Dear Esther,
During the meal in the sukkah earlier this week, Efraim an elderly retiree from Israel, asked me to sing a particular song.
At first, I couldn’t make out what song Efraim was referring to as I didn’t recognize the words he was annunciating.
Only after he repeated himself a few times did I realize that it was not a Hebrew song as I had assumed, it was a Yiddish song.
Please sing ‘a gantz yuhr freilchech’ he asked me.
The song is a one-line statement in Yiddish. ‘A whole year one should be happy’.
Click here to hear the lively song
When I raised my eyebrow quizzically, trying to figure out why he an Israeli of Sephardic background was asking for a Yiddish song he explained as follows:
In the 1950’s I grew up in Jerusalem. There was a wide variety of Jewish families living in the same building. Many had immigrated from different countries, with different customs and different levels of religious observance.
Yet there was a warm feeling of camaraderie, tolerance and respect that we all shared for each other.
We felt palpably that we are all brothers and sisters of one people – Am Yisrael.
Living upstairs in the building was a holocaust survivor from Hungary who was a devout Satmar Chassid. He had lost his entire family, parents, siblings, wife and children. He was alone in the world. On Sukkot he would gather together all of us the children of the building and say ‘you are my ‘ushpizin’* (guests in Aramaic) and give us all sweets and ask us to sing ‘a gantz yuhr freilich’.
This is why I always ask for this song to be sung wherever I am on Sukkot as it reminds me of that deep feeling of unity between all Jews’ concluded Efraim.
I was touched deeply by the story.
In my own experience I am embarrassed to share that sometimes even small annoyances can get in the way of me feeling happy. Even though all the important things in my life are on track, little ‘molehills’ can seem like ‘mountains’.
The story of this holocaust survivor celebrating Sukkot with outward and contagious joy, speaks volumes about how seriously we ought to take the mitzvah of being joyous on Sukkot.
A person who tragically lost his entire world, his family and friends, his familiar environment has every reason and entitlement to be depressed and sad.
Notwithstanding that, when Sukkot came, and the Torah says one must be happy, he spared no effort to be happy and to spread his joy to the children.
‘Ushpizin’ means guests in Aramaic. On Sukkot it refers to the special supernal guests that traditionally visit our Sukkah’s. Avraham, Yitschak, Yaakov, Moshe, Aharon, Yosef & David. One guest for one night. Click here for more.
This survivor was using this word that describes our illustrious past and connecting it with our future – the children. And singing and dancing about it.
Look at the impact it had. Seventy plus years later, a Jew who has retired to the beaches of Thailand still celebrates Sukkot with the joy that they absorbed from this elderly holocaust surviving Jew.
This is also a reminder that it is imperative that we get our kids involved. That we give the kids a joyous and sweet time.
Indeed, when there are children that are fulfilling the traditions of the Torah there is a future.
The Torah tells us to rejoice on Sukkot.
Simchat Torah even more so.
Get the kids involved. In a way that is meaningful to kids.
This is why we give sweets and candies to the kids. So that they feel sweetness and have joyous memories.
Let us get together this Sukkot and Simchat Torah old and young alike, to sing, dance and celebrate our rich past and pray for our glorious future.
We are all praying that the positive developments regarding the return of the hostages will be a reality. This will catapult our joy to ever greater heights.
And let us take inspiration from those heroes who have excruciatingly difficult challenges and teach us by example how to jump to the heights and live inspired and positive lives.
We need to learn from those who suffered loss, injury, trauma and are battling against all odds to march forward and live meaningful and joyous lives.
One of those contemporary heroes is my friend Rabbi Liraz Zeira who almost lost his life from a landmine near Syria. While he is, thank G-d out of life and death danger, Liraz still battles for the use of his limbs that were not lost. His wife is a fortress of strength and doesn’t let any pessimism or depression enter their house. Liraz and Anat are catalysts of positive energy and are committed to raising their family with the most positive joyous energy possible.
We must take inspiration from people like this.
From giants of spirit who survived the worst calamities to befall our people and emerged with the determination to live and add links to the golden chain of Judaism spanning the generation from Mt. Sinai to the coming of Mashiach and beyond.
LET US REJOICE!
ושמחת בחגיך והיית אך שמח
Shabbat Shalom
Chag Sameach
Rabbi Yosef Kantor