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For a week we live a strange dichotomy. On the one hand we are totally invested in
plant life. We’ve spent time and energy picking a lumpy lemon also known as an
etrog (symbolizes the heart), a sharp palm branch (symbolizes the spine), a willow
branch (symbolizes the mouth), and a myrtle branch (symbolizes the eyes) and we
see ourselves reflected in nature. Every
morning, we put these four species together and shake the bundles in the six
directions of the world symbolizing that divinity can be found absolutely everywhere. On the other hand, at night we retire to our Sukkah
and Jewish law says that ideally the roof shouldn’t be densely covered- we need
to see the stars! [1] For a week our eyes are trained towards the heavens
and our bodies are immersed in plant life.
There
is no question that the star of the show is the palm branch and the esrog, myrtle
and willow are fine accessories. Our palm branch needs to be long and straight just
like a spine that connects the high functioning brain with our low functioning
toes. What we learn is that we also need
to connect the light that the stars represent with this world. So what do the
stars represent exactly? There are two
types of darkness in this world. There
is a darkness that is an absence of light and there is a darkness that is
subjective, a blinding that comes from an overabundance of light. This is hinted at in our daily prayer, ‘G-d
creates darkness and forms light’. Now,
the word create, בורא, is
a higher level than the word, יוצר,
form- darkness is a higher level than light![2]
The darkness is actually a higher form of light- it is a blinding light that is
beyond perception (until the next world).
The sublime stars are the remaining sparks of that light.[3]
In other words, the stars are the inspiration for where we are going, a world
of ultimate light.
Joy
comes from the connection between the sublime and the mundane. On Sukkos we live that connection from head
to toe, from star to plant. It is no
wonder that Sukkah is described as the ‘time of our happiness’ because it is
this dichotomy that makes life sizzle. To
the extent that we connect the two not only on Sukkot, but also during the
year, is the extent that we will live a joyful life.
