Embraced in Divine Space: The Festivals of Sukkos, Hoshana Rabba & Simchas Torah

From among all the Yamim Tovim / Festivals of the Torah, Sukkos stands out as one of the most elusive and mysterious. While Sukkos is called "the Season of our Joy" - and it is a very joyful time indeed, replete with singing, celebrating, and dancing - it may not be so clear what we are celebrating and why joy is so central to the Yom Tov.

The Mitzvos of Sukkos, including the waving of the Four Species, are also shrouded in mystery. Why are we asked to wave these specific branches and fruit, and what do they symbolize? Why wave them? How are they connected with Sukkos and with the Sukkah itself?

The final day of Sukkos is called Hoshana Rabbah, seemingly a day of judgment and seriousness, and it is followed by Shemini Atzeres / Simchas Torah, which is filled with ecstatic celebration and dancing. What is the connection between these culminating days and the theme of Sukkos?

Weaving together the various threads of Torah interpretation, from the most esoteric and mystical (Sod / Kabbalah / Chassidus) to the straightforward literal meaning (Peshat), as well as the allegorical (Remez) and homiletical (Derush), this book is a multi-dimensional tapestry of practical, philosophical, and mystical ideas and implications. The graceful interaction of all these elements reveals profound insights which will greatly enrich one's experience of the Festival.

By: Rabbi Dovber Pinson