Moshe begins his address of Ha'azinu with the following
words, "May My Torah drip like the rain" (Devarim 32, 2). Rav
Wolbe quotes his Rebbi, Rav Yeruchom Levovitz zt"l, who explains the
pasuk's comparison of Torah to rain. Rain merely dampens the soil and creates a
properly fertile ground for the seeds planted there. However, the actual growth
of the plant stems from inside the seed itself. So too, although the Torah
prepares and cultivates a person for spiritual growth, nevertheless, the major
portion of the growth must originate from inside the person himself.
In a similar vein, Rabbeinu Yonah writes
(Sha'arei Teshuva Chap. 2, 26) "If a person does not arouse himself, what
will mussar help?" Rav Wolbe elaborates (Alei Shur vol. II pg. 415) that
it is possible to listen to many mussar discourses and to read through many
mussar seforim and gain nearly nothing. A person has to arouse himself by
properly digesting what he has heard or read.
We might make a similar observation
regarding Sukkos. It is a Yom Tov which has the ability to be one of the most
spiritually uplifting times of the year - if we allow it to be. We sit in a
makeshift "clouds of glory" surrounded by Hashem's Divine protection,
and we rejoice in the recent forgiveness achieved on Yom Kippur. Sukkos and the
rest of the Yomim Tovim of Tishrei climax in Simchas Torah, a day specifically
designated as a spiritual rendezvous between Hashem and Klal Yisroel. Chazal
tell us that Hashem so to speak says, "Your parting is difficult for Me!
Please set aside one more day to take leave of me." The opportunity for
spiritual growth that Sukkos affords us is immense. However, we must
sufficiently arouse ourselves in order to carry its inspiration with us during
the coming months.
Take a few minutes, before or during
Sukkos, to delve into the beauty of this most remarkable Yom Tov (Sefer
Hatoda'ah and Rav Shimshon Pinkus are two great options). Rejoice in the
mitzvah of Sukkah, the arba minim, the simchas Beis Ha'shoavah and taste the
sweetness of being close to Hashem!
Chag Kasher V'Sameiach!
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