Unity: In every forum – from media talk shows to everyday conversation – “unity” or the lack of it, is on the lips of the nation. We are sharply divided as to whether the current coalition should be leading the government; we protest and agitate over it with no respite. Half the populace adamantly considers bringing the hostages home to be our first priority, while the other half insists that the war effort must take precedence. Yet there is a unity we have seen over the past year that is a bright light that breaks through the clouds of gloom and desperation. Thousands of volunteers coming forward to engage in countless acts of kindness, mass prayers on behalf of our soldiers, the efforts of both secular and religious to soothe the wounded and comfort the bereaved are sources of great pride. And now, after our stunning strikes against Hezbollah, there is an added spirit of togetherness centered around our heroic armed forces and intelligence network.
Sukkot’s central message is one of unity, about finding commonality among all segments of the population. We come out of our permanent houses and gather in modest huts, and so every person is more or less on par with everyone else. The sukkah is the great equalizer that cuts through social and economic divisions. The other primary ritual of the chag is the taking of arba minim, the four species of palm, willow, myrtle and citron. The various parts of the arba minim represent Jews of differing virtues and accomplishments. Some are learned, others engage in good works. For the mitzvah of arba minim to be effective, all the various parts must be held together as one. Without this unity, no blessing can be made.
On the eighth day (ninth outside of Israel), Simchat Torah enters. We put away our lulav and etrog and exit the sukkah and concentrate on glorifying the Torah, concluding the year-long reading and immediately starting that reading again. Everyone receives an honor, including all the children, who gather beneath a giant tallit for their communal blessing.
The day is also characterized by hakafot, dancing in circles. The Sefer Torah is at center-point, ensuring no one is any closer to it than anyone else, signifying that every person has an equal share inTorah and mitzvot, and that God cares for and accepts everyone.
The rabbis explain Simchat Torah with a parable. Once, a king threw a lavish, week-long party for his closest friends, regaling them with food, drink and song. When the week ended, the king, overjoyed by the festivities, was reluctant to part, and he appealed to the crowd to stay on for one more day. “Kashah alai praydatchem— Your parting is so difficult for me,” he said, and he convinced the assembled to keep going. On Simchat Torah, as Sukkot comes to an end, Hashem says to the Jewish people: “We have so enjoyed this week together, let’s hold off, Atzeret, and stay together just a bit longer.”
The rabbis put a beautiful spin on the phrase, “Kashah alai praydatchem.” Literally, it can mean, “Your division from one another is hard for Me.” Says God: “For the entire week, the nation has been united, dancing together, praying together as one. How beautiful to see you form a universal circle, everyone equidistant from My Torah, holding hands with a neighbor as you celebrate our glorious heritage. It pains Me to think this will now come to an end. Please, keep the unity going— even after you go your separate ways back to your own homes.”
Like the weather, everyone talks about unity but few do anything about it. This past year—and the past few weeks in particular — have shown us, in historic fashion, what a unique people we are and what a special country we share. That, rather than the issues which divide us, should be our rallying focal point. Holding fast to it will truly put the simcha, joy, into Simchat Torah, and the rest of the year as well.
Rabbi Stewart Weiss is director of the Jewish Outreach Center of Ra’anana, a popular columnist for the Jerusalem Post, and a member of Mizrachi’s Speakers Bureau (mizrachi.org/speakers).
The RZA-Mizrachi is a broad Religious Zionist organization without a particular political affiliation.
