“RABBI’S MUSINGS (&
AMUSINGS)”
AMUSINGS)”
Hoshanah Rabbah – Erev
Shemini Atzeres
Shemini Atzeres
21 Tishrei 5777/ October
22, 2016
22, 2016
“Abba, the power is out in half of
the rooms upstairs!”
the rooms upstairs!”
While trying to prepare derashos for
Rosh Hashanah, that’s not what I wanted to hear. But I headed upstairs to try
to figure out the electric issue. I happen to be as adept with electric as I am
with aerodynamics, but I do know that if the power isn’t working you check the
fuse box in the basement. When after flipping every switch in the house a few
times yielded no results, I called my neighbor, Meir.
Rosh Hashanah, that’s not what I wanted to hear. But I headed upstairs to try
to figure out the electric issue. I happen to be as adept with electric as I am
with aerodynamics, but I do know that if the power isn’t working you check the
fuse box in the basement. When after flipping every switch in the house a few
times yielded no results, I called my neighbor, Meir.
Meir is one of those people who
genuinely enjoys helping others. I told Meir that I didn’t want him to come
over; I only wanted to ask him his advice about the situation.
genuinely enjoys helping others. I told Meir that I didn’t want him to come
over; I only wanted to ask him his advice about the situation.
Perhaps it was his love of chesed,
perhaps it was his concern that I was going to electrocute myself, but he told
me he would stop by on his way home. So at 10:30 pm (on his way home!!) he
arrived and began surveying the situation. Within a few minutes he realized
that one of the lights plugged in upstairs had a frayed wire. As a protection,
the circuit kept shorting and wouldn’t stay on. He unplugged the faulty wire,
went back down to the basement and again flipped the switch. This time the
power instantly came back on.
perhaps it was his concern that I was going to electrocute myself, but he told
me he would stop by on his way home. So at 10:30 pm (on his way home!!) he
arrived and began surveying the situation. Within a few minutes he realized
that one of the lights plugged in upstairs had a frayed wire. As a protection,
the circuit kept shorting and wouldn’t stay on. He unplugged the faulty wire,
went back down to the basement and again flipped the switch. This time the
power instantly came back on.
This past week, as I was putting the
schach on my succah, when I placed my hand on top of the gutter on the roof
next to the schach, I realized that the gutters were full of water. The
rainwater obviously wasn’t draining. I’ve often thought about how great it would
be to have a private mikvah, but not in the gutters on my roof.
schach on my succah, when I placed my hand on top of the gutter on the roof
next to the schach, I realized that the gutters were full of water. The
rainwater obviously wasn’t draining. I’ve often thought about how great it would
be to have a private mikvah, but not in the gutters on my roof.
Determined not to bother Meir, I checked
the bottom of the drainage pipe and saw that it was clear. There must be
something blocking on the roof. I stood on a chair and reached up to see where
the hole was, so I can try to stick a pole down to clear the way. As soon as my
hand touched the top of the pipe, I found that something was situated atop the
drainage pipe – a moldy tennis ball. As soon as I lifted it, all of the water
in the drain rushed down the pipe and was empty within seconds.
the bottom of the drainage pipe and saw that it was clear. There must be
something blocking on the roof. I stood on a chair and reached up to see where
the hole was, so I can try to stick a pole down to clear the way. As soon as my
hand touched the top of the pipe, I found that something was situated atop the
drainage pipe – a moldy tennis ball. As soon as I lifted it, all of the water
in the drain rushed down the pipe and was empty within seconds.
When I walked back into my house to tell
Chani what happened, she immediately said (what she often says when things like
this happen in our home) “I smell a musings coming. Something about how
our hearts are blocked up!” That was not what I wanted to hear while I was
dripping wet and holding a moldy wall. However, I am starting to think she has
the gift of prophecy.
Chani what happened, she immediately said (what she often says when things like
this happen in our home) “I smell a musings coming. Something about how
our hearts are blocked up!” That was not what I wanted to hear while I was
dripping wet and holding a moldy wall. However, I am starting to think she has
the gift of prophecy.
On Rosh Hashanah, we spend the holiday
trying to ensure that our connection with the Source of Life, is vibrant and
strong. We reaccept upon ourselves the yoke of His Majesty, and recommit
ourselves to living up to the lofty expectations He has set for us in His
Torah.
trying to ensure that our connection with the Source of Life, is vibrant and
strong. We reaccept upon ourselves the yoke of His Majesty, and recommit
ourselves to living up to the lofty expectations He has set for us in His
Torah.
If the wire is frayed the connection is
faulty and that spiritual power will not ignite within our souls.
faulty and that spiritual power will not ignite within our souls.
Then on Yom Kippur as we try to achieve
at-one-ment, we seek to clear away the debris of our past mis-deeds, to ensure
that there are no spiritual blockages that hinder our future growth.
at-one-ment, we seek to clear away the debris of our past mis-deeds, to ensure
that there are no spiritual blockages that hinder our future growth.
Great analogies for the avodah of these
two elite holidays. But what about the celebration of succos, you ask.
two elite holidays. But what about the celebration of succos, you ask.
The Almighty has provided us with an
experiential lesson for that too:
experiential lesson for that too:
The ice maker in our freezer has a lever
that gets pushed up when enough ice has been produced, to signal the mechanism
to stop producing ice. But the mechanism in our freezer somehow became
dislodged, so the freezer continued producing ice, even as it overflowed the
bucket and spill over into the rest of the freezer. Whenever someone opened the
freezer, ice cubes went flying.
that gets pushed up when enough ice has been produced, to signal the mechanism
to stop producing ice. But the mechanism in our freezer somehow became
dislodged, so the freezer continued producing ice, even as it overflowed the
bucket and spill over into the rest of the freezer. Whenever someone opened the
freezer, ice cubes went flying.
Ice cubes are a wonderful thing, and
helps us enjoy our drinks that much more. But when the mechanism that signals
the machine to stop producing is broken, they become a nuisance at best.
helps us enjoy our drinks that much more. But when the mechanism that signals
the machine to stop producing is broken, they become a nuisance at best.
Succos reminds us that all of the
pleasures of life are there for us to enjoy, as long as we keep them within
healthy limits. So long as we control our conveniences and they don’t control
us, we can benefit from them. But when there are no limitations those same
conveniences develop a mind of their own, dragging us helplessly along.
pleasures of life are there for us to enjoy, as long as we keep them within
healthy limits. So long as we control our conveniences and they don’t control
us, we can benefit from them. But when there are no limitations those same
conveniences develop a mind of their own, dragging us helplessly along.
Within the spiritually blissful confines
of the succah, our food, drink, and sleep are holy. Four mundane Species become
holy objects that promote extreme joy and celebration for a week.
of the succah, our food, drink, and sleep are holy. Four mundane Species become
holy objects that promote extreme joy and celebration for a week.
This reminds us that within divine
parameters all of the physicality of this world is a conduit for growth. That
is one of the timeless lessons of succos.
parameters all of the physicality of this world is a conduit for growth. That
is one of the timeless lessons of succos.
We often think that when Succos ends we
return to our homes simply because the mitzvah of succah is over. But in truth,
the holiday of Shemini Atzeres presents us with the most formidable challenge
of all – to bring all of the lessons of the entire month of Tishrei, and
especially Succos, back into our homes.
return to our homes simply because the mitzvah of succah is over. But in truth,
the holiday of Shemini Atzeres presents us with the most formidable challenge
of all – to bring all of the lessons of the entire month of Tishrei, and
especially Succos, back into our homes.
It is to ensure that the connections we
established Rosh Hashanah remain vibrant, the passageways we cleared Yom Kippur
remain open, and the message of the succah returns with us into the comforts of
our homes.
established Rosh Hashanah remain vibrant, the passageways we cleared Yom Kippur
remain open, and the message of the succah returns with us into the comforts of
our homes.
And to lock it all in we dance with the
Torah – which is the ultimate medium to help us maintain that growth throughout
the year, and throughout our lives.
Torah – which is the ultimate medium to help us maintain that growth throughout
the year, and throughout our lives.
You’ll forgive me for ending here, but I
think Meir is here to fix our ice cube tray.
think Meir is here to fix our ice cube tray.
Chag Sameiach
& Freilichen Yom Tov,
& Freilichen Yom Tov,
R’ Dani and Chani Staum