SUKKOT TEXT STUDY 5777

Rabbi Dan Moskovitz

Aggadah:
Before Rabbi Ber of Radishitz obtained a rabbinical post, he lived in dire poverty and
often went hungry. One year he was reluctant to leave the synagogue on the first night
of Sukkot, as he had been unable to prepare any provisions for the festival. He was too
depressed to enter his sukkah, which was not set up for the festival meal. When he
finally went there, he opened the door of his sukkah and saw, to his amazement that
the table was set with lit candles, challah, fish and potatoes. Questioning his wife, he
learned that she had sold he last piece of jewelry and was thereby able to purchase
food so that they could celebrate the festival properly.

Rabbi Ber recited the Kiddush, washed his hands, said the appropriate blessings, and
then, not having eaten a full meal for some time, started to stuff himself with the food.
Suddenly in the midst of his gorging himself, a thought struck him and he said to
himself, “Berel, you are not sitting in the sukkah to fulfill the commandment, but only
to satisfy your stomach.” Immediately he stopped eating.
--Hasidic tale

Hallacha:
“When a person eats and drinks in celebration of a festival, he is obligated to
feed converts, orphans, widows, and others who are destitute and poor. In
contrast, a person who locks the gates of his courtyard and eats and drinks
with his children and his wife, without feeding the poor and the embittered, is
not indulging in rejoicing associated with a mitzvah, but rather the rejoicing of
his gut…This rejoicing is a disgrace…” (Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot
Sh’vitat Yom Tov 6:18)

One of Sukkot’s names is Z’man Simchateinu, the Time of Rejoicing. While we are
commanded to rejoice abundantly at this time of year, we also must assist others
who are financially incapable of rejoicing. According to Maimonides, proper
observance of Sukkot requires that we feed those around us who are in need.
Hunger and poverty were facts of life in Maimonides’ time and unfortunately
continue to be major concerns in our time. Thus, the scholar reminds us to be
particularly attentive to the needs of others even in the midst of our celebration.

 How is the rejoicing of Sukkot diminished by not caring for the widow,
orphan stranger and the poor?
 Even in the midst of this most joyous holiday we are commanded to act
on behalf of those who are in need. What does this teach you about
Judaism?
 How might this principle be applied in our daily – secular life?