Commandment to Rejoice on Holidays

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1. The Teshuva Revolution

   Part 2

   Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

   Consistent with the transition detailed from a Temple-based Judaism to a Torah-centered lifestyle, the emphasis in this chapter is decidedly not on the Temple service. Many, if not all, of the practices omitted in this chapter bear significant connections to the Temple service. Ezra’s revolution, which seeks to reimagine Jewish life in the aftermath of the destruction of the First Commonwealth, envisions an observance of the holidays that does not revolve around the sacrificial service.

   Putting Esther and Nehemya together, it appears that repairing the Jewish People’s social fabric was a major point of emphasis for both post-exilic communities. It is almost as if Tanakh implies that Jews of Persia and Israel sought to “undo” the sins of previous generations, in which the wealthy trampled upon the poor and there were irreparable divisions between the different classes of society. Both Esther and Nehemya worked to create greater unity by emphasizing the importance of generosity at times of communal celebration, so that no one would feel excluded.

   The extraordinary moment of solidarity around the celebration of Sukkot – with all the difficulties it raises regarding contemporary observance of that holiday - coupled with the dramatic impact of the Torah reading ceremony just a few days earlier, combines to make the events of Nehemya chapter eight some of the most climactic known to biblical history.

2. Re'eh: Caring for God's "Family" on the Festivals

   Rabbi David Silverberg

3. The Symbolism of Sukkot

   Rabbi Ezra Bick

   There are two distinct mitzvot associated with Sukkot, with no immediately apparent connection
   between them: the obligation to live in a sukka, a temporary booth, and an obligation to "take" four special species (and shake them). 

   Why does God want us to remember that we dwelled in booths when He took us out of Egypt? What is important about remembering the desert experience in general?  What is the meaning of the enigmatic four species? And how does Shmini Atzeret fit in?

   The additional joy of Sukkot derives directly from the fact that the entire holiday is an experience of being
   "before God," in God's presence. Normally, this is associated with being in the Temple in Jerusalem. But on Sukkot we discover the possibility of being in God's presence anywhere, even the desert.