The Sukkah: Lesson of Hope Derived from Tragedy | |
By Rabbi Stephen Stern | |
Until the tragedy that occurred on September 11, I have always been puzzled as to why on the holiday of Sukkot we are enjoined to rejoice more than on the other pilgrimage holidays of Passover and Shavuot. "You shall be exceedingly happy," the Torah tells us. | |
|
![]() Rabbi Stern teaching the children, in the sukkah, about the lulav. |
But the events of September 11 have taught me that these comforts, which I as a Baby Boomer have helped to make household necessities, are neither permanent nor so terribly important. Just watching families living in and around the World Trade Center being uprooted from their homes, with scores of businesses destroyed and jobs lost, has given me a new sense of appreciation for what G-d has granted me, and a realistic perspective on what is important in life. | |
BACKNEXT PAGE |