The Simchah Of Sukkot

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"And you shall rejoice before Hashem."

 Every Jew must grasp why the Torah commands the Jewish nation to rejoice during the holiday of Sukkot more than other holidays that have a direct commandment to be in a state of “simchah,” joy.

This can be explained based on the writings of the holy Rav Yehoshua Horwitz (1848-1913) of Zikov, author of Ateret Yeshuah. When Moshe Rabbeinu descended upon the bnei Yisrael with the first tablets after hearing from Hashem of the terrible situation, he only broke the holy tablets once witnessing the awful trasgression. Despite hearing from the Almighty and being commanded, "Go down, for your nation has sinned by crafting a golden calf." The sages teach, "A judge has only what his eyes see." Yet there remains it remains difficult to understand why Moshe required seeing what the Creator had already revealed.

Rav Yehoshua expressed that Moshe did not shatter the luchot becuase of the sin itself since as bad as the misdeed was, there remained a clear path to healing. The leader of the Jewish people was put over the edge, so to speak, because his people were dancing and rejoicing with the sin. Doing something wrong out of pressure is one thing, but being immersed in its filth is a much deeper element. After witnessing their joy alongside their wrongdoing, Moshe decided the only remaining option was to destroy the holy tablets that he had worked so hard to create.

Rabbi Yehoshua added that on Yom Kippur, when Hashem forgave am Yisrael for the sin of the Golden Calf, there was great happiness as Jews dancing out of sheer joy for the forgiveness. The rabbi stated that the act of those festivities corrected the jubulance of the Egel HaZahav. Moshe's significant anger and subsequent breaking of the tablets were primarily due to the despicable dancing. Thus, receiving the second tablets on Yom Kippur and the dancing during the joy of Sukkot rectified the previous trasgression.

In light of this, the Ateret Yeshuah offered a novel halachah by mitzvat sukkah. When someone is mitztaer, saddened or distressed, they are exempt from dwelling in a sukkah. One may suggest that such an exemption is allowed because the mitzvah of simchah, joy, during Sukkot is even more important than the mitzvah of sukkah itself. If sitting in the sukkah causes distress, it negates the commandment of joy. The ecstasy of receiving forgiveness on Yom Kippur during Sukkot is such that it overrides the mitzvah of the sukkah.

This teaches that the joy one feels during Sukkot, especially while performing its mitzvot, is a wonderful remedy to nullify the joy experienced during times of sin throughout the year.

Adapted from the writings of Rav Menashe Yisrael Reisman, 16 Tishrei 5780.


Rabbi Leeor Dahan, a graduate of Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim/RSA, is well versed in aspects of halachah and has written commentary on the Mishnah Berurah, and Shulchan Aruch. The rav encourages his congregants at Kehilat Avodat Hashem in Hillcrest, Queens to find time in their day for the study of Torah and associated halachic customs.