Parasha Thoughts
By Rabbi Shemuel Akhamzadeh
×‘Ö·Ö¼×žÖ´Ö¼×§Ö°×“Ö¸Ö¼×©× ×™×•Ö¹× ×©Ö´×‚×žÖ°×—Ö¸×” יְתֵרָה שֶ×× Ö¶Ö¼×ֱמַר (×•×™×§×¨× ×›×’ מ) “×•Ö¼×©Ö°×‚×žÖ·×—Ö°×ªÖ¶Ö¼× ×œÖ´×¤Ö°× Öµ×™ ×”’ ×Ö±×œÖ¹×”Öµ×™×›Ö¶× ×©Ö´×בְעַת יָמִיה.
Although we are required to rejoice on all festivals, there was special rejoicing in the Temple during the Sukkoth festival, as it is written: “You shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days” (Leviticus 23:40). ( Rambam Hilchot Lulav 8-12)
The Festival of Sukkoth is Called זמן ×©×ž×—×ª×™× ×• ( Time for rejoicing ) in all our Tefilot of the Chag. To understand why this is, we need to understand the essence of Sukkoth .
Harav Matatiyahu Salamon in his Sefer ×ž×ª× ×ª ×—×™×™× explains the reason why Sukkoth is not celebrated at the same period as Pessah. One would imagine we should celebrate these festivals together since the Clouds of Glory that protected the nation throughout the years in desert appeared when we left Egypt,. He answers as follows : We don’t celebrate Sukkoth in Nissan, since once the Jews made the golden calf, the clouds left ( 17 of Tammuz) , and they did not return until the 15th of Tishri ( when we Actually Celebrate Sukkoth). That is when Moshe came back down ( for the 3rd time) from the mountain on Yom Kippur , with the news of forgiveness of the nation by the Almighty ( and the plans for the Mishkan were set) .
As it is clear, the rejoicing on Sukkoth is in celebration of being cleared and forgiven for our sins, just as we pronounce publicly on the onset of Yom Kippur with the words of Tehilim ×וֹר זָרֻעַ לַצַּדִּיק וּלְיִשְ×רֵי־לֵב שִׂמְחָה׃ , Light is sown for the righteous, Happiness is for the (person) with upright heart. תהילי×, מזמור צ”×– . When we are clean from sins and have cleared our hearts, that is when we have true happiness. And this is the reason Sukkoth has an extra aspect of Happiness and celebration after coming out of Yom Kippur clear of our sins and in memory of our first Yom kippur being forgiven for the Sin of Golden Calf.