Weekly Reading Insights

VeZot HaBracha 5764

FROM THE MASTERS OF KABBALA

Just as the Sukka symbolizes a temporary abode, so life on earth represents only a transient part of man's existence….

Just as the Sukka symbolizes a temporary abode, so life on earth represents only a transient part of man's existence. It is divided into seven decades. The first decade is sin free, hence, "the first day is a holy convocation". During the seven days we offer sacrifices also on behalf of the rest of mankind (i.e. the 70 nations), since G-d will rejoice when all of mankind proves that it was worthy of having been created.

The eighth day, representing the eighth decade of our lives, i.e. life after the evil urge has lost its power over us. [Thus] the holy convocation will be "for you", i.e. for us rather than "for G d", since it will be Israel who will be entitled to celebrate its own achievements then.

(W:54-64 VeZot)

Yom Kippur is the final day of judgment. The last prayer of Yom Kippur, prayed just as the sun is setting, is called Ne'ilah, meaning 'the locking' (of the gates).

The kabbalists explain that there are five levels to the soul: Nefesh is connected to our actions, Ruach to our emotions, and Neshama to our intellect. These three levels are contained within the body. The fourth level, Chaya, connects us to heaven. Yechida, our heavenly soul root, is hewn from G-d's throne of Glory and so is always in ecstasy as it dwells in G-d presence. It is only at the time of Ne'ilah, once a year that we are able to connect to this fifth and highest aspect of our soul.

The conventional understanding of the title, Ne'ilah, is that soon no more of the prayers of the Jewish people will be allowed to enter heaven because the gates of prayer are closing. The implication is that we must hurry and get in our last words before it is too late.

The Chassidic masters explain it differently. They say that specifically at this most powerful and spiritually potent time, the Jewish people are being locked in with G-d. This leads to a completely different inference: Ne'ilah is a state of grace and a spiritual dimension that lasts for the entire coming year. We have been given the gift of connecting to G-d with the Yechida of our soul.

It follows then, that Sukkot and Simchat Torah, beginning this Friday night, are eight/nine days of celebration that are all the more joyful because they follow our positive Rosh Hashana - Yom Kippur judgment. Therefore, being happy is an important and overriding aspect of these days, displaying confidence that the Almighty has heard and accepted our prayers.

The lulav, etrog, hadassim and aravot are not only symbols of our victory, they also hint towards the unity of the Jewish people. The sukka, the mitzvah that we fulfill by immersing ourselves in it, is G-d hugging us. Literally! On Simchat Torah we dance with the Torah while it is closed. We are so focused and satiated on our connection to G-d and His Wisdom that we do not even need to know what it says!

In addition to the special Torah portions that we read each day of Sukkot, the portion that we must 'live with' and draw our inspiration from now is the final portion of the Torah, Zot Habracha. It ends with the words, "All the signs and wonders that Moshe did in sight of the Jewish people." Rashi brings the midrashic explanation that these words refer to Moshe breaking the first set of the Tablets of the Law at the time of the sin of the Golden Calf.

In the Chassidic text, Bais Avraham, he explains why these are the last words of the Torah. Knowing there is a problem is the most important part of the solution. It is a tragedy if a person has fallen from the spiritual level he had attained previously and doesn't know it. For this there is no cure. Alternatively, if a person feels his loss and shouts in despair about it he has hope to resolve his problem in a positive way. If Moshe had not broken the tablets, our people would not have felt the great blemish and loss. The verse hints to the awakening of the nation to the seriousness of their sin and opens their hearts to heaven.

It will take a lifetime to fix all of our bad traits. The least we need to accomplish at this point is to know we have a ways to go. This is why the Torah ends with these words on Simchas Torah, only to begin again immediately with "Bereishis bara…" -- "In the beginning G-d created' -- the opening verses of the Torah, signifying our ability to strengthen ourselves and make a truly fresh start.

May this be a year of spiritual and physical advancement for the Jewish people and may we see the final redemption now!

Shabbat Shalom and L'Shana Tova. Rabbi Shaul Leiter

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