Though this evening is Shabbat, it also marks the beginning of the festival of Sukkot. As one of the three pilgrimage festivals (along with <span style="font-style:italic;">Pesakh</span>/Passover and Shavuot) it is one of the three times per year when our ancestors would make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. This pilgrimage was to give thanks to God for the fall harvest and to pray that the coming months would bring adequate rain for next year’s crops. The day after Sukkot ends, on the festival of Shemini Atzeret (which some view as the last day of Sukkot) the Jewish people around the world begin to insert the prayer for rain in our daily liturgy.<br /><br />On Sukkot, it is also customary to read from the biblical book of <span style="font-style:italic;">Kohelet</span>/Ecclesiastes during Sukkot. This biblical book begins with the well known “Futility, futility, all is futility…” The author (traditionally believed to be King Solomon, though it was written long after he died) paints a somewhat pessimistic and even cynical portrait of a life where nothing can be certain and nothing is permanent. The author questions the meaning of life and existence, constantly claiming that “there is nothing new under the sun.” Everything that happens has already happened, no matter what we do it ultimately makes no difference. The world simply continues on as it always has and we are only here for a fleeting moment. However, the text also reminds us that, indeed, there is a “time to every purpose under heaven.” Each moment does ultimately have a meaning and a purpose – even if we do not know just then, what it is.<br /><br />The <span style="font-style:italic;">sukkah</span>, or temporary dwelling place, which we are commanded in the Torah to build and dwell in for this festival, and which many Jews still build and at least eat in (though some sleeping the sukkah as well) representing the impermanence or our world and the need to rejoice in what we have in this moment. In many ways the Book of <span style="font-style:italic;">Kohelet</span>/Ecclesiastes puts into words what the meaning of the sukkah.<br /><br />Sukkot is traditionally called <span style="font-style:italic;">zman simchateinu</span>/the time of our rejoicing. It was considered the holiday par excellence by our ancestors. On Sukkot the people would make their pilgrimage to Jerusalem and rejoice in all that they had in that moment, for they realized the uncertainty of the future. So they praised God in the moment, renewing the Covenant unconditionally and then waiting to see what the next moment would bring.<br /><br />My torah/teaching that I would like to share with you Sukkot is a poem based on these concepts of Sukkot, combined with other images of Moses and the covenant with God. Let us remember the importance of this festival, which often plays ‘second fiddle’ to its immediate predecessors. Let us remember to celebrate what we have, give thanks to God for all that is and embrace the moment.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />The Meaning of the Moment – a meditation for the Shabbat of Sukkot</span><br /><br />I.<br /><br />I stand here<br />In the sukkah<br />Surrounded<br />Four walls <br /> That are not walls <br />A roof<br /> Through which raindrops fall<br />Security<br /> That is not real<br /> <br />As no security <br />Is truly<br /> Secure<br /> Certain<br /> Reliable<br />Beyond shadow <br />of a doubt<br /><br />Do not be<br /> Deluded<br /><br />Nothing <br />Is definite<br />But<br />Now<br /><br />The sukkah <br />Is here<br />To teach <br />this<br /><br /><br />II.<br /><br />Moses<br />Stood there <br />On the mountain<br />Wanting<br />Pleading<br />Longing<br /> To know<br /> God<br /> To have<br /> Security<br />But he did not<br /> Could not<br /><br />Seeing only<br />God’s back<br /> God’s goodness<br />Moses knew what was<br /> In that moment<br />He could not know<br /> What would be<br /> In the next<br /><br />Moses could only see<br /> God’s<br />Compassion<br />Grace<br />Mercy<br />Patience<br />Kindness<br /><br />Moses<br /> Needed to wait<br />To see what they would bring<br /> Like us<br />Waiting<br /> To see<br /> To know<br /> Hoping for clairvoyance<br />Settling for clarity<br /> Of the present moment<br />That is all<br /><br />It was good enough<br /> For Moses<br />Why not<br /> For us<br />Why do we<br />Need<br />Certainty<br />Security<br />Permanence<br /> When none exists<br />When less<br /> Was enough<br />The truth<br />For Moses<br /><br />III.<br /><br />Kohelet understood<br />Everything<br /> Is nothing<br />Nothing<br /> Is all we have<br />We have<br /> What is now<br />Not before<br />Not after<br />Only present<br />Not future<br />Only now<br />Then no more<br /><br />Futility<br /> Why bother<br />Futility<br /> Why be born<br />Futility<br /> Why live<br />Futility<br /> Why not<br /><br />We know<br /> He knew<br />Why<br /><br />Not because<br /> Of certainty<br />Not because<br /> Of knowledge<br />Not because<br /> Of our own importance<br /><br />But simply<br />Because<br />We are <br /><br />We are God’s presence<br />Here on earth<br />Finite representation<br />Of the infinite <br /><br />Each moment<br />Each person <br /> Has a purpose<br />I want to know<br />Mine <br />But<br />We cannot know<br /> purpose<br />Until it becomes <br /> present<br /><br /><br />Seeking to know more<br /> We strive after wind<br />After unknowable knowledge<br /><br />True<br />Futility<br />The essence <br />Of our struggle<br /> pain<br /> suffering<br />Seeking to know<br />That which we cannot<br /><br />Kohelet knew that<br />Why can’t we<br /><br /><br />IV.<br /><br />Do not strive <br /> Struggle<br /> Suffer<br />To know <br /><br />Rather<br />Carve your own tablets<br /> Create covenant<br />In this moment<br /><br />The old covenant <br /> Has been smashed<br />As it always is<br /> As each moment ends<br /><br />Write a new one<br /> As a new moment begins<br /><br />Your soul your being<br /> Your tablet<br />The search for justice<br /> Your pen<br />The divinehuman flow of compassion<br /> Your ink<br />The love of humanity and the world<br /> Your muse<br /><br />Write a covenant<br /> Between you and God<br /> You and your people<br /> You and the world<br /><br />Know that it will not last<br /> Any more than any thing<br /> Does<br />Be prepared to write it <br />Overandoverandover again<br /> As each moment passes into the past<br />And to celebrate<br />Each new writing<br /> Each new fulfillment<br /> Each new commitment<br /> To God<br /> To community<br /> To self<br /><br />For nothing is eternal<br /> But God<br />Nothing is certain<br /> But the power of compassion<br />Nothing is sure<br /> But that the flow of mercy and love<br />Nothing is before us<br /> But the present<br /> And our relationship<br /> With God<br /><br />Perhaps for once<br /> In this moment<br /> Standing in the sukkah<br /> Resting in Shabbat<br /> Being where we are<br /> We can<br /> Simply<br /> Know it<br /> Experience it<br /> Celebrate it<br />For what it is<br /> Not what it is not<br />Or what it will be<br /><br />This is the time<br />The moment<br /> of our rejoicing<br />Do not let it pass
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Posted By Rabbi Steven Nathan to <a href="http://mindfultorah.blogspot.com/2009/10/though-this-evening-is-shabbat-it-also.html">Mindful Torah</a> at 10/02/2009 03:11:00 PM