Yomtov ends in London on Sunday at 6.46pm
| Happiness is... | Rabbi David Sedley |
| Separate or Together? | Rabbi Daniel Roselaar |
| Neot Kedumim | Simon Goulden |
| Riddle of the Week | Michael Grayeff & Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis |
The Rolling Stones are out on tour again, and at age 60 Mick Jagger is showing us that one doesn't need to take 'early retirement' to enjoy oneself. Back in 1972, on 'Exile on Main Street', he was singing a song called 'Happy' where Mick defined his simple requirements with the lyrics, "I need a love to keep me happy".
The Talmud (Megilla 31b) tells us that the reason we read the Parsha of Ki Tavo before Rosh Hashana is because that portion describes the curses the Jewish people will receive for not observing the Mitzvot. We hope that the end of the year will also be the end of the curses. The main sin which is mentioned is not serving G-d with happiness; "Since you didn't serve G-d with happiness and gladness of heart." (Devarim 28:47).
It is therefore appropriate to begin the new year with happiness. Succot is defined in our prayers as Z'man Simchateinu, the "time of our happiness", and our celebrations during this week prepare us to be able to serve G-d with happiness throughout the coming year.
We need to understand what happiness is in order to properly fulfill the requirements of the festival. Clearly, sitting in a hut in the garden and waving some fruit and sticks in Shul is not enough on its own to keep us happy.
The Mishna (Succot 51a) describes the happiness of the Simchat Beit Hasho'eva in the Temple. Only the 'Chasidim' (pious ones) and 'Anshei Ma'aseh' (accomplished ones) were permitted to dance and perform tricks to show their happiness. It seems that real happiness must be attained through observance of Mitzvot. The Rambam (Laws of YomTov 6; 20) explains that the happiness of the festivals is not attained through frivolity and light-headedness, but rather through service of the Creator.
Caesar once asked Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chanania why the food that Jews eat on Saturday smells so good. Rabbi Yehoshua answered that Jews have a special spice, called 'Shabbat', that is added to the food. However, this spice only enhances the flavour for those who observe Shabbat (Talmud Shabbat 119a). Observance of Mitzvot leads not only to a spiritual richness, but also to greater physical enjoyment and happiness.
The Talmud (Berachot 31a) instructs us that the correct preparation for prayer is 'Simcha shel Mitzvah' - the happiness of performing a Mitzvah. The Talmud continues, "Similarly, when a person takes leave of his or her friend ... it should only be with words of Halacha." There is an explicit link between learning about and observing the Mitzvot, and true happiness.
The book of Nechemia also links Torah study to the happiness of Succot. In chapter 8 we read that "The chiefs of the fathers' houses of all the people ... were gathered to Ezra the scribe, in order to study the words of the Torah. ... So the people went out ... and made themselves Succot ... And there was great rejoicing." Learning Torah (which had been almost entirely forgotten during the harshness of the Babylonian exile) led to the observance of the Mitzvot, which in turn led to great happiness.
There is a verse from the book of Esther which we recite every week in Havdala - 'The Jews had light and happiness ...'. The Talmud (Megilla 15b) tells us that 'light' refers to Torah, and 'happiness' means Yom Tov. It seems that there is a progression - studying Torah leads to the happiness and celebration of festivals.
Yom Kippur is the anniversary of the day on which the Jews received the second set of the Ten Commandments. On this day Moshe returned from Mount Sinai bearing the tablets which showed G-d's total forgiveness for the sin of the Golden Calf. The Kabbalistic sources tell us that Shavuot is the celebration of receiving the Written Torah, but Yom Kippur was when we received the Oral Torah. On Succot our happiness is the celebration of the Torah that we were given, culminating in Simchat Torah when we dance and rejoice at our gift.
The Oral Law allows us to become part of the process of Torah and Halacha. In the desert, when Moshe had a difficult question he asked G-d for the answer. Once the Jews entered Israel they had to find the answers themselves, based on the principles that G-d had given at Sinai. Anyone who learns Torah makes his or her own unique contribution to the Torah. Our happiness on Succot is the knowledge that we can serve G-d through Torah and Mitzvot.
The Talmud (Berachot 31a) tells us that it is forbidden to be completely happy in this world, as we say in Shir Hama'alot before Bensching 'Az Yemale Schok Pinu' - 'Then (in the time of the Mashiach) our mouths will be filled with laughter'. During Succot we are given a taste of the Messianic era. Let us rejoice and be happy with the Torah and Mitzvot that G-d has given us, and may we merit to see the real happiness of the Messianic era - next year in Jerusalem.
In the Diaspora, where two days of Yom Tov are observed because of the doubt that existed in ancient times regarding the precise Hebrew date, the festival of Shemini Atzeret has a dual and conflicting status. On the one hand, being the 22nd of Tishri, it is Shemini Atzeret and no longer the festival of Succot. But, on the other hand, because in ancient times there was a concern that it might in fact be only the 21st of Tishri, it is also regarded as the final day of Succot.
Normally, Sfeka D'yoma - a day whose exact identity is in doubt - is treated as if it were the real day of Yom Tov. Thus, the second Seder on Pesach is conducted in exactly the same way as the first Seder. However, it is not possible to treat Shemini Atzeret as Succot proper, because part of the very nature of this festival is that it is not Succot. (According to Targum Jonathan, Shemini Atzeret's 'symbol' is the fact that we no longer eat in the succah.) Consequently, the Talmud (Succah 47a) reaches the conclusion that in the Diaspora one must eat in the succah on Shemini Atzeret, but without reciting the berachah.
Nevertheless, the question still arises: How is it permissible to eat in the succah when it really is Shemini Atzeret, a day on which one should not eat in the succah? In answer, the Tosafot suggest that it is allowed since if the weather is pleasant one might choose to sit in the succah in any event, and thus it is not entirely obvious that one is eating there for Mitzvah purposes. Thus, if the weather is inclement one should not sit in the succah on Shemini Atzeret, a view adopted by the Korban Netanel, though rejected by the majority of halachic authorities. The Mordechai (13th Century) suggests that the absence of a berachah indicates that one does not really regard it as Succot proper, and thus the status of Shemini Atzeret is not undermined. According to this view, one should not sleep in the succah on Shemini Atzeret as a berachah is never recited on going to sleep in the succah and thus there is nothing to indicate that one is not necessarily sleeping there for Mitzvah purposes. Many authorities rule that one should not sleep in the succah on Shemini Atzeret for this reason, though the Vilna Gaon insisted that one should do so, even if the weather is extremely cold.
The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Hayim 668) and other halachic authorities all rule in accordance with the Talmud that one must eat in the succah without saying a berachah on Shemini Atzeret. Whilst thoroughly endorsing this view, the Mishnah Berurah indicates that things that are eaten without a berachah of Leshev Basuccah during Succot proper may be eaten outside of the succah on Shemini Atzeret.
by Simon Goulden, Agency for Jewish Education
Not a trip to the garden centre - Neot Kedumim
Neot Kedumim - the Biblical Landscape Reserve, halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, is a unique re-creation of the physical setting of the Bible in all its depth and detail and is far more than a "garden" showing various Biblical plants. It draws on a variety of disciplines - such as Bible scholarship, botany, zoology, geography, history, and archaeology - to bring the Bible and its commentaries to life. Literally with the Bible in one hand and a spade in the other, Neot Kedumim staff constructed a network of natural and agricultural landscapes bearing names that indicate their textual sources: the Forest of Milk and Honey, the Dale of the Song of Songs, Isaiah's Vineyard, the Fields of the Seven Species etc.
Over the years, thousands of tons of soil were brought in to cover the eroded hillsides, reservoirs were dug to catch runoff rainwater and ancient terraces restored. Habitats were created for species which were not native to the Judean hills, such as cedars of Lebanon and Sinai date palms. Hundreds of varieties of Biblical and Talmudic plants; wild and domesticated animals; ancient and reconstructed olive and wine presses, threshing floors, cisterns, and mikvaot now bring the Bible to life.
The best way to see Neot Kedumim is on foot, leaving you car in the car park and walking the trails. For those less mobile, 2-seater electric buggies (pre booked) are available. Neot Kedumim offers three paved trails and one unpaved trail. The paved trails are suitable for wheelchairs and baby buggies. Along the trails are toilets, drinking water and litter baskets. To reach Neot Kedumim from Tel Aviv, take the Jerusalem Highway (Route 1) south. Exit at the Modi'in Interchange. Follow the road as it merges with Route 443. The Neot Kedumim entrance is on the left side of the road, 2 km. from the junction
Last week's questions:
1) set by Alan Capper of Pinner.
Which Haftarah is printed twice in the Hertz Chumash but is only ever read once a year?
Answer:
The Haftarah for Simchat Torah appears:
1.after the Sidra of Vezot Haberacha (page 916) and
2.again for Simchat Torah (page 984).
2) EXTRA CHALLENGE - set by set by Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis.
According to the Rambam, which verses of the Torah may be read publicly in Synagogue during a service with no minyan, without there being any extenuating circumstances?
Answer:
The last 8 verses of the Torah, describing the death of Moses, which are read on Simchat Torah (Hilchot Tefilla 13:6).
This week's question:
1) set by Michael Grayeff of Kenton.
On the Hebrew calendar, what do these numbers represent 4, 8, 11, 12, 24?
2) EXTRA CHALLENGE set by Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis.
When, for the good of a community, would we allow a son to perform a mitzvah, but not his father? (The father is a kosher Jew in every respect).
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