The Mishnayos and gemara frequently use the term "going up" into the sukkah, e.g. the Mishna (2:5) says that Rabban Gamliel and R' Yochanan ben Zakai were brought food and they said "he'alum la'sukkah," bring it up to the sukkah. The simple explanation for the term is that the sukkot in the times of Chazal were built on roofs or balconies. However, al pi derush perhaps Chazal are hinting to us that going into the sukkah is a spiritual aliya (R' Avraham Shapira; see Bnei Yisaschar for a kabbalistic interpretation.)
I would like to suggest that there is an additional connotation to the term that Chazal might have had in mind. The Sefas Emes (5650, see R' Avrohom Schor in Lekach v'Libuv 5760/61) writes that the sukkah has connection to the kedusha of Ererz Yisrael. Similarly, the Radomsker in Tiferes Shlomo asks what happened to Hashem's promise at yetzi'as Mitzrayim to bring Klal Yisrael into Eretz Yisrael? Justice delayed is justice denied -- it took 40 years in the desert passed before we got to Eretz Yisrael! The Radomsker answers that during those 40 years we had sukkos -- we were in fact living in the avir of Eretz Yisrael. Way back in 2007 I posted that as far as I can figure out (others in the comments disagreed) there are only2 mitzvos you can do while sleeping: 1) yeshivas sukkah; 2) yishuv Eretz Yisrael. Like they say, half the job is just showing up; all you have to do is show up and be in the sukkah, be in Eretz Yisrael, and you've accomplished something. Maybe that's why Chazal use the term aliya with respect to sukkah. When we hear the term "aliya" we think of the mitzvah of going to Eretz Yisrael. Maybe that's exactly what Chazal intended to remind us of when we enter the sukkah.
The Tur writes that the holiday of Pesach corresponds to Avraham, Shavuos to Yitzchak, Sukkos to Yaa'kov. Pesach marks our formation as a nation. Shavuos marks our getting the Torah. Yaakov made his sukkot when settled the outstanding feud with Eisav and returned home to Eretz Yisrael. The three chagim stand for the three essential pillars that define us -- nationhood, Torah, and Eretz Yisrael.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
-- "Mishna (2:5)"
ReplyDeletea mishna that reads like gemara, fusing shimush talmidei chachamim with limud ha'torah
-- "what Chazal intented to remind us of when we enter the sukkah"
the sukkah of galus. but before dispersion*, another equation: tents that are as sukkos gathered at har ha'bayit-- ohalecha...>mishkanosecha< (Bamidbar 24:5**)
*during "the Radomsker"'s era of interest [if a new element is ever detected in earth's atmosphere, during the age of redemption for example, maybe call it 'radom'?]
**Bilam then lists 4 species of tent/sukkah (24:6)! {after this vision of Yaakov/Sukkos, he alludes to Yitzchak (the wells of 24:7, to Bereishis perek 26), and to Avraham (at 24:8-9, yetzias Mitzrayim, and blessed who bless you, cursed who curse). "the three".}
'radom'. pronounced RAY-dum [although IUPAC, after comparing beakers with Eliyahu ha'navi, would probably opt for the name 'radomskium', with a short -a sound]. likely even rarer than precious tritium.
Delete