“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”
Erev Succos 5786
14 Tishrei 5786/October 6, 2025
DIVINE AIR FRESHENER
Our family was away for Shabbos recently. When we arrived home, as soon as we walked through the front door we were greeted by a putrid smell. I ran to the basement and then upstairs fearing a lot of different things, but everything seemed to be in order. A minute later my son announced that he had discovered the source of the horrible odor – a frozen chicken bottom that had been left out all weekend. So as not to embarrass anyone before Yom Kippur and because it may or may not have been the fault of the author of this article, the culprit will remain nameless. But the chicken taken out of the downstairs freezer was meant to be moved to the upstairs freezer. In our haste to leave on Friday, it was left out all Shabbos. The air conditioner in the house had been shut and the humidity didn’t help the situation. It’s amazing how terrible one package of defrosted chicken could smell.
I immediately placed the malodorous culprit in the garbage can outside. But even with the actual chicken gone, the smell lingered. I left all the kitchen windows open overnight but it wasn’t until the following day that the terrible smell dissipated.
The process of teshuva contains two components. The first is repentance from actual sins committed. That requires the three-step process of regret, confession and commit/plan for the future. But even after the actual sins have been purged, there is an additional component that lingers, i.e., the “terrible smell” and polluted atmosphere created by the sin. Aside from the sinful action itself, sin damages us spiritually and creates spiritual distance and numbness. That requires its own repentance to repair the spiritually dank atmosphere.
Throughout Selichos we repeatedly mention the word “derech – path/road.” We ask Hashem to forgive us not only for actual sins committed but also for the pathways to sin that we created. It’s not only what we do, but it’s also about getting to the root of why we do it. In addition, it’s not only what we do, but it’s also about the ramifications and ill effects of the sin.
Yom Kippur is an opportunity to reset by purging ourselves of our sins and committing ourselves to improving our actions in part by understanding our motivations.
During the year the wooden panels of our Succah are piled up, covered with a tarp, and stored under our porch. Last year when we began pulling out the Succah boards before Succos, a swarm of bees started coming out of the boards. The bees were not happy that their summer habitat was being disturbed, to say the last. We had to wait until after dark before we were able to pull out the boards and run. The bees had formed a massive beehive that comprised almost an entire board. It took a lot of effort before we were able to clear the bees and put up the Succah.
The ultimate antidote for the spiritually polluted atmosphere of sin is the spiritually elevated atmosphere of the Succah. Apparently, the evil inclination isn’t too keen on our constructing an enclave of holiness, akin to the holiness of Yerushalayim. Angry bees were unable to stop us however and our succah was soon constructed b’H.
(I should add that this year when I pulled off the tarp from atop the Succah boards I found a squirrel tale under the apparently the squirrel had gotten stuck underneath the boards. However, I’m not sure what lesson can be gleaned from that. One thing I do know is that that squirrel has a sad tale.)
The Gemara (Avodah Zara 3a) refers to Succah as a “mitzvah kallah – an easy mitzvah.” Particularly for those of us who can hardly screw in a nail properly, constructing a Succah doesn’t feel like an easy mitzvah. But compared to what a person is getting, it’s relatively easy. There is almost no mitzvah in which you get more bang for your buck than succah. With walls constructed out of virtually any material and some kosher s’chach on top, one creates an abode of ultimate kedusha where he and his family can bask in the glow of the shechina and rejoice for a week.
The Vilna Gaon notes that there are only two mitzvos that one can fulfill with his entire body – living in Eretz Yisroel and Succah (the Gaon learns that the pasuk in Tehillim 76:3 alludes to this).
The joy of Succos includes the beloved mitzvah of succah when one basks in the spiritual spa of its holy atmosphere. On Yom Kippur we gained atonement for our sins, on Succos we freshen the air and celebrate our efforts and accomplishments from the great days of teshuvah.
Chag Sameiach & Freilichen Yom Tov
R’ Dani and Chani Staum
STRIVINGHIGHER.COM