Dear all,
During the Festival of Sukkot, we build these temporary structures that symbolize our homes. The image of the Sukkah appears in our liturgy every night, as we pray for God to shelter us with a Sukkah of peace.
It’s odd…. The Sukkah is one of the flimsiest of structures you can imagine. It only takes mildly inclement weather to knock it over. Shouldn’t we pray for a fortress? Why, of all structures, a Sukkah?
Ron and my sister surprised me for my birthday by building and decorating our Sukkah. It took tremendous effort, and the result was extraordinary. It reminded me that maintaining anything important (a home, a relationship, a marriage ….) means that we work everyday to uphold values, pursue dreams, and honor each moment in time. We can’t just sit back and take life for granted.
A fortress takes no commitment. But a Sukkah – it takes wherewithal, thought, and renewal.
With love and shalom,
Rabbi Zach Shapiro
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