The main topic of this week’s parshah is the blessings that Moshe bestows upon each tribe just before his impending death. Before actually blessing the tribes, Moshe starts off by recalling the merit that makes the nation worthy of receiving a blessing:
“Hashem came from Sinai — having shone forth to them from Seir, having appeared from Mount Paran…” [Deuteronomy: 33: 2]
What exactly does the verse mean when it says that God came forth from the locations of “Seir” and “Paran” and what does it have to do with receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai?
Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhaqi, 1040-1105, famed as the author of the first comprehensive commentaries on the Torah) explains that before approaching the Jewish people with the Torah, God first offered it to the descendants of Eisav, who dwelled in Seir, and to the descendants of Ishmael, who dwelled in Paran. After both of these nations refused to accept the Torah, God offered it to the Jewish nation who accepted it with open arms. It was this merit that Moshe recalls in order to show God that the Jewish people were fit for a blessing.
Although the nations of the world declined God’s offer, we are taught in the Talmud (a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs and history) that in the end of days they seek forgiveness before God and ask for another chance; to accept the Torah anew. God accedes to their request, but not by offering the Torah. Rather God says “I have an easy commandment and its name is Succah. Go and perform it”. The Talmud then describes how the nations were not able to perform this commandment properly and it therefore demonstrated that they were undeserving of a second chance from God.
One may ask: If the nations were attempting to show their loyalty and commitment to the entire Torah, why did God offer them only one commandment? And why was it that God chose the commandment of Succah in particular?
Seemingly, we may suggest that by observing the commandment of Succah one is, in some fashion, committing himself to the entire Torah. How is that?
For seven days we leave the comfort of our homes and we dwell (eat, drink, sleep etc.) in the Succah. On a deeper level, we are meant to leave more than just our homes. The holiday of Succos requires us to leave our fixed mindset and routine that we have accustomed ourselves to throughout the entire year. In order to be enveloped by God’s loving embrace, which is represented by the Succah, we must force ourselves to go against our natural tendencies. Yes, it is uncomfortable and yes, it is difficult. But this is what is expected of us.
Accepting upon ourselves the yoke of Torah is seen in the same vein. As a Jew, committing ourselves to the Torah is meant to be an uncomfortable and difficult lifestyle. God doesn’t want us to live our lives as we see fit and only afterwards somehow squeeze in the Torah and its commandments. Accepting the Torah means accepting the whole Torah; we can’t pick and choose the commandments we wish to keep. Therefore, bringing Torah into our lives consequentially breaches the walls of our daily schedule and natural tendencies.
Only after sitting in a Succah for seven days and committing ourselves to internalizing this idea can we truly rejoice and find happiness (Simcha) within God’s Torah on the upcoming holiday of Simchas Torah.
Good Shabbos,
Chag Samayach,
NZL
