains even after he is done eating, he must leave the sukkah adorned.  We see that תשבו is not just a way of living in the sukkah, its a din in the sukkah itself.  (This yesod is explained by Rav Moshe Shmuel and others.)

Sukkah Seeing

 In the Kad Hakemach on Sukkah it says: ומפני שהאדם אי אפשר לו שיירש העוה"ב ועוה"ז כי אם בידיעת התורה על כן תמצא מצוה זו שהיא רומזת לתורה, כי לשון סוכה לשון ראייה, אמרו רז"ל למה נקרא שמה יסכה שסוכת ברוח הקדש תרגום וישקף ואיסתכי וכתוב בתורה (איוב כ״ח:כ״ז) אז ראה ויספרה וגו'. הסוכה צריכה צל וישראל מוזהרין להסתופף בצל התורה, הסוכה שלש דפנות והתורה שלשה חלקים תורה נביאים וכתובים המעמידין את העולם הוא שכתוב (ירמיהו ל״ג:כ״ה) אם לא בריתי יומם ולילה וגו'. 

Chazal say that at the שמחת בית השואבה משם שואבין רוח הקודש.  According to the Kad Hekemech the name of Sukkah itself is a hint to be able to see with ruach hakodesh.  Why is it specifically the mitzvah of sukkah and the holiday of sukkot that we merit to ruach hakodesh?  The Shem M'Shmuel (5678 second piece) explains ויש ליתן טעם למה מצוה זו מסוגלת לרוה"ק יותר משאר מצוות, כי באמת האדם שיש בו נשמה הקדושה חלק אלקי ממעל לעולם הי' צריך להשתמש ברוה"ק, אם רק כשאיננו בעל עבירות ח"ו, ומ"מ הרי אנו רואין שאפילו הכי לאו כולם זוכין לרוה"ק, והטעם פשוט שהאויר וגשמית עוה"ז מפסיק וצריכין לזה זכות מיוחדת, וע"כ בבהמ"ק היו מרבית הצדיקים זוכין לרוה"ק.  Everyone naturally has ruach hakodesh, it is the gashmius  that blinds a person's vision.  [It says the same principle in the Gra on Mishlay Ch. 16.]  On Sukkot we leave the world of the gashmi inside and therefore are able to see correctly. 

Although the Shem M'shmuel picks up on the Kad Hakemach's connection to ruach hakodesh, the Kad Hakemach's main point is to be able to see the Torah clearly.  The Tanna D'vei Eliyahu (26) says עד שאדם מתפלל על דברי תורה שיכנסו בתוך מעיו יתפלל על אכילה ושתיה שלא יכנסו בתוך מעיו.  Gashmious is a contradiction to being able to see Torah properly.  To see Torah properly is a level of "ruach hakosh" that can be obtained only by removing one's self from the regular gashmi comforts of their life.

Shade For The Soul (Title Given By C. A.)

In the piut of the second day Sukkot it says בל תהי מצות סוכה בעיניך קלה כי כל מצוות דת כחוקותיה שקולה.  Why is sukkah equal to all the mitzvot ?  Why is there a פטור מצטער said specifically in regard to the mitzvah of sukkah? 

The Ketav V'kaballah Emor (23:43) writes the point of mitzvat sukkah is to recognize that our  neshama belongs above and our place in this world is only temporary. והמפרשים יאמרו בטעם המקרא בזה, שנצטוינו ביום חמשה עשר לחודש השביעי שהוא זמן התחלת ימי הגשם והקור לצאת מבית קבע שישבנו בה כל השנה, לשבת בסוכה שהיא דירת ארעי תחת אויר השמים, הפך מה שעושים אז כל בני אדם, שהמה נאספים מן השדות אל הבתים, כ״ז בא להודיענו שהמכוון ממנו ית׳ עם בנ״י, שכל אחד מהם יכיר שנפשו הרוחנית מעל השמים כבודה, ושם לה דירת קבע,ולא בא לעה״ז כ״א להיות לה פה דירת עראי, להכין לה מכל מאכל אשר יאכל בעולם העליון כאשר תשוב דירתה הקבועה לה, ובזה יתן הישראלי אל לבו לאמר. כל הימים אשר אנכי עומד על הארץ אינני כ״א כהולך דרך, לא אשית לבי אם מעט ואם הרבה אוכל ואשתה פה ממאכלי תענוגי הזמן, אם יעשר או יחסר חילי, אם אתנה לבישי שק או מרבדים ארבד ערשי, הלא כל ימי עולם הזה אינני כ״א כאורח נוטה ללון, ודירתי דירת עראי, יעבור עלי מה, הלא אל משכנות מבטחים ומנוחות שאננות אני הולך, ושם בעולם העליון ביתי המיועד לי, שם ארוה דודים ואעלס שמחה. וזהו תכלית כל התורה כולה,. 

Rav Moshe Feinstein (Darash Moshe derush 22) uses this idea to explain that is why the mitzvah of sukkah is equal to all the mitzvot because only if one internalizes the lesson of the mitzvah of sukkah that one will able to properly fulfill all the mitzvot. That is why there is a petur of מצטער as well, for it one finds it impossible to completely relinquish any connection to this world in one shot because it causes too great of a difficulty, should go little by little.

The Gra in Yonah (4:5) says the sun represents the benefits of this world for the constellations that predict what happens here depend on the sun.  He explains that's why the sukkah should have more shade than sun to represent that the Torah should be the main pursuit of mankind and the worldly pleasures and needs are second fiddle.

With this we understand the Gemorah in Avodah Zarah (3a) that Hashem will test the gentiles with the mitzvah of sukkah and they will fail when the beating sun forces them to leave and they kick the sukkah.  why are they tested with the mitzvah of sukkah specifically and why does Hashem take out the sun to test their reaction, why not let it rain?  Because the test is if the gentiles can reject the pleasures of this world which is the fundamental principle of the Torah.  Hashem takes out the sun, brings out the best of עולם הזה, and the gentiles can not reject it.  They can no fathom how can we leave this aside and kick the sukkah, the ruchnious aside as in their eyes it pales in the face of the pleasures available to them.  

Emor (32:42) בַּסֻּכֹּ֥ת תֵּשְׁב֖וּ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים כׇּל־הָֽאֶזְרָח֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יֵשְׁב֖וּ בַּסֻּכֹּֽת.  Why the repetition ,and why does it say for seven days the first time and not the second?  Says Rabbi Yonason Eibschutz Yaarot Devash (6,) וזהו שרמז הפסוק (ויקרא כג מב) בסוכות תשבו ז' ימים זהו הכלל שזה ודאי להמלט מהדין אבל האזרח דהיינו צדיקי ישראל הנקראים אזרחים ע"ש אברהם אבינו הנקרא אזרחי מעבר הנהר ישבו בסוכות תמיד מבלי הפסק ומבלי זמן כלל כי אם תמיד ישבו בסוכות מבלי מניעה כלל ותמיד יהיה כל העולם אצלם לדירת עראי כנ"ל.

With this understanding of the mitzvah of sukkah we can have an understanding of why the Gaon's hilulah is on Sukkot, 19 Tishray.  The Gra lived in a manner of a complete rejection of עולם הזה (see his son's intro. to his commentary on Shulchan Aruch,) and hence it is very apropos for his hilulah to be on this holiday.  (Based upon Yerach L'moadim #21, Zeman Simchasenu (of Rav Dovid Cohen,) #31, Noam Siach # 66 and Darash Moshe ibid.)

Shecheyanu On Lulav

The Yerushalmi in Sukkah (14a) says כשהוא נוטלו מהו אומר ברוך אקב"ו על נטילת לולב. נתפלל בו אומר ברוך שהחיינו וקימנו והגיענו לזמן הזה.  It is clear the Yerushalmi holds that the beracha for taking the lulav is said before taking the lulav but the shechiyanu is said only at the time of the prayer service.  The Tashbatz (volume 2 #204) says the reason is because the נענעום are שיירי mitzvah and hence it is fitting to say the shechiyanu only before the completion of the mitzvah. It should come out from here that those that follow the practice of the אר"י ז"ל to shake the lulav in the sukkah before the hallel, should only recite the shechiyanu beracha at the time of hallel.  However, the Bavli (46a) holds that the shechiyanu blessing should be recited from the time one puts the lulav together before the holiday.  The Bavli clearly holds that one says shechiyanu not at the time of the completion of the mitzvah, but rather once one the object of the mitzvah is prepared (see there in the Mictam a debate if this is by all mitzvot or only by mitzvot one is happy to prepare.)  So presumably according to the Bavli, the earlier one will say the beracha the better, וצ"ע למעשה.  It also sounds from the Yerushalmi that it is normal practice to take the lulav before the hallel, like the אר"י ז"ל.  

It is possible that even if the principle of the Yerushalmi is true that the shechiyanu should be delayed until the נענעונים, it is still possible to say shechiyanu when taking the lulav before hallel.  It would  depend on the machlokes Rishonim if the main נענעונים are at the time of the beracha or at the time of the hallel, (see Tosfos Sukkah 37b, Ran there vs. Rambam Lulav 7:10 and Tosfos Pesachim 7b etc.)  

Teshuva Cleansing

What makes teshuva so great?  All mitzvot help the neshama, but not the physical body, teshuva is a way of fixing one's body.  All the dirt from years of sin is washed away by the shower of teshuva.

From Derech Chayim of Mittler Rebbe pg. כו:

Three Steps Of Teshuva

The Minchas Chinuch (364:1) asks that from the Rambam it appears that vidduy is an integral part of teshuva, without it, teshuva is incomplete, however, from numerous Gemorot, such as the Gemorah Kiddushin (49b) which says if one does kiddushin on the condition that he is a tzaddik, it might be a kiddushin, for he may have had thoughts of teshuva, it appears that one can do teshuva even without vidduy?  The Gemorah Kiddushin (40b) says if one regrets doing mitzvot they lose the merit of the mitzvot that they did.  So, they why should vidduy be required to rid one's self of averot?  The Achronim ask, the midrash Tanchuma in Nasso says that teshuva is only granted to Jews but in numerous stories in Tanach such as in Sefer Yonah and the generation of Noach it appears that teshuva is granted to gentiles as well?  

Achronim explain that there are two types of teshuva.  There is the teshuva of the gavra and the teshuva of the cheftzah.  For the gavra to fix himself, for the person's teshuva to be complete, one doesn't need vidduy, the charatah and azivat hachat suffices.  Just as one divorces themselves from the mitzvot they have fulfilled because they regret fulfilling them, so too one can rid themselves of sin.  When a person does teshuva, as the Rambam describes, the person is no longer the individual that committed the sin, one is transformed into a new person and is separated from the crimes one has committed.  Even a gentile can have this type of teshuva.  They can be transformed into a different person and are divorced from their sin.  This teshuva rids one of their connection to the sin, but the sin itself still exists.  Sins create an evil force in the world, as the Tomer Devorah explains, and the world has been contaminated by sin.  The Alter of Slodbadka points out if the Torah says that the scapegoat "carries the sins," then it must be the sin is a reality that exists in the world.  Although, through teshuva one has already been absolved from bearing responsibility for the act of the sin, the sin itself is not rectified.  For that, vidduy is required.  By doing an physical action of speaking words of acknowledging the sin, one can slay the monsters created by their sins (see Derech P'kudecha of Tzemech Tzedek.)  The vidduy and the level of teshuva only granted to Klal Yisroel is the ability to rid the world of the affects of sin. 

Rabbenu Yonah holds that there is a separate mitzvah of doing teshuva on Yom Kippur itself.  Why is there a separate mitzvah of doing teshuva on this day?  The Mishna at the end of Yoma says אמר רבי עקיבא: אשריכם ישראל, לפני מי אתם מטהרין, ומי מטהר אתכם? אביכם שבשמים,.  What is the need for the double language of לפני מי אתם מטהרין, ומי מטהר אתכם?  The possuk in Acharei Mos (16:30) says כִּֽי־בַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּ֛ה יְכַפֵּ֥ר עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם לְטַהֵ֣ר אֶתְכֶ֑ם מִכֹּל֙ חַטֹּ֣אתֵיכֶ֔ם לִפְנֵ֥י י״י֖ תִּטְהָֽרוּ.  Again, why the double language of טהרה?  Furthermore, Yom Kippur is a day of atoning sin, what is the טהרה?  

What Yom Kippur adds is a third level of teshuva; tahara.  Even after slaying the monster of sin, the dead carcass has still left its horrific stench in the room.  To rid the smell, air freshener of tahara must be applied. What Rebbe Akiva was teaching was that there are two steps to tahara.  There is the לפני מי אתם מטהרין, which is the person's job to come close to Hashem, אתם מטהרין, and then there is a second level, מי מטהר אתכם, that is the tahara that comes from Hashem that is out of a person's reach (Sifsay Chayim.)  The mitzvah of teshuva on Yom Kippur is to make a person susceptible of accepting the tahara that comes down from the heavens.  To receive the tahara one must be ready; that means one must do teshuva.  That is the double language of the possuk as well.  First there is the avodah of the person, to do what s/he can do to cleanse themselves from the stench of the sin, and then Hashem completes the job that is out of the hands of a person.

Praise Hashem

כי שם ה' אקרא הבו גודל לאלקנו

The Sifri says ר' יוסי אומר: מנין לעומדים בבית הכנסת ואומר ברכו את ה' המבורך, שעונים אחריהם ברוך ה' המבורך לעולם ועד? ת"ל כי שם ה' אקרא הבו גודל לאלהינו וכו ...  ומנין שלא ירד דניאל לגוב אריות, אלא כדי שיעשה לו המקום נסים וגבורות בשביל לקדש שמו בעולם? שנאמר כי שם ה' אקרא.  The Sifri equates the din of answering a דבר שבקדושה and the halacha of mesirat nefesh.  What is the connection between these two laws?  We see that the yesod of the din is the same, kiddush shem Hashem in public.  Sometimes that is accomplished by giving up one's life and sometimes that is accomplished by answering to the "call of the Lord" in public.

The Gemorah in Yoma (37a) learns out from this possuk the obligation to answer ברוך שם after a blessing said with the announciation of Hashem's name which is done in the Mikdash.  How does this fit with the Sifri that learns out all responses in a synagogue from here?  The Gemorah Peshacim (50a) says that nowadays we don't read the name of Hashem as it is written, we only say the name of אדנות.  We can understand this two ways.  Either by mentioning אדנות it is a new way of pronouncing the name of Hashem or that even though we have not pronounced the words as written, it has the chalos of pronouncing the name as הויה.  What the Sifri is teaching us is that when there is a tzibbur is performing a דבר שבקדושה that has the chalos of mentioning the name of Hashem to obligate an answering of הבו גדול לאלקנו.  (Rav Soloveitchik.)