Succos
We leave our homes
For a smaller home
Outside
Exposed to the elements
Aren't we always exposed?
Hashem knows everything
All our thoughts
We can't hide from Him
We can face Him
We can embrace Him
And remember
That just as our home
Is temporary
And after eight days
In this temporary abode
We go back
Back to our comfortable home
We will all one day
Leave this world
Our stay here
Is temporary
We aren't here
Forever
Let's use our time
In this temporary world
To do things
Actions
Good deeds
That last
Forever
That leave
An everlasting impact
On those around us
Showing posts with label Succos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Succos. Show all posts
Thursday, October 10, 2019
Friday, September 28, 2018
Succos-Koheles
As the wisest of all men, Shlomo Hamelech describes how he explored all the wisdom and experienced all possible pleasures. He built houses, planted vineyards and orchards, collected gold, silver and musical instruments. And he concludes that all of it is worthless and pursuing it leads to frustration.
So what is the purpose of life if chasing wisdom and pleasures leaves us feeling dissatisfied?
There are two things to focus on. The first is to rejoice-in our actions and in our lot in life. When we are satisfied with what we have and with what we are doing, we won't need to run after things that are meaningless.
The second is to give to others. If we are intent on giving and sharing (anything-our money, a listening ear, advice, our time), we will look out for what others need and wont harp on what we don't have. This will keep us happy and content and fill our lives with meaning.
May we live our lives with joy and always be on the giving end so we can feel happy and fulfilled at all times!
So what is the purpose of life if chasing wisdom and pleasures leaves us feeling dissatisfied?
There are two things to focus on. The first is to rejoice-in our actions and in our lot in life. When we are satisfied with what we have and with what we are doing, we won't need to run after things that are meaningless.
The second is to give to others. If we are intent on giving and sharing (anything-our money, a listening ear, advice, our time), we will look out for what others need and wont harp on what we don't have. This will keep us happy and content and fill our lives with meaning.
May we live our lives with joy and always be on the giving end so we can feel happy and fulfilled at all times!
Sunday, September 23, 2018
The Sukkah
After we confessed our sins and begged Hashem to be inscribed in the Book of Life, Hashem "wraps His arms around us" in a loving embrace. This is what the walls of the sukkah represent.
We leave our homes and enter the sukkah, expressing our total dependence on Hashem. We live in this simple hut, showing that materialism is not the most important thing. Our focus should be on the eternal-on our relationship with Hashem and doing things that have lasting value.
May we be able to stay calm and keep the atmosphere in the sukkah peaceful by remembering that we are in Hashem's embrace and His shechina is right here with us!
We leave our homes and enter the sukkah, expressing our total dependence on Hashem. We live in this simple hut, showing that materialism is not the most important thing. Our focus should be on the eternal-on our relationship with Hashem and doing things that have lasting value.
May we be able to stay calm and keep the atmosphere in the sukkah peaceful by remembering that we are in Hashem's embrace and His shechina is right here with us!
Monday, October 6, 2014
After Yom Kippur
When looking through the machzor on Yom Kippur night, there is one part of the chazzaras hashatz that really spoke to me.
We say mi she'ana l....hu ya'aneinu-He who answered....May He answer us. And there is a different phrase inserted each time. A time Hashem answered someone and we ask Him to please answer our prayers too.
Avraham Avinu b'har hamoriah...Yosef b'veis ha'asurim...avoseinu b'yam suf...Yehoshuah Bagilgal...Eliyahu b'har hacarmel...Yonah bm'eih hadaga...Chananya, Mishael, V'azaryah b'soch kivshan ha'eish...
Each of these people called out to Hashem at a time of extreme desperation. And Hashem answered them. And the list is quite long.
And I thought to myself...If Hashem saved Yonah from the innards of the fish and Chananya, Mishael and Azarya from inside a burning furnace, can't he help little me? Can't I rely on Him to hear my little prayers?
I looked at this tefillah and concentrated on the words. I thought about each of the stories. I thought back to the time that these people turned to Hashem because they knew He was the only One who could help them. I thought about what it took for Hashem to save each of them. Hashem made miracles! For Yehoshua, He made the sun stand still in the sky. And for me...I don't need big miracles. I just need Him to help me with my little life. And nothing is too big for Hashem. If He could save three people from inside a burning fire, He surely can save me from the difficulties I am experiencing.
This tefillah gave me a powerful feeling of emunah and trust in Hashem. It helped open my eyes to the awesome power He has. So when I feel hopeless, when I feel lost, when I feel alone, I know that I can turn to Hashem and He can do anything to help things get better. He has such incredible capabilities...and I can ask Him for anything and everything I need and want. Hashem is unlimited...and I need to take advantage of that when I daven to Him...for myself and for those close to me.
Yom Kippur is a day when I try to look back at the previous year and think about the changes...think about where I was a year ago...what was going on in my life...and realize how much was decided just one year before. It's a powerful day...and it scares me. It scares me to think about how much will be sealed on this day for the coming year. Every day, every stress, every change. I davened and continue to hope there will be many good changes this year.
I want to hold on to these feelings. Of relying on Hashem completely and recognizing that it is He who decides what changes will happen in the coming year. It was He who mapped out my life and my challenges. It is He who created me with my specific strengths and weaknesses. He gave me the exact tools I need to overcome the tests of life and become the person I am meant to become. It will take strength, it will take work, but I know that He is the One planning this all. And there is comfort in that knowledge.
This is what succos is about. It's about leaving our large, comfortable homes and going into a small, cozy little house-to be with Hashem. To be in His shadow. To be in His embrace. R' Shimshon Pincus zt"l says that the walls of the sukkah are like a hug from Hashem. After all the inspiration gained from Rosh Hashana, the aseres yimei teshuva and Yom Kippur, Hashem is not ready to let the closeness end. He wants us to come spend even more time with Him. So we enter the walls of the sukkah and it is as if Hashem is giving us a hug. The walls are His arms embracing us. I found that thought so heartwarming.
Succos is a time to increase our emunah in Hashem. It is a time when we can realize and internalize on a deeper level just how much we depend on Him for everything. We leave our homes to show just that. When we are outside, we can let go of all the outer trappings of our homes-the chandeliers, the bookcases, the drapes on the windows...and focus on what really is important to us. Our spirituality, our relationship with Hashem, living a Torah life and doing the mitzvos. And we remind ourselves how much we rely on Hashem for all the good we have. It is not our hard work that brings the results, it is He who decides exactly how much we should have and how much we should spend, what our expenses will be and how much we will save.
How lucky we are to have these yomim tovim! We have a chance to reflect on our past year and on ourselves as people and think about the changes we want to make. We have an opportunity to renew our commitment when we felt ourselves slipping back. And we are able to strengthen our emunah and trust in Hashem so we can rely on Him with more passion and feeling over the coming year...knowing it is He who we can turn to whenever we need. Because Hashem can do anything. Just like He saved Yosef from the prison in Mitzrayim and Daniel from the lions' den, just like He heard their tefillos, He will hear ours too. And we hope He will answer them and we will have a positive outcome.
Wishing you all a wonderful and inspiring succos.
We say mi she'ana l....hu ya'aneinu-He who answered....May He answer us. And there is a different phrase inserted each time. A time Hashem answered someone and we ask Him to please answer our prayers too.
Avraham Avinu b'har hamoriah...Yosef b'veis ha'asurim...avoseinu b'yam suf...Yehoshuah Bagilgal...Eliyahu b'har hacarmel...Yonah bm'eih hadaga...Chananya, Mishael, V'azaryah b'soch kivshan ha'eish...
Each of these people called out to Hashem at a time of extreme desperation. And Hashem answered them. And the list is quite long.
And I thought to myself...If Hashem saved Yonah from the innards of the fish and Chananya, Mishael and Azarya from inside a burning furnace, can't he help little me? Can't I rely on Him to hear my little prayers?
I looked at this tefillah and concentrated on the words. I thought about each of the stories. I thought back to the time that these people turned to Hashem because they knew He was the only One who could help them. I thought about what it took for Hashem to save each of them. Hashem made miracles! For Yehoshua, He made the sun stand still in the sky. And for me...I don't need big miracles. I just need Him to help me with my little life. And nothing is too big for Hashem. If He could save three people from inside a burning fire, He surely can save me from the difficulties I am experiencing.
This tefillah gave me a powerful feeling of emunah and trust in Hashem. It helped open my eyes to the awesome power He has. So when I feel hopeless, when I feel lost, when I feel alone, I know that I can turn to Hashem and He can do anything to help things get better. He has such incredible capabilities...and I can ask Him for anything and everything I need and want. Hashem is unlimited...and I need to take advantage of that when I daven to Him...for myself and for those close to me.
Yom Kippur is a day when I try to look back at the previous year and think about the changes...think about where I was a year ago...what was going on in my life...and realize how much was decided just one year before. It's a powerful day...and it scares me. It scares me to think about how much will be sealed on this day for the coming year. Every day, every stress, every change. I davened and continue to hope there will be many good changes this year.
I want to hold on to these feelings. Of relying on Hashem completely and recognizing that it is He who decides what changes will happen in the coming year. It was He who mapped out my life and my challenges. It is He who created me with my specific strengths and weaknesses. He gave me the exact tools I need to overcome the tests of life and become the person I am meant to become. It will take strength, it will take work, but I know that He is the One planning this all. And there is comfort in that knowledge.
This is what succos is about. It's about leaving our large, comfortable homes and going into a small, cozy little house-to be with Hashem. To be in His shadow. To be in His embrace. R' Shimshon Pincus zt"l says that the walls of the sukkah are like a hug from Hashem. After all the inspiration gained from Rosh Hashana, the aseres yimei teshuva and Yom Kippur, Hashem is not ready to let the closeness end. He wants us to come spend even more time with Him. So we enter the walls of the sukkah and it is as if Hashem is giving us a hug. The walls are His arms embracing us. I found that thought so heartwarming.
Succos is a time to increase our emunah in Hashem. It is a time when we can realize and internalize on a deeper level just how much we depend on Him for everything. We leave our homes to show just that. When we are outside, we can let go of all the outer trappings of our homes-the chandeliers, the bookcases, the drapes on the windows...and focus on what really is important to us. Our spirituality, our relationship with Hashem, living a Torah life and doing the mitzvos. And we remind ourselves how much we rely on Hashem for all the good we have. It is not our hard work that brings the results, it is He who decides exactly how much we should have and how much we should spend, what our expenses will be and how much we will save.
How lucky we are to have these yomim tovim! We have a chance to reflect on our past year and on ourselves as people and think about the changes we want to make. We have an opportunity to renew our commitment when we felt ourselves slipping back. And we are able to strengthen our emunah and trust in Hashem so we can rely on Him with more passion and feeling over the coming year...knowing it is He who we can turn to whenever we need. Because Hashem can do anything. Just like He saved Yosef from the prison in Mitzrayim and Daniel from the lions' den, just like He heard their tefillos, He will hear ours too. And we hope He will answer them and we will have a positive outcome.
Wishing you all a wonderful and inspiring succos.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
After Succos
Succos-it’s over
It passed
But it shouldn’t really be over
It should be something that passes us by
It should be something
Something we internalize
Something we grow from
So many special days
So many days of connection
Of family time
Of shul time (for some)
Of home time (for others)
Of taking care of kids (for me!)
Of enjoying our families
But somewhere in middle of those days
Did some inspiration creep in?
Are we closer to Hashem now?
Did we learn to rely on Him more
Did the sukkah teach us
Just how dependent we are on Him?
Did we breathe in the cool (warm) air
While we were outside?
And let the emunah seep into our bones
While we felt the wind blowing softly?
While we felt the sun shining down on us?
Felt Hashem’s love
Felt Him taking care of us?
Did we let the hashpa’os of succos
Enter our souls?
Are we more connected now?
Are we more aware now?
Of how much He does for us?
How much we need Him in our lives?
Of how we want to be better?
Different, maybe?
So many days
Yamim Nora’im
Awesome days
Days of closeness-perhaps
Days of connection-hopefully
Days of introspection-sometimes
Busy days-for sure
What do we come out with
When we are done?
There’s a lot more to Simchas Torah
Than dancing just for fun
(Or watching the men run
Round and round
Clapping to the happy sounds)
Torah-it’s our life
It’s the way we want to live
It’s the goals we aspire to
And so, so much more
(No way to fit it here
That’s for sure!)
Watching people who immerse themselves
In our holy books
Their faces look
So happy
So shining
So joyful
Knowing-
That living a life of Torah
Following our Torah
Brings so much joy
(And sometimes pain)
Yet there’s so much to gain
When we follow the right way.
May we all be able to
Internalize
These messages
Grow from these days
Instead of just letting these days pass
Like a thing of the past
We made it through
Yes we did it-
Three 3-day yomim tovim
It may have been tough
We may have thought-enough!
Enough food
Enough noise
Enough messes
Enough toys
But…
There is something special to take
From these days
And if we take something special
For ourselves
In our hearts
Change
From these days
We will know
We did
What we were supposed to
We grew
And that’s what we’re here for.
Growth.
Always.
Every day.
At every moment in our lives.
May this year be filled
With many opportunities for growth.
Keep climbing!
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Succos-Strengthening Our Emunah
Every yom tov is meant to instill deeper levels of emunah into our hearts.
Succos is a special yom tov that comes after the inspiring days of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. On Rosh Hashana, we remind ourselves once again that Hashem is the King and Ruler of the world. We are mere mortals and everything that happens to us is in His hands.
Anu tzonecha v'ata ro'einu-you are our Shepherd...we depend on you for every little bit of sustenance. Just like the sheep walks after the shepherd, following every step...we follow Hashem too and He takes care of us, nourishes us when we are thirsty, physically and spiritually. Sometimes we see it physically, when we rely on Hashem for things and He gives us exactly what we need and other times we can even see it spiritually-if we look out for it-we will see how He sent us the people or inspiration to help us move forward and grow exactly at a time we needed it most. Or He may put us in a situation where we feel like we must turn to Him and only Him, thereby strengthening our connection with and trust in Him. We don't ask for it...but when we grow from our life and our challenges, we know that there was a higher purpose to whatever happened.
On Yom Kippur, we stand before Hashem and attempt to cleanse ourselves from our spiritual lowliness, admitting to the times we fell, acknowledging that although we are human beings and we stumble daily, we want to be better, we want to be different. We ask Hashem to forgive us for the past. We look inside our hearts and remember things only we know about ourselves...and ask Him to see inside our souls, to see the person we want to be...and to help us get away from the things we wish we would never have done and to help us move forward towards spiritually better people.
Succos is a whole different yom tov. It is a time where we leave our homes, our comfort zones and we put into practice the things we already know in our heads. We leave our homes-why? To show-with actions-that we rely totally and completely on HaKadosh Baruch Hu. That the material things we have do not matter. What matters is not the fancy house, the outer trappings...what matters is what is going on inside our souls. Of course, we still make the mitzvos beautiful, we adorn our little huts, our temporary houses with all sorts of decorations...but we remind ourselves on a deeper level about what really is important in life.
At the end of our lives, we will not take those things with us, not the chandeliers and not the fancy napkin rings. Not the clothing or the money or the shoes or the jewelry. Yes, we use the things we have to enhance our yom tov, to make nice dishes in honor of the special day, to serve them beautifully so we feel the joy of this holiday. When we use the things we were given to make yom tov more beautiful, that is a mitzvah. But we know that these things are not just for having-they're for elevating. They're for sharing. The most beautiful sukkah is one that is adorned with guests. :-)
And we leave our homes to remind ourselves Who we really rely on for the materialistic things we need, for our parnassah. When we leave our homes, we are in essence saying, Hashem, I am leaving my home because I want to show how I am totally dependent on you. I go out of my comfort zone, I go out of the house that belongs to me, the place I own and I go into Your shelter. I am under Your wings. You are the One who protects me always. You are the One who takes care of me at all times. It is You who provides for me and gives me every single thing I need. I am out in the open, under the clear blue sky, under Your sky.
I know that everything comes from you. I know that everything I have comes from Your giant, unlimited hand. And I know that if there is anything I ever need, I can turn to you and ask for it. You are the Source of all that I have, all the bounty I have been blessed with and you are the only One who can...and will...give me everything I will ever need.
May you be able to enter the sukkah with these thoughts in mind and continue to strengthen the emunah you have in Hashem. May the things you know in your head but don't yet feel in your heart travel through that long passageway...like a great rav once said-the greatest distance to be traveled in this world is from the head to the heart. May you be able to use this yom tov to connect to Hashem on an even deeper level, internalizing the things you already know...and may it be a truly Chag Sameach for all of you!
Succos is a special yom tov that comes after the inspiring days of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. On Rosh Hashana, we remind ourselves once again that Hashem is the King and Ruler of the world. We are mere mortals and everything that happens to us is in His hands.
Anu tzonecha v'ata ro'einu-you are our Shepherd...we depend on you for every little bit of sustenance. Just like the sheep walks after the shepherd, following every step...we follow Hashem too and He takes care of us, nourishes us when we are thirsty, physically and spiritually. Sometimes we see it physically, when we rely on Hashem for things and He gives us exactly what we need and other times we can even see it spiritually-if we look out for it-we will see how He sent us the people or inspiration to help us move forward and grow exactly at a time we needed it most. Or He may put us in a situation where we feel like we must turn to Him and only Him, thereby strengthening our connection with and trust in Him. We don't ask for it...but when we grow from our life and our challenges, we know that there was a higher purpose to whatever happened.
On Yom Kippur, we stand before Hashem and attempt to cleanse ourselves from our spiritual lowliness, admitting to the times we fell, acknowledging that although we are human beings and we stumble daily, we want to be better, we want to be different. We ask Hashem to forgive us for the past. We look inside our hearts and remember things only we know about ourselves...and ask Him to see inside our souls, to see the person we want to be...and to help us get away from the things we wish we would never have done and to help us move forward towards spiritually better people.
Succos is a whole different yom tov. It is a time where we leave our homes, our comfort zones and we put into practice the things we already know in our heads. We leave our homes-why? To show-with actions-that we rely totally and completely on HaKadosh Baruch Hu. That the material things we have do not matter. What matters is not the fancy house, the outer trappings...what matters is what is going on inside our souls. Of course, we still make the mitzvos beautiful, we adorn our little huts, our temporary houses with all sorts of decorations...but we remind ourselves on a deeper level about what really is important in life.
At the end of our lives, we will not take those things with us, not the chandeliers and not the fancy napkin rings. Not the clothing or the money or the shoes or the jewelry. Yes, we use the things we have to enhance our yom tov, to make nice dishes in honor of the special day, to serve them beautifully so we feel the joy of this holiday. When we use the things we were given to make yom tov more beautiful, that is a mitzvah. But we know that these things are not just for having-they're for elevating. They're for sharing. The most beautiful sukkah is one that is adorned with guests. :-)
And we leave our homes to remind ourselves Who we really rely on for the materialistic things we need, for our parnassah. When we leave our homes, we are in essence saying, Hashem, I am leaving my home because I want to show how I am totally dependent on you. I go out of my comfort zone, I go out of the house that belongs to me, the place I own and I go into Your shelter. I am under Your wings. You are the One who protects me always. You are the One who takes care of me at all times. It is You who provides for me and gives me every single thing I need. I am out in the open, under the clear blue sky, under Your sky.
I know that everything comes from you. I know that everything I have comes from Your giant, unlimited hand. And I know that if there is anything I ever need, I can turn to you and ask for it. You are the Source of all that I have, all the bounty I have been blessed with and you are the only One who can...and will...give me everything I will ever need.
May you be able to enter the sukkah with these thoughts in mind and continue to strengthen the emunah you have in Hashem. May the things you know in your head but don't yet feel in your heart travel through that long passageway...like a great rav once said-the greatest distance to be traveled in this world is from the head to the heart. May you be able to use this yom tov to connect to Hashem on an even deeper level, internalizing the things you already know...and may it be a truly Chag Sameach for all of you!
Labels:
Emunah,
Rosh Hashana,
Succos,
Yom Tov
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Lost in the Shuk
I just read this on OhrShimshon.com - thoughts from R' Shimshon Pincus zt"l. It's an amazing comparison. Enjoy!Imagine for yourself, a Father who is strolling through the busy ‘Shuk’ (Marketplace) for Arba Minim in Yerushalayim on Erev Sukkos, on the hunt for that ‘perfect’ Lulav and Esrog. He takes along his precious little toddler, ‘Yankele’. He instructs Yankele to stay close and not to leave go of his hand and stray from him in this commotion. However, in the process and tumult of inspecting various Lulavim etc. Yankele becomes dis-attached from his father and wanders off on his own.
Soon, Yankele’s Tatty realizes that his son is no longer with him and he begins to search frantically for his lost son! He hurries to the Police station to inquire whether they have received a lost child. To his relief, they answer in the affirmative and ask him to prove that the boy is truly his own son. All of a sudden, a shrieking child is heard in the background…..
TATTY!!!
Yankele makes a beeline straight for his Tatty and grabs him and hugs him tight…WHERE DID YOU GO, TATTY!!!! Why did you leave me! In this instant, there are no questions as to this Father/Son relationship, Yankele holds his father tight and vows to never let go again!
This is the definition of Teshuva – Repentance! This moment in time facilitates the most powerful type of connection to Borei Olam; through the power of a true Teshuva!
We are all children of Hashem. We love our Tatty in heaven and he loves us unconditionally in return. Hashem provides for all of our needs. We try to stay close and keep a connection with Hashem. However, we are all human and at times we stray far away by virtue of our sins which act as a barrier to distance ourselves from Hashem Yisborach.
However, there comes a moment in time – when we fall so low, we stumble so severely AND THEN WE SUDDENLY FIND HASHEM (Yom Kippur is such a day)!
In this instant, we cry out to Hashem with the force of all of our mishaps, of our trials, tribulations and failures – and we scream; TATTY, WHERE ARE YOU?? WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME!! I NEED YOU!!!
We proceed to grab Hashems hand with such a fierce love and longing and with a deep and unswerving desire to never let go again!
This situation of love is the distinguishing characteristic between our situation before and after Yom Kippur.
It is this overwhelming feeling of love, generated by our finding Hashem during the awesome days of Rosh Hashana through Yom Kippur, which leads us into the days of Sukkos – which are precisely defined as days of love and devotion to Hashem!
In fact, everything we do on Sukkos (from our move into the Sukkah – to our shaking of our Arba Minim) is replete with the overtones and demonstration of love for Hashem Yisborach!
Soon, Yankele’s Tatty realizes that his son is no longer with him and he begins to search frantically for his lost son! He hurries to the Police station to inquire whether they have received a lost child. To his relief, they answer in the affirmative and ask him to prove that the boy is truly his own son. All of a sudden, a shrieking child is heard in the background…..
TATTY!!!
Yankele makes a beeline straight for his Tatty and grabs him and hugs him tight…WHERE DID YOU GO, TATTY!!!! Why did you leave me! In this instant, there are no questions as to this Father/Son relationship, Yankele holds his father tight and vows to never let go again!
This is the definition of Teshuva – Repentance! This moment in time facilitates the most powerful type of connection to Borei Olam; through the power of a true Teshuva!
We are all children of Hashem. We love our Tatty in heaven and he loves us unconditionally in return. Hashem provides for all of our needs. We try to stay close and keep a connection with Hashem. However, we are all human and at times we stray far away by virtue of our sins which act as a barrier to distance ourselves from Hashem Yisborach.
However, there comes a moment in time – when we fall so low, we stumble so severely AND THEN WE SUDDENLY FIND HASHEM (Yom Kippur is such a day)!
In this instant, we cry out to Hashem with the force of all of our mishaps, of our trials, tribulations and failures – and we scream; TATTY, WHERE ARE YOU?? WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME!! I NEED YOU!!!
We proceed to grab Hashems hand with such a fierce love and longing and with a deep and unswerving desire to never let go again!
This situation of love is the distinguishing characteristic between our situation before and after Yom Kippur.
It is this overwhelming feeling of love, generated by our finding Hashem during the awesome days of Rosh Hashana through Yom Kippur, which leads us into the days of Sukkos – which are precisely defined as days of love and devotion to Hashem!
In fact, everything we do on Sukkos (from our move into the Sukkah – to our shaking of our Arba Minim) is replete with the overtones and demonstration of love for Hashem Yisborach!
This is what we achieved over Sukkos - that deep feeling of love towards Hashem once we have returned to Him fully!! May you be able to continue to feel this special love for Him all the time!
I know this post is a little late - but I still think reading it, even after the yom tov of Sukkos has already past, can have an impact. It just shows you what amazing things you can achieve with real, true ahavas Hashem - love for Hashem and a yearning to come back to Him!
Monday, September 27, 2010
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