Shabbat Chol Moed Sukkot
Ex. 34:6-7 “Adonai,
Adonai, God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness
and truth; keeping mercy to the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity and
transgression and sin…”
On Shabbat during Sukkot, we read
passages from Exodus, just after the incident of the Golden Calf. Moses goes
back up the Mountain, and returns with a second set of tablets. When he comes
down, he recites the words of the verse quoted here
It is no coincidence that the
reading this week includes these words we repented often on Yom Kippur. I find
this a profoundly hopeful concept: no matter how often we fall short of the
mark, we can be forgiven.
Perhaps this is
why we are commanded to be joyful on Sukkot (the Hebrew phrase is “u’smach-tem”). While all
holidays have commandments associated with them, this is the only one for which
happiness is a requirement. Why Sukkot?
First, this
is a harvest festival. Coming so soon after Yom Kippur, a bountiful harvest was
viewed as proof of God’s forgiveness and mercy. Second, when we live or eat in
flimsy booths, we recognize that we can be happy with very little, and that we
can rejoice with what we have. We need
not express the attitude that we wish things were better, or that problems
cannot be overcome. Such an attitude ignores
the blessings we experience daily.
I wish you and yours a
Shabbat Shalom, and a happy and joyous Chag.
