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SUKKOT

10/11/2024 10:26:06 AM

Oct11

How are the Children of Israel different than others?

"I have an easy mitzvah and it's called Succah" (Gemara Avoda Zara 3)

Our Sages say in the Gemara that in the Future to come the gentiles of the world will, as if, argue with G-d and say: Why are the Children of Israel different that only they deserve reward in the World to Come?

After G-d will prove to them that the Children of Israel fulfilled the entire Torah, the gentiles said to him, "Master of the Universe, give us (Torah) in advance and we will fulfill it."G-d said to them, "He who toiled for the Sabbath will eat on the Sabbath. He who did not toil for the Sabbath, from what will he eat on the Sabbath?" However, I have an easy mitzvah, it's called Succah –Go do that.

The Gemara continues: Immediately each one of them (the gentiles) takes one and goes and makes a succah on the top of his roof. G-d brings a hot sun upon them like in the summer and each one kicks the succah and leaves.

All the interpreters wondered on what is written. In making a succah there are expenses and toil no less than in the fulfillment of other mitzvahs in the Torah. Why did G-d call the succah "an easy mitzvah" Why does G-d test the gentiles specifically with the mitzvah of succah and not with another mitzvah? Why does G-d make it difficult for the gentiles and bring out a hot sun like in the summer so that they run away from the succah?

We can explain all of this according to the wonderful introduction of Rav Chaim of Volozhin zt'l in his sefer Nefesh Hachahim where it says that when a Jew takes upon himself to fulfill a specific mitvah, immediately, before he has even done it, a light called "an encompassing light" surrounds him from all sides and helps him fulfill and complete the mitzvah that he took upon himself.

We learn something new: the minute a person takes upon himself to perform a specific mitzvah, an "encompassing light" that stems from that mitzvah encompasses him and helps him complete the mitzvah without any disturbance from the Evil Inclination. That is why before we perform a mitzvah we say "lishem yichud ….. I hereby come to perform the mitzvah of…."- for thereby the "encompassing light" encompasses us and helps us fulfill the mitzvah totally.

SHABBAT SHALOM!!

Sun, November 3 2024 2 Cheshvan 5785