Did you know? - Chabad Lubavitch of Athens Greece

What do we do on the last day of Sukkot?

Monday, September 27, 2021 - 1:43 PM

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Today (Monday 27/9/21) is the last day of Sukkot 5782. This day is called Hoshaana Raba. (Tuesday 28/9/21 and Wednesday 29/9/21 are in some way a continuation of Sukkot but they are in fact a separate holiday, Shmini Atseret and Simchat Torah).

What is the significance of Hoshaana Raba, literally, the Big Hoshaana?

Every day of Sukkot, we do once the round of the Bima in the synagogue, holding the Four Kinds and reciting Hoshaanot. The same happened in the Temple, where they did circles around of the Mizbeach, the Altar where sacrifices took place.

Hoshaanot (the plural of Hoshaana) are special supplications which are recited during those rounds. Every day of Sukkot, we recite different Hoshaanot. Yet, on Hoshaana Raba, the 7th day of Sukkot, we do 7 circles around the Bima and recite the Hoshaanot of all the days. This is why it is called Hoshaana Raba, the big Hoshaana.

What is the reason for the Hoshaanot?

Our Sages explain that even though the judgment of the world beings on Rosh Hashana and concludes on Yom Kippur, this is a general judgment.

However, there is on Sukkot a special judgement for the water, which is essential for human survival. Man cannot live without water. On a deeper level, water represents our livelihood, especially then when everyone lived off fields and agriculture and were directly dependent on the rain. Thus, on Sukkot, we are judged for the water, i.e the amount of rain which will fall during the year that just started. This judgment takes place during Sukkot and is completed on Hoshaana Raba.

What are the customs of Hoshaana Raba?

First, as mentioned before, we recite the Hoshaanot, making 7 circles around the Bima.

Another ancient custom from the times of the Prophets is to take 5 Aravot, willow branches (not the one of the Lulav) and with it we strike the ground five times, symbolizing the “tempering of the five measures of harshness.”.

In Greece, especially the Romaniotes, have the custom of putting those Aravot near the Mezuzah.

Another custom is to stay awake during the night of Hoshaana Raba and read the Chumash Devarim (Deuteronomy) and the Tehilim (Psalms), and generally study Torah.

Finally, another custom is to eat an apple with honey, as on Rosh Hashana.

Happy Hoshaana Raba and Chag Sameach!

Arie from the Yeshiva

Everything you need to know about the Sukkah

Monday, September 20, 2021 - 1:37 PM

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What is a Sukkah?

The Sukkah (plural Sukkot) is a temporary construction, with a roof of cut plants called Schach.

What do we do inside the Sukkah?

The Torah, when giving us the commandment of Sukkah, says: “For a seven-day period you shall live in Sukkot” (Leviticus 23:42). The Talmud (Sukkah 28b) explains that living inside the Sukkah means doing whatever we do in our home inside the Sukkah. Thus, for 8 days (7 in Israel), we eat and drink, study, converse etc. inside the Sukkah.

Why do we build a Sukkah?

The Torah tells us about the Holiday of Sukkot: “…in order that your [ensuing] generations should know that I had the children of Israel live in Sukkot when I took them out of the land of Egypt.” (Leviticus 21:43). When G-d took us out of Egypt, he led us in the desert and protected us from the sun, the wild beasts etc. with His Clouds of Glory. To remember this, we sit in the Sukkah, which surrounds us from all 4 sides and from above, like the Clouds of Glory.

How do we build a Sukkah?

The basic thing in building the Sukkah is that it should be a solid construction, i.e, it must stay solid with normal winds. (For instance, we should not use sheets to make the walls). The height from every side should be at least 1 ½ meter, for it to be considered a proper construction. For the schach, the roof, we must use materials that grow from the ground, but are detached from the ground, for example, cut branches of a tree. It is also customary to decorate the Sukkah, in whichever way one desires.

There are a few important things we must be careful about when building the Sukkah:

1. The schach (roof) must be enough to provide shade from the sun, i.e. there must be more shade than sun in the Sukkah.

2. The Sukkah must be directly under the sky and its roof should only be the schach. We cannot build a Sukkah inside a house, in a roofed veranda, or under a tree.

3. We need to be able to easily see the schach when sitting, this is why we do not build a Sukkah higher than about 10 meters. If the schach does not cover the entire surface of the Sukkah, one should sit under the schach in order to be considered as sitting in the Sukkah.

4. The minimum volume of the Sukkah should be enough to fit a seated person with a table to eat (this limit concerns the width, length, and height). Yet there is no limit for the length and width of the Sukkah. (There is a limit for the height as we mentioned earlier).

What does the Sukkah symbolize?

There is something very interesting in the Sukkah, The Talmud tells us that all the Jewish people can sit together in one Sukkah (since there are no limits to its surface). When we sit in the Sukkah, there is room for everyone, it doesn’t matter who he or she is. There is a seat in the Sukkah for every Jew and the Sukkah surrounds us all together. Thus, the Sukkah symbolizes the unity of the Jewish people, one of the central messages of the holiday of Sukkot.

Chag Sameach!

Arie from the Yeshiva

What happens between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur?

Thursday, September 9, 2021 - 1:31 PM

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Between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, we have 10 days which are called the “Ten Days of Teshuva” (including Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur). Our Sages teach us that during these days, it is easier to do Teshuva (often translated as Repentance but literally meaning Return to G-d). It is an auspicious time because G-d is closer to us.

During these days, we add some prayers which are related to the judgement of the world happening during this period. We also add some sentences in the Amida (Silent Prayer).

We say the complete Avinu Malkenu (Our Father our King) instead of the regular one, where we ask G-d to listen to our requests, like a Father who loves His children and like a King who cares for His subjects.

Our Sages explain that these days connect Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. The judgment of the world starts on Rosh Hashana and ends on Yom Kippur. It is important during these days of judgment to do Teshuva and behave appropriately, even if we do not do so during the rest of the year.

It is interesting that if we take out the festive days of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, we have exactly 7 days, a complete week. Our Sages explain that each day of the week corresponds to this day of the week of the past year. I.e., on the Sunday between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, we ought to make Teshuva for all the Sundays of the year. Thus, we will prepare for a good year materially and spiritually.

Shabbat Shalom and Gmar Chatima Tova,

Arie from the Yeshiva

What makes the year 5782 special?

Thursday, September 2, 2021 - 1:25 PM

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The year that will start next week with Rosh Hashana is special. It is called Shemita, the Sabbatical Year.

What is the Shemita year?

Every 7th year, we have special Mitzvot that apply to this year. We do Shemita (literally release) for the land and the money.

1. The land:

First, the Shemita concerns the land i.e we need to release, desist from cultivating our fields. We do not do field work such as plowing or sowing or putting fertilizer and instead we devote our time to study and to other spiritual pursuits.

Second, we relinquish personal ownership of their fields; whatever produce grows on its own is considered communal property, free for anyone to take.

Third, these fruits are considered holy, and we cannot simply discard them with disrespect if we don’t consume them.

These laws apply only to fields in the Land on Israel, until our days.

Why?

One of the explanations is that, in the same way the days of the week have the Shabbat to remind us of our Creator, the years have the Sabbatical year, the Shemita, where we stop to work the fields to remember that the land belongs to G-d.

It also reminds us that everything comes from Above. In the routine of our days, as we cultivate our fields, or in our different occupations, we can come to think that we are succeeding on our own merit. When we have an entire year where we don’t cultivate the fields because G-d has commanded us to do so, we recognize that the blessings of our lives come from G-d.

2. The money:

The Shemita also concerns the money i.e we need to release, to forgive the loans that are owed to us. If we lent money to someone and the year of Shemita comes, we are forbidden to ask for our loan back. If the lender wants to return it from his goodwill though, we may accept it. This Mitzvah applies to Jews all over the world, not only in Israel.

More than 2,000 years ago, Hillel the Elder saw that people were avoiding giving loans as the Shemitah year neared. In order to encourage people to continue lending money (which is a Mitzvah - to help those in need), he instituted the Pruzbul(פרוזבול) system. The Pruzbul is a simple declaration in front of the Beth Din that we transfer to them the debts that are owed to us, making it possible to redeem them even during Shemita.

Until today, this declaration of Pruzbul is done on the eve of Rosh Hashana of a Shemita year (as well as in the end, according to some), in front of a Beth Din (3 men).

Why?

This Mitzvah, as well as the Pruzbul process, is here to remind us that the money we have earned is thanks to G-d’s blessings. This is why we forgive our loans, to remember that we do not succeed (only) through our work, but with G-d’s help.

Shabbat Shalom and Shana Tova,

Arie from the Yeshiva