Time to Hug!

It’s been a rough week for all of us, it’s time for a hug!

The Sukkah walls will hug us beginning this evening and for the next 8 days. It’s the Divine embrace that each of us will draw from for the rest of the year. An embrace that provides each of us with the resources we need to live a more G-dly and goodly life this year!

The joy of Sukkos is fully realized on account of the 4 Kinds (Lulav, Ethrog, Hadasim and Aravos). The analogy of each of the 4 representing different types of Jews is well known.

In brief; taste represents Torah learning as it is internalized and enjoyed. Smell represents the action of Mitzvos as we do the Mitzvah whether we are in the mood or not, whether we appreciate and understand it or not.

The 4 kinds represent variations of these; smell and taste (ethrog), taste no smell (palm), smell no taste (myrtle) and no smell no taste (willow), representing the four types of people and their relationship with G-d and Judaism.

The total however is greater than the sum of the parts. You can’t fulfill the Mitzvah unless you bring all four together. Once you bring all four together you can fulfill the Mitzvah.

This brings joy to the Myrtle person, knowing that even the Ethrog person needs the Myrtle person in order to be complete. This brings joy to the Ethrog person knowing that including the Myrtle person in the four helps him accomplish something he wouldn’t be able to on his own.

If we want to experience the real Divine hug, we need to join together in unison with all kinds of people and recognize that everybody has something to contribute to the whole. When we do that we become greater than the parts and we can celebrate with Joy!

May G-d bring healing to our world this Sukkot!

Chag Sameach!