Lessons from the Schach

The Talmud in Megilla 11a learns that vines and vegetation must be detached from the ground before being utilized as s’chach. In its discussion of acceptable s’chach, the Gemara asks the following question:  Can you use vines or palm leaves that were still attached to the ground when placed over the sukkah, but were then cut? Would that be considered kosher s’chach? On the one hand, when you placed the leaves in their schach position, they were still attached to the ground. However, since you subsequently cut them, perhaps it should be viewed as detached and completely kosher. There is a dispute between Rav and Shmuel on this matter. Rav says that by cutting the leaves from the ground, you have done an intentional action that created kosher s’chach. Shmuel holds that this would not suffice. Since the position of the freshly cut leaves is identical to where they were while attached to the ground, the vegetation remains invalid for s’chach. The only way to remedy the situation, according to Shmuel is to move the leaves a little bit after they have been cut. In this way the s’chach can be viewed as having been placed for the purpose of the mitzvah of sukkah in their detached, (kosher) state. 

The basis for Shmuel’s opinion is the pasuk in Parshas Re’eh: חַ֧ג הַסֻּכֹּ֛ת תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה לְךָ֖ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים “You shall make the holiday of Sukkot for a 7-day holiday”

The Talmud learns from here: “Taaseh V’Lo Min Ha’Asuy”. The sukkah must be actively made and cannot be fashioned from something that has already been used for other purposes. Taaseh V’Lo Min Haasuy is not a concept unique to s’chach. The Gemara in Sukkah discusses the application of Taaseh V’lo min Haasauy to the mitzvah of tzitizit as well.

The s’chach literally hangs over our holiday celebration and reminds us that no matter what the mitzva, no matter what memory or theme we are trying to evoke, Taaseh, V’lo Min Haasuy! Our mitzvot must always be fresh. Our mitzvot can never just be “called in”; they must be performed with intention and special for each occasion. They should be accompanied with vigor and creativity. We cannot merely utilize what already exists to dispense our obligations.

The symbolism of s’chach is two-fold. Rav Hirsch pointed out that the s’chach warns us to never forget our complete reliance on Hashem. For what good are walls without a roof? And when we look up in our sukkah we see how we remain exposed to the elements. With this in mind we will be motivated to cling to Hashem and His Torah. On this point, too, the s’chach comes to warn us “Taaseh v’Lo min Haasauy”: In our service to Hashem, there are no shortcuts. What worked for the other person, or even for me last year is invalid. Each of us must create anew our spiritual path.

There’s a Halachic concept related to sukkah known as “Teishvu K’Ein Taduru”, which refers to the fact that our living in the sukkah should resemble how we live in our homes all year. Perhaps the comparison can also be made in the reverse. Our sitting in the sukkah should teach us how to live in our homes- with vitality and with faith in Hashem. May we learn the lessons of s’chach and bring them back indoors to enrich the rest of our year.

What Shabbat Can Teach us About Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur is called Shabbat Shabbaton. When we look carefully at Shabbat and Yom Kippur independently, we begin to realize that Yom Kippur is called Shabbat Shabbaton because it takes the themes of Shabbat to a whole new level.

On Shabbat we are imbued with a neshama yeteira, an additional soul. On Yom Kippur this idea is taken to the next level: we act completely in consonance with the soul. We shun material comfort and distractions and focus on spiritual pursuits that help to strengthen our relationship to G-d. Shabbat is “Me’ein Olam Habah” in that our physical activities are directed towards a spiritual goal. Yom Kippur is 25 hours of actual Olam Habah (World to Come), as is evident from the fact that we recite the verse “Baruch Shem Kevod malchuto” aloud just like the angels in heaven.

Shabbat commemorates the creation of the world. Observing Shabbat serves as testimony to the fact that G-d created the world and rested on the seventh day. As Shabbat Shabbaton, Yom Kippur commemorates something even more fundamental. You may ask what can possibly be more fundamental than the 6 days of creation. The answer is found in Pirkei Avot, where we learn that Teshuva as a concept was created before the world. This makes sense as the ability to rectify (and even elevate) our mistakes runs contrary to all of the natural laws of cause and effect. For Teshuva to exist in the world, it must’ve pre-dated creation. Our observance of Yom Kippur commemorates the creation of Teshuva and testifies to G-d’s desire to grant atonement to those who approach him in sincere repentance.

On Shabbat we welcome G-d into our homes. We clean the house and set the table in Shabbat’s honor. On an ordinary Shabbat we would sing Shalom Aleichem, welcoming Hashem’s angels into our homes. On Yom Kippur, this relationship is intensified- as Hashem invites us to join Him. As the verse says,

“Before G-d you shall be purified.” It is up to us to become purified. What is unalterable is the fact that on Yom Kippur we stand before G-d as invited guests into a realm where spirituality is the focus.

Shabbat is a day that we can only fully appreciate with preparation. As the Talmud states (Avoda Zara 3a): “Those who prepare on Friday, will have what to eat on Shabbat.”

Yom Kippur takes preparation to a whole new level. Yom Kippur is the culmination of a process of introspection that was supposed to begin 40 days ago, on Rosh Chodesh Elul. In the Beit Hamikdash, the Kohen Gadol who has a key role to play on Yom Kippur would begin preparing a week in advance. On Yom Kippur itself, each ensuing part of the day, every subsequent tefilah, prepares us for an upcoming moment that should be even more meaningful. Already in the first Selicha we will recite Yom Kippur night, we make mention of Neilah. The hope is that every word of tefilah will enhance the subsequent one, culminating in a Neilah that will be optimally meaningful.

The Midrash (Yalkut Shimoni) in Parshat Yitro explains that Shabbat serves as the anchor to the weekdays before and after it. On Shabbat we reflect on the previous week’s accomplishments. This is an aspect of Zachor, remembering the past week. Additionally on Shabbat we resolve to do better in the upcoming week. This is an aspect of Shamor, watching and correcting ourselves for the future.

As Shabbat Shabbaton, Yom Kippur also serves as an anchor. It is not an anchor for two weeks, but rather it is our anchor for both the previous and upcoming years. We reflect on the past year 5784 and recognize those areas in which we might have come up short. We also resolve to take the concrete steps necessary for improvement in this new year of 5785.

Hearing the Shofar: More Difficult Than It Sounds

Oliver Wendell Holmes once said, “It is the province of knowledge to speak, and it is the privilege of wisdom to listen.” Less pithy, but just as accurate is the saying that G-d created us with two ears and with one mouth because we are supposed to do twice as much listening as talking.

On Rosh Hashana, the only concrete mitzvah that is unique to the holiday entails using our ears. On both days of Rosh Hashanah this year the Baal Tokeiah will recite the following blessing on our behalf:

 “Blessed are you Hashem, Our G-d, king of the Universe who has sanctified us with His Commandments and commanded us Lishmo’ah Kol Shofar.

What does it mean “Lishmoah” the sound of the Shofar? It could mean to physically hear the shofar; that is to ensure that the sound waves emanating from the ram’s horn reach our ear drums. Halacha emphasizes the importance of physically hearing the shofar in a number of instances. For example, an individual who cannot hear is exempt from the mitzvah of shofar. The sound that enters our ears must be pure and unadulterated. For example, one cannot use a shofar whose mouth is covered in gold. This is because the gold will stifle the natural sound of the ram’s horn. Along the same lines, the Talmud expresses its concern towards a person hearing the shofar from someone who is down in a pit. The Rabbis warn that the listeners need to be careful that they are actually hearing the sound of the shofar, as opposed to the sound of any echo.

But Lishmoah also means to listen to the shofar, not just to hear. Hearing and listening are two very different procedures. We use our ears to hear, while listening also requires the use of our mental and emotional faculties. Perhaps the best example of this is found in the pasuk “Shema Yisroel Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echad”. We need to not only hear, but understand and internalize the significance of G-d’s oneness.

Rav Chaim Soloveitchik, grandfather of Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik put it this way: Hearing the shofar is the necessary physical pre-requisite (the maaseh mitzvah), while listening to the shofar gives that physical act meaning and elevates it to the status of a mitzvah (kiyum hamitzvah). It is therefore not surprising that the Rambam requires a special level of kavanah, intent, while fulfilling the obligation of shofar above and beyond that which is necessary for other mitzvot. Since hearing is a passive endeavor, the mitzvah of shofar requires greater sophistication and intention in order to give it “mitzvah credibility”, more so than that which is necessary for dynamic activities such as eating matzah or shaking a lulav.

Some people are hard of hearing; many more are hard of listening. Though most of us were born with the ability to hear with our ears, fewer people have refined that ability of hearing into the art of listening. Let us take advantage of Rosh Hashanah’s unique mitzvah of hearing the shofar to inspire us to develop our listening skills. In that merit, may Hashem hear and listen to our prayers this Rosh Hashanah and grant us all a year of blessings and peace.