"I met a man who had no shoes..."
After the high holidays, at the beginning of a new year, we are reminded of the brevity and fragility of life. Throughout the rest of the year we should live life well and cherish our days fully. If we never experience a rainy day, it’s impossible to appreciate the beauty of sunshine. We cannot truly appreciate life until we understand its loss. When we understand that each day we awaken could be the last, we must use that day to grow, to become more of who we really are, to reach out to other human beings. Sukkot reminds us that every day is a gift from G-d. When we know that and feel it in our bones, that is when we really live — for the rest of the year we will cherish life and spend time wisely.
When I grew up in Detroit, this time of the year was very cold and yet the whole family would eat and hang out in a hut that we built for Sukkot. I am not the greatest handyman but we looked forward to sharing seven days together in this fragile hut, and it has remained with us as a great and fond memory. Now as a parent this holiday means even more to me. There are many explanations of G-d's protection and security, but the most beautiful is that life is fragile and we must hold on to the real things that occur in it.
Like the person who complained about not having shoes until he met a man with no feet, life and all we have has to be seen as a gift. There is a lengthy quote that tells us to think before we say unkind words, before complaining about the taste of food, before complaining about a spouse, before we complain about life, driving a long distance, or our job. Someone is always in a worse position. When depressing thoughts get us down, wear a smile on and appreciate the gift of life.
Then there is the story of two children building an elaborate sand castle with gates and towers and moats by the sea. Just when they had nearly finished this beautiful structure, a wave came and washed away all their work. Instead of being devastated they ran up the shoreline laughing and holding hands, to build another sand castle.
Just think: in our lives, many of the very complicated things we spend so much time and energy building, are built on sand. Occasionally things we have worked so hard to build do not last. However, our relationships with others endure -- only the person who has another's hand to to hold will be able to laugh and carry on.
Do you have real relationships? Real friends? Someone whose hand you can hold? Don't put off either extending a hand or taking one that is proffered. Live in and for the moment, aware of all the good things that are around you.
Wishing you all a happy Sukkot!
Rabbi Fishel & Ettie Zaklos