Parshat Ha’azinu – Erev Succos
Rabbi Jablinowitz
The Tur in Siman 581 brings a Medrash Tanchumah from parshat Emor which asks why is it when the Torah teaches the mitzvah of Lulav (Chapter 23, Pasuk 40) U’Lekachtem Lachem Bayom Harishon, And you shall take the Lulav on the first day, it refers to the day as the first day. The date of the mitzvah of Lulav is the fifteenth day of Tishrei. The Medrash answers by explaining the process of atonement through the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah culminating in Yom Kippur. And after Yom Kippur Clal Yisrael is busy preparing for the mitzvoth of Succah and Lulav and don’t have time to do aveiros. Therefore, the Torah refers to Succos as Yom Harishon, Rishon L’Cheshbon Avonos. It is the first day of the accounting of new sins.
The Taz on the Shulchan Aruch in Siman 581 asks a number of questions on the Tur. One of the questions he asks is, how can it be that the days of preparation before Succos are free of sin, yet the day of Succos itself, the day of the performance of the mitzvoth is the new accounting for sins. Surely the actual performance of the mitzvah should be greater than the preparation beforehand.
The Sfas Emes answers the question of the Taz in two different ways.First he says that the performance of the mitzvah occurs in a moment.But the preparation for mitzvoth is an ongoing process; it’s something which always accompanies us as we move from mitzvah to mitzvah. We must constantly be in a state of purity and readiness in order to perform mitzvoth. In this regard, the preparation for the mitzvah is something which is more likely to keep us removed from sin as opposed to the actual momentary performance of the mitzvah.
He gives another answer as well. The Sfas Emes explains that the actual fulfillment of the mitzvah is not always done correctly. Often times there are complex details involved in a mitzvah and the Jew doing the mitzvah might very easily get it wrong. But the preparation for the mitzvah is something else. The enthusiasm and excitement for doing a mitzvah is not something which can be gotten wrong. Trying to get it right and putting effort and joy into the mitzvah is therefore very significant and can even be greater than the mitzvah itself. So once again, we can answer the question of the Taz and say that the days before Succos have a quality missing during the days of the Chag itself.
As a final proof of this idea, the Sfas Emes quotes the Gemarah in Yoma 29A, Hirhurei Aveirah Kashu M’Averiah. The thought of doing an aveirah is more difficult than the actual aveirah itself. One way to explain this is that polluting the mind with sin is on a certain level worse than doing a sin with the physical body. Our minds are from a holier place than the actual body and must be protected more from impurities.
We have a principle that teaches that reward for mitzvoth is greater than punishment for aveiros. Therefore, says the Sfas Emes, it follows that the thought process of mitzvoth, getting ourselves prepared and excited about performing mitzvoth, is greater than the actual act of the mitzvah itself. Focusing on the mitzvah and being intellectually and spiritually in a state of preparedness for a mitzvah is greater than the physical act of the mitzvah itself.
The days between Yom Kippur and Succos are a special time. We have just come from the high we experience on Yom Kippur and go straight into a period of getting ready for the Yom Tov of Succos. And when we are in this state, it is hard to be involved in averios. Yehi Ratzon that we should reach the level of preparedness and enthusiasm necessary for the mitzvoth of Yom Tov, and remain in this state of excitement for mitzvoth throughout the year.
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