By Rabbi Robyn Frisch
Noach
When my oldest son was three, he came home from preschool after Yom Kippur and saw that we’d built our sukkah. His excitement was palpable; he did a little dance that I still refer to, 21 years later, as his “sukkah dance.” Witnessing his joy filled me with happiness, reminding me that in addition to being “The Festival of Booths,” Sukkot is also Z’man Simchateinu, “The Time of Our Rejoicing.” My son’s delight about the upcoming holiday was contagious, bringing me joy as well.
This year, however, capturing that innocent joy during Sukkot will be more challenging. The holiday falls between Oct. 7th — the first anniversary of the brutal attack by Hamas on Israel, which claimed 1,200 lives and resulted in 252 innocent civilians being taken hostage — and Simchat Torah, the day on the Jewish calendar on which the attack occurred.
How can we celebrate amid the sorrow of the anniversaries of Oct. 7th/Simchat Torah; at a time when Israel is at war with Hezbollah and Hamas; when Jew Hatred is too often rearing its ugly head in America and throughout the world? The answer lies in the essence of the holiday itself. The Torah instructs us: “On the fifteenth day of the seventh month…you shall observe the festival of God for seven days…You shall live in booths seven days.…” (Leviticus 23:39-42).
The sukkot we build are temporary and fragile, reflecting the uncertainty in our world and reminding us of the transient nature of life. Yet, it is precisely within these fragile structures that we find a space to celebrate. Sukkot teaches us that even during difficult times, joy is essential.
Rabbi Lord Jonathan Saks, of blessed memory, articulated this paradox beautifully in his book “Celebrating Life: Finding Happiness in Unexpected Places”: “We sit in a fragile, makeshift hut, open to the elements, and yet we celebrate. We know the fragility of life, yet we give thanks for the bounty we have been given.”
Looking up while in the sukkah, we see the schach above us. Made from natural materials, schach must provide enough shade while allowing us to glimpse the stars. Viewing the stars reminds us of Genesis 15:5, when God tells Abraham to look at the stars, promising that his descendants will be as numerous as them. For Abraham, whose wife Sarah had not yet given birth to their son Isaac, the stars weren’t a reflection of his current reality; rather, he had to embrace God’s promise with faith, and with hope for the future.
Like Abraham, we can draw strength from the stars as symbols of hope amid our struggles. Moreover, the Talmud (Sukkah 11b) teaches us that the sukkah embodies the “Clouds of Glory” that accompanied our ancestors during their wilderness wanderings, providing protection during times of uncertainty. As we gaze upwards while in our sukkahs, we’re reminded of this divine protection.
My son still loves Sukkot, though at 24 he’s unlikely to do a “sukkah dance” this year. Yet, as the holiday approaches, I’m keenly aware of the inspiring and hopeful title of the documentary about the Nova music festival in southern Israel, where so many innocent people were murdered or taken hostage last year on Oct. 7th/Simchat Torah: “We Will Dance Again.”
This Sukkot, even as we struggle with the pain of the past, the challenges of the present and the uncertainty of the future, we must remember that it’s still Z’man Simchateinu. We must look up at the sky and the stars and remember that we’re part of something far greater than ourselves. Like Abraham who saw the stars and the Israelites who experienced the clouds of glory, we must hold onto hope and strive to find joy. Sukkot reminds us that even in times of difficulty, there is space for celebration and gratitude.
Rabbi Robyn Frisch is the director of the Rukin Rabbinic Fellowship for 18Doors and the rabbi of Temple Menorah Keneseth Chai. She is also the founder of Mazel Pups, which is on social media, as well as the Mazel Pups Podcast; and she created the Pawsitively Jewish 2025 Calendar (www.PrintArtKids/Calendars) with Abbe Lunger from Print Art Kids. The Board of Rabbis of Greater Philadelphia is proud to provide diverse perspectives on Torah commentary for the Jewish Exponent. The opinions expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Board of Rabbis.
