It celebrates 40 years of survival because of gifts that God provided- manna and Sukkahs.
We just finished celebrating the High Holidays- the Days of Awe. It’s a solemn time where we search out our own weaknesses, ask forgiveness, and try to improve. Now, it’s Sukkot. This is a time of happiness. We go to a Sukkah where we eat, sleep, and socialize. What we are really doing is giving up our worldly comforts and trusting in God to provide what we need (as he did for us in the desert for 40 years).
Now, everyone would like to be happy. But, so often, it seems so hard. So, what’s the secret? Happiness means different things to different people. There’s an old story of a Rabbi who heard a woman say she would be happy if she just won the $100 million lottery. He asked her if she lost her eyesight but could get it back by spending that $100 million, would she do it? She said “Of course.” He pointed out that since she already had her eyesight (worth $100 million) she must be very happy.
The point is, we’re all walking around with $100 million assets. We just forget we have them. A happy life is not a life free from pain. A full life includes sadness, anger, envy, and disappointment. How many of us can be grateful during hard times? It’s very hard because we are all born ingrates……..OK. Jewish stuff. You knew it was coming sooner or later.
Do you remember the story of Adam and Eve? God put them in this wonderful, perfect garden. His only restriction was don’t eat the apple. Of course, the first thing Adam did was…….eat the apple. God confronted him. Do you know what he said? “…the woman You gave me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate it.” Ohhhhhh, I see. It was God’s fault because Eve made him eat the apple and God gave him Eve. Hmmmm, really?!! Instead of recognizing and being grateful for the gifts he was given, he blamed God for his bad behavior. The ingrate!
Sweetheart, we’ve all been dealt different cards. But we have to play those cards. No, happiness is not a life free from pain. Happiness begins when you recognize that challenges are gifts and trust that you were given talents to deal with them. Appreciate and use those talents. They provide the tools to achieve and overcome. That’s when life becomes sweet and meaningful.
So, how does Sukkot fit in? Sukkot doesn’t celebrate a specific date like Shabbat or Pesach. It celebrates 40 years of survival because of gifts that God provided- manna and Sukkahs. Now, a sukkah is fragile but the people trusted it was what they needed. Although sometimes it’s not easy to see, you too have been given what you need to survive and be happy.
