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17 Tishrei 5785 - October 19, 2024

Sukkat and Chol Hamoed Sukkot

Rabbi's Reflections

-An Eternal Argument for Hope-

The Torah tells us, “You shall live in sukkot (booths) seven days; all citizens of Israel shall live in sukkot in order that future generation may know that I made the Israelite people live in sukkot when I brought them out of the land of Egypt…” (Vayikra 23:42-43). The Talmud records the following debate regarding the nature of the sukkot the Jewish people dwelt in during their sojourn in the wilderness: According to Rabbi Eliezer, the sukkot were none other than the Clouds of Glory. However, according to Rabbi Akiva, “They established for themselves actual sukkot” (B. Talmud, Sukkah 11b). Rabbi Moshe Avigdor Amiel asks the following question on this disagreement: “At first glance this argument appears superficial, without any halakhic or practical implications. Thus, one could say, ‘whatever happened, happened.’ However, when we penetrate the depths of these words, we see that is argument is not actually about what was, rather, it is about what will be. This argument touches on all of our hopes and dreams for the future. While this argument is ancient, even predating Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Akiva by many generations, it still continues even now, and will endure until Elijah the Prophet will come and resolve all of our questions” (Derashot El Ami, Vol. 2).

Thus, according to Rabbi Amiel, the argument between Rabbi Eliezer – the sukkot were the Clouds of Glory, and Rabbi Akiva – the sukkot were actual booths, isn’t talking about the past – how the Jews lived, what kind of sukkot they dwelt in, no. This argument is about what our future will look like, how our redemption will come. Will redemption come via the miraculous or will it come via natural processes? Will we dwell in Clouds of Glory, detached from the physical world, incubated and ensconced in heavenly light, or will we dwell in manmade structures, rooted in this world, and still very much a part of it? We all yearn for our redemption, and the argument between Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Akiva points to that yearning – thousands of years of hoping and dreaming. How will that day come? We don’t know, but the conversation continues, thus, our hope continues, from generation to generation, our hope for a new day never ceases to occupy our minds, it lives eternally in the heart of every Jew. 

In the end, Elijah will come and will resolve the argument. One day, we will know. But until then, we persist in our wonder, we persist in our hope, we continue to dream, and whichever way that day comes – miraculously or naturally, whichever side of the debate you fall out on, both Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Akiva agree that on that day, “you will rejoice before the Lord, your God” (Vayikra 23:40).  

Chag Sameach!

-Rabbi Dan

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