The Sukkah and the Lulav

If the observance of Sukkah during the festival of Sukkos frees us from the bonds with which we tie ourselves to worldly possessions as the basis of our life and the anchor of our hopes, if it teaches us humility despite our material wealth and trust in God even without it, then the observance of Lulav causes us to rise to things higher–simcha, rejoicing before God in all that He has bestowed upon us.

The Sukkah negates material possessions as ultimate value; the Lulav links us again with our dependance upon our goods and chattels.

The Sukkah teaches us not to appraise too highly our worldly goods; the Lulav to value them at their true worth.

The Sukkah raises above our property to God alone; the Lulav teaches us to be imbued with the spirit of God and even to exalt our possessions as God-given.

The Sukkah prevents us from becoming too Earthly; the Lulav reminds us not to soar too high above the Earthly.

The Sukkah protects us from becoming debased by our wealth; the Lulav teaches us to cherish our possessions and dedicate them to sacred purposes as the gift of God.

The lesson of the Sukkah is that the acquisition of goods is not the sole aim of life; the Lulav teaches us to apprehend goods as instruments for our way of life before God; and so it brings us simcha, joy in living before God, in a life of godliness. For if life is understood thus, it makes no difference whether you attain much or little; the assessment of your life lies in whether you have lived it dutifully - with your much or your little. From this wells up the eternally joyful fountain of life sublime in the service of God, of simcha before God, of that happiness which rejoices him who possesses much or little as the gift of God by which he can fulfill the will of God on earth – the happiness of living in the presence of God, your God; a happiness which is as eternal as life itself and as God who is its source.

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, Horeb p.132

Israel and the Saudis

War makes interesting bed fellows of us all. I say this because this morning I was reading about the United States impending $60 billion in arms sales to Saudi Arabia which Israel was implicitly endorsed. What would once have seemed a fantasy is now a reality. Israel is supportive of helping arm a country which is has no formal diplomatic ties to and we have Iran to thank for that. How strange would it be if the rising threat of a nuclear Iran, of a new Persian empire is what it takes to unite Israel and a significant portion of the Arab world together? It’s just a thought and it seems like a crazy one but sometimes that is exactly what people need to come together. The threat of a terrible enemy to make them realize that in the face of that, they’re differences can be overcome and dealt with. I don’t know if anything will come out of this but it’s certainly a fascinating development.

Pearls of wisdom from the Jewish Buddhist

Thought these were not only funny, but also fairly true, Enjoy.

Be here now. Be someplace else later. Is that so complicated?

Drink tea and nourish life; with the first sip, joy; with the second sip, satisfaction; with the third sip, peace; with the fourth, a Danish.

Accept misfortune as a blessing. Do not wish for perfect health, or a life without problems. What would you talk about?

There is no escaping karma. In a previous life, you never called, you never wrote, you never visited. And whose fault was that?

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single Oy. Vey.

Be aware of your body. Be aware of your perceptions. Keep in mind that not every physical sensation is a symptom of a terminal illness.

The Tao does not speak. The Tao does not blame. The Tao does not take sides. The Tao has no expectations. The Tao demands nothing of others. The Tao is not Jewish.

The Torah says, Love your neighbor as yourself. The Buddha says, There is no self. So, maybe we're off the hook

Amen

The word Amen is an acronym for "Kayl Melech Ne'eman," which means, G-d, trustworthy King.