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5761
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About two hundred years ago in a certain village in Poland there lived a Rebbe with several hundred Chassidim that was very careful in the Mitzva of Succa. The Succa he had built for himself every year was a sight to see The walls were of the thickest and best wood and were decorated with the most expensive ornaments. Even the greenery that he used for S’chach was thick and fresh. |
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5762
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Everyone in the town of Braditchev was worried; it was just 12 hours before the holiday of Succos, and they still had no Esrog (A citrus fruit used in one of the Commandments of the holiday).
The entire town gathered in the large Shul (Synagogue) to read Psalms, with the hope that G-d would have mercy on them, and send them a miracle. |
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5763
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This holiday is named after the commandment of living (or at least eating and sleeping) in a 'Succa' (a hut with only branches and leaves for a roof) for seven days beginning the fifteenth of ‘Tishre’.
Like all the Jewish holidays and commandments, Succot and the Succa are connections within the creation (time and space) to the infinite Creator. |
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5764
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The holiday of Succot is the only holiday in Judaism that doesn't celebrate a particular historical date.
Even Rosh HaShanna and Yom Kippur commemorate the dates Adam was created and when the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies. |
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5766
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This Shabbat is the happiest of the year. It is the one that prepares us for Succot "The Holiday of our Joy".
Not only that, but this week's portion is the 'song' of Haazinu designed to inspire Jews in all generations to serve G-d. |
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5767
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This Shabbat we will be celebrating Succot; "The Time of Our Joy."
But it's not so clear exactly why we should be happy.
For one week we leave our homes and live in temporary, leaf-roofed huts called 'Succot' and shake four types of vegetation called "Lulov and Etrog" for a few minutes each morning. |
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5768
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Succot, is the happiest holiday of the year.
In our prayers we called it the "Time of Our Joy." And one of the reasons is that, more than any other holiday it hints at the days of Moshiach when "Then our mouths will be filled with joy" (Psalms 126:2). |
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5769
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This week's Torah portion ' Ha'Azinu' is a song from G-d to encourage the Jews to be the holy, constructive nation they were meant to be and not the selfish egotists they want to be.
It precedes and prepares us for the 'Festival of Joy'; the holiday of ' Succot' (Tabernacles). |
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5770
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The holiday of Succot is perhaps the most connected to Moshiach of all the Jewish holidays. The Haftorah read on that day (Zacharia chapt. 14) links them strongly; "And it will be on that day (Moshiach will cause) that G-d will be one and His name one....And all the remaining nations that come to Jerusalem to bow to G-d and celebrate the Holiday of Succot....This will be the sin (and punishment) of....all the nations that do not come to celebrate the holiday of Succot" |
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