Succos - When The Ushpizin Sit With Us In Our Pain

2:12 And I told him that I was heading over here to give a she'er And we were talking about some chas Torah. And he said that his son-in-law Who works in the army, his job is that he arranges all of the funerals. So his son-in-law said to him, "I just can't dance this year by Simchas Torah. I just can't." Imagine, we hear about it in the news. We all know someone. We know someone who knows someone, his son-in-law, all day long. He's busy arranging funerals and helping out bereaved families. When he's not dealing with funerals, he's helping out with injured soldiers and making sure they have everything they need. And he said, "I just can't go to Simchah Torah. I can't imagine myself dancing at Simchah Torah." And I said to Shmuel, the owner of this mechanic shop, "It's funny that you say that because I'm literally going to give a shea right now." On how we're supposed to dance this year by Simchas Torah, how is that even going to be possible?

3:20 And so, this year, in its own way, I hope will provide some sort of nechama for those that are in his son-in-law's position and beyond. All of us this year that are struggling with the notion Are we really going to dance? What could we possibly do? How could we be dancing when we know that the chatufim Are still being held hostage. How can we dance when we know that there are soldiers that are in Lebanon right now? One of my dearest talmidim told me that he has his phone off starting from Yom Kippur. He'll be heading into Lebanon on Yom Kippur. And he doesn't imagine that his phone will be on for at least a week. He's not going to be with his family for Yom Kippur or Sukkot. How can we dance when? Our holy brothers and sisters are doing all of the things that they're doing.

4:12 How can we dance when families are still grieving? How can we dance when there are going to be children that won't be present at this year's Simchas Torah because they've been tragically killed in war? It's almost impossible to conceive of the idea of Simchas Yomtov. Given everything that we're going through. Simchas Yomtov. On the one hand, it was difficult to make Pesach But Simchas Torah, which highlights the tragedy of what was last year How could we possibly? How could we dance? How could we be besimcha? How could we lebedik? How could we do everything that we're accustomed to doing on Simchas Torah? How could we give candy to the children and play all the games that we play? And for those of us that bring the Sefer Torah out into the streets and go meshuga. How could we possibly do that, given all of the challenges of this year? I don't think this year requires any more introduction. I think every single Jew is feeling exactly this way right now, and I imagine that for so many of us This has dominated our Rosh Hashanah. It has dominated our Yom Kippur.

5:20 I know here in Yeshiva Rav Isaacson davened Neilah. And his Neilah is always exceptional. This year's Neilah was above and beyond. As he screamed every single word of Avinu Malkeinu And specifically not because he was highlighting them, but just because of the pain that was overwhelming him. Screaming those Avinu Malkeinu that are particularly relevant to our times, El Kadosh Baruch Hu shall destroy our enemies and take revenge on those who have come after us. This entire year dominated our Yomim Noraim season. How are we supposed to head into zman simchasenu? How are we supposed to head into sukkos, and specifically, how are we supposed to culminate sukkos with the simchas torah that we've always had? I want to talk just for a couple of minutes about an idea that I think many of us have lived with our entire lives, but perhaps to unpack this idea in a new way.

6:19 And perhaps to glean new inspiration from an old idea. We know that every year on Sukkos, there's an inyan of uspizen. Uspizen is the Aramaic word that means guests. We invite very holy guests into our sukkah. These are known as the Zion Roim, as the seven shepherds. The seven shepherds: Avram, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Yosef, Moshe, Aaron, and David Melech. The Zayir Hakadosh in Parshas Emor tells us that the Zion Roim, the seven shepherds, actually leave Gan Eden over Sukkis. They come into our sukkahs to be our guests. That's what the Zayin Hakadosh says. Each day, a different one of the Zayin Roim is highlighted. For example, day one is the day of Avram Avinu, but all six All six of the other Ushpizen are also present in those days. I think sometimes we think it's like one shows up one day and the next shows up the next day. All seven show up every single day, but each one is highlighted on a different day. Even on the day of Avram Avinu, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Yosef, Moshe, Aaron, and Avram Elch are all there.

7:28 Sfarim have a very beautiful minig. Sfarim always have the most beautiful minig. Sfarim have a very beautiful minig where they actually prepare a special chair, specifically an ornate chair, a designed chair. They put a fine cloth or linen upon the chair, and they put special sfarim on the chair. And then the host of the sukkah declares that this is the chair of the ushpizin. So they have a chair set aside for the Yushpizen of that day. And they even light a candle. That's a celebration, in honor of the Yushpizen that are there on that night. So it's a very serious Indian. It's a very beautiful Indian. It's brought down in Kabbalah. It's a Minig and Klayusrael. The question is, what's the deeper Indian here of Yushpizen? How does it change our concept of Sukkis? How can we this year specifically tap into the idea of Yushpizen? In order to try to cope a little bit with the tragedies that are continuing to be ongoing this year, and even as I say that, it occurs to me that it's like it's an insane thing to say out loud that here we are Came out a year from Simchas Torah And we're still holding by these things. It's really unfathomable. It's heartbreaking.

8:41 So how are we supposed to use this notion of uspizen to allow us to tap into the Simcha of Yom Tov? So the Czar in Parshas Emor that speaks about the ushpizin actually there's a hemshich to it, and I'd like to share with you in English the hemshich to the beginning introduction of the idea of ushpizin. He says as follows: One must also gladden the poor. And the portion that would otherwise have been set aside for these ushpizin guests should go to the poor. In other words, that a person when they're making food for yomtiv They should make a special portion for the ushpizin. And then the portion that's meant to go to the yushpizen should be given to aniim. Zar Kadosh continues: for if a person sits in the shadow of faith, betzela d'mamnusa, a reference to the sukkah And invites those guests, meaning invites the yushpizen And does not give their portion to the poor, they all remain distant from him.

9:37 Meaning the yushpizen will not come into our sukkah if we're not taking the portion that we prepared for them and giving it to Aniay Klal Yisrael. One should not say, 'I'll first satisfy myself with food and drink, and I shall give the leftovers to the poor.' Rather, the first of everything must be for one's guests. If one gladdens his guests and satisfies them, Hashem rejoices over him. Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, and the others shower him. It goes on and on. We're not going to get into that, but the idea of the Zohar Hakadosh is a fascinating idea. It's not simply that we're being visited by these exceptional guests. Rather, there's a mechuliyavus here. There's an obligation that comes into being because of the notion of the yushpizen. I'm supposed to literally prepare food for the yushpizen, and I give the food that's for the yushpizen to the aniyim. If I don't do this, if I only give the leftovers to the yushpizen, I'm sorry to the aniyim, then the yushpizen will not enter my sukkah.

10:36 But if I somehow am mechabed the yushpizen by giving that food. To the Aniim, so then we receive all the brachos from the Zion Rosh And this is in line with the Rambam. The Rambam says about in Hilchas Yomtov Six eighteen. The Rambam says v'ha'nasim euchlem baser v'shois in yain And the men eat meat and they drink wine. She ain simcha el ba baser v'ain simcha el ba yain because we know that there's no simcha without meat and wine. The Rambam says when he eats and when he drinks. The Rambam says that when we're eating this meat and drinking this wine and yantif, we also have to feed the ger, we have to feed the orphan, we have to feed the widow, and also the unfortunate aniim that are in Kla Yisrael. But someone who locks the gates of his courtyard. And he eats and he drinks. Him, his children, and his wife.

11:37 The enumachel umashgel aniim umari nefesh. And the Rambam says, and if you're sitting by yourself in your sukkah with your whole family, beautiful family But you don't invite into your sukkah to feed and to drink the poor people and the mari nefesh. The Rambam says, those embittered souls, those people that are suffering Ein zu simchas mitzvah. Joy for a mitzvah, ella simchas kreso. Rather, this just the joy of filling your own stomach. This is what the Rambam says—a very powerful lashon—that on yomtiv As much as we eat and drink, we're mechuyev in the mitzvah of simchas yomtiv. But if we don't have aniim, if we don't have the ger, the yosom, the aniim, the maray nefesh—those people that are embittered souls—then the Rambam says, don't think for one second that you're actually fulfilling the mitzvah of simchas yomtiv. Rather, you're fulfilling the mitzvah of not a mitzvah. You're fulfilling the simcha of just filling your own belly. This is what the Rambam says in all of Hilchos Yomtiv.

12:39 But here we see on Sukkot, according to the Zohar Hakadosh, that this mitzvah that the Rambam talks about of Simchas Yomtiv of inviting the Ger, the Yosom, the Almana, and those Maray Nefesh, those Aniim, anyone who's suffering, it's not just the din in a general Simchas Yomtiv, but rather the Zohar Hakadosh says there's a special inyan on Sukkot. The inyan of the yushpizin is that it's not just the din in general simchas yantiv, but it seems somehow the zohar is indicating that there's a special inyan on sukkahs itself to invite the maray nefesh, invite those embittered people into your sukkah, and to give them the food of the yushpizin. So we have to understand what's this extra inyan by sukkahs. The yalkut shemoni points out that we know that sukkahs has an extra simcha. It's Zman Simchaseinu. It's literally known as Zman Simchaseinu because three times in the Torah it says Simcha in connection with Sukkot.

13:30 And the Sar Shalom of Belz, the Helel Belz Rebbe, said that the reason we have so much Simcha on Sukkot is because of the Yeshbizen. It's not the fact that we're besimcha so the Yeshbizen come. We're besimcha. And there we're besimcha because the Yeshbizen are coming. In fact, the Karmarna, the Helel Karmarna. This is a very beautiful gematria. We know the pasuk says, "B'sukas teishu shivas yamim" That you should sit in your sukkah seven days. So he says the gematria is Avram sukkah, Yitzchok sukkah, Yaakov sukkah, Yaakov if you spell it with a vav, Moshe sukkah, Aaron sukkah, Yosef sukkah, and David if you spell it with a yud, David sukkah. It is exactly the same gematria as 'B'sukas teishu shivas yamim.' So clearly, there's a deep intrinsic union between the notion of sukkah, the notion of simcha, and the notion of the yushpizen. That somehow it's more than just the regular Rambam helchos yamtov But there's an extra union of simcha that exists specifically because of the connection to the yushpizen.

14:34 Shaila is what's the message here? So there's an amazing word from the Vilna Gaon. Excuse me. There's an amazing word from the Vilna Gaon that I want to share with you today. The Vilna Gaon says as follows: All of the Yeshpizen have one thing in common. Each one of them went into Gullus, and in Gullus, each one of them encountered and overcame exceptional difficulties. That's what the Vilna Gaon explains, the inyan of the Yeshpizen is the inyan of going into Gullus. Experiencing the difficulty of the exile and ultimately overcoming and growing from the exile, and he goes through them. We know that Avram Avinu was told, 'Vayomer Shalom Avram lecholcha miartzachom milad tochem b'esavicha l'aretz Yisrael.' Avram Avinu was commanded to leave his homeland, to leave his birthplace, to leave the house of his father. In a certain sense, even though he was going to Eretz Yisrael, Avram Avinu goes into galus. We know that by Yitzchak Pesach says, "Vehi Rav ba'aretz." There was a famine in the land.

15:35 Aside from the Rav Harishon Asharhayah b'Me'Avram, not only the Rav that was in the days of Avram Avinu, but there was another Rav in the times of Yitzchak. Vayelch Yitzchak al Avi Melech Plishdim Gerara, and therefore Yitzchak was forced to go into exile and to go to Avi Melech. Yaakov Avinu, of course, we know Kum Lech Padana Aram Beisabesuah Avi Imecha, the Kach Lacham Isham Mibnos Lavan Achy Imecha. We know that Yaakov Avinu had to go to the house of Basuel, to his mother's father, and he had to find their wife and deal with Lavan. That was in exile. Yosef HaTzaddik. We don't even need to talk about Yosef HaTzaddik. We know his entire chayus was living in exile, living in Mitzrayim. Moshe Rabbeinu also. Moshe Rabbeinu had to hide in a basket in the Nile River. He literally grew up in Pharaoh's palace in a state of exile. He was chased from Pharaoh's palace into Midyan and ultimately sojourned in the desert forty years. Moshe Rabbeinu was obvious. Aaron Akoyin also lived in the desert forty years. There are those that suggest very beautifully that the exile that Aaron had to encounter was that he had to go out and greet his brother Moshe as he was returning from Midyan.

16:42 Which was, of course, in theory, a very difficult thing to see. Your baby brother is going to be the Mashiach of Klal Yisrael, and not you, Aaron Akoyin. So Aaron Akoyin, having to leave, so to speak, the comfort of his own position to go out to greet. Moshe Rabbeinu could also be considered a form of exile. In addition to the forty years that Aaron and Cohen spent in the Midbar, that could also be considered a form of exile. And finally, we know David Hamelch had to flee from his enemies. And so all of them encountered a certain type of exile that they had to live with. So there's two big messages here. There's two big messages of the Ushpizin. Again, this is before we get to the deeper level. On a very simple level. The greatness of the Ushpizin did not occur after the exile. The greatness of the Ushpizin occurred within the exile itself.

17:32 Is there a mistaken idea that exists in the world today? I'll do it when things get better. Not capable of handling things right now. It's not within my parameters of my reality to be great given everything that I'm going through. And on the one hand, we have a tremendous amount of compassion, and we can give a lot of grace to people that are really in a tremendous amount of pain. We can understand they're going through it right now, and because they're going through something, they're not capable of being more than they are right now. On the one hand, that's a very legitimate position, and obviously, it's not for any of us to judge anybody or what they're going through. On the other hand, the message of the Torah is very clear: greatness does not wait. Greatness does not wait when a person has something that they want to become. They don't say, "I'll become this when things get better." We find that very often. Not only do great people become great during difficult times, but it's because of the difficult times that they go through that they achieve their own greatness.

18:40 I'll give you an example of this just in the Torah before we pull it into modern day life. We know that Yaakov Avinu was b'kesh leshiv b'shalva. Yaakov Avinu requested of Hakadosh Baruch Hu that he should be able to live out his days in tranquility after his time in the house of Lavan and after his encounter with Esav Arasha. So Yaakov Avinu beseeched Hakadosh Baruch Hu that he should be able to live out the rest of his days with a sense of serenity. And Hakadosh Baruch Hu said no. And Yosef HaTzaddik was sold down to Mitzrayim, and we know that Yaakov Avinu lost nevuah for all the years that Yosef was in Mitzrayim, and he encountered a tremendous amount of pain in his life. The simple understanding of this idea is that Hakadosh Baruch Hu says, "No, this is not the time for you to experience shalva. You'll get shalva in Olam Haba. You'll get shalva after your death, but you don't have shalva in this world. This world is for working."

19:28 I heard many years ago from Rav Ezer Shapiro. My wife and I were at a Sheva Brachos where Avi Ezra Shapiro, who's the Mashgiach and Shalvim, spoke, and he said over the following idea. It's a gorgeous idea, a stunning idea, and it's one that really needs to be inculcated into our lives. Hakadosh Baruch Hu was not answering no to Yaakov Avinu. He wasn't saying that Shalva is for after your life. Takhir. He was saying if you want to learn how to live with serenity Then you have to learn how to live within the chaos. The serenity is not something that happens outside of chaos. Serenity is something that happens within chaos. A person needs to be able to encounter all of the difficulties of their life. Losing a son sold by his brothers into an incredibly difficult situation. On some level, we know that Yaakov Avinu must have been aware that Yosef Hatzadik was still alive because the natural tendency of a human being is to be able to let go of a loved one after they've passed on. And somehow Yaakov Avinu couldn't. He couldn't let go. Yaakov Avinu must have understood on some level that Yosef Hatzadik was somewhere in the world suffering.

20:33 Didn't make sense to him, especially because we know that Yaakov Avinu was paying very careful attention when this whole ma'isa with the brothers was going on. He must have understood. We know that according to some, the ksinas pasim that Yosef Hatzadik wore was the same ksinas pasim that Nimrod wore. And we know that the ksinas pasim that Nimrod wore. It gave him a special protection from all the animals in the world. So the fact that the brothers came back with a bloody xaynas pasim and said an animal killed our brother, it must have raised the red flag according to that sheet. It must have raised the red flag in the mind of Yaakov Avinu to say how is it possible that my son was wearing the xaynas pasim that was from Nimrod? We know that Esav killed Nimrod on the day that Avram Avinu died, and that was that coat according to some, that Yaakov Avinu was given by Rivka on the day that he took the brachos.

21:20 From Esav and tricked Yaakov Avinu, so it was that exact coat that Yaakov Avinu gave to Yosef. The ksonas apasim again, it's more complicated. It even goes back to the time of Adam Rishon. But if it was this ksonas pasim that was known to have these protective powers, Yaakov Avinu must have understood on some level that his son was still alive and that his son was somewhere in the world and suffering immeasurably. But the capacity for a person to maintain a sense of serenity. That's what's so critical: the capacity for a person to understand that the world outside of me is exceptionally tumultuous, but I can find an inner serenity that exists, and I can cultivate that serenity so that I can somehow live bishalva, even with everything that's going on around me. My wife speaks about sometimes a person might say to themselves, "I'll be happier when I'm not married."

22:14 So it could be that there are certain marriages where a person would be much happier outside of the marriage. But the avoda is to be able to find differentiation and to find space to cultivate your own joy, even within the difficulties of a difficult marriage, and to stay engaged and fight for one another. To leave, so to speak, to pull back and say, "I'll be happy when." When conditions change, I'll be serene. When conditions change, this is not the avoda of a Jew. And we see this year, we are living with people who are literally embodying the values of Yaakov Avinu, this b'keishleish of Beshalva. I don't want to get into too many specifics, but to think about Gen Earley Who has literally been going around the entire world and inspiring and teaching this year, and Rabbi Daron Perez, who you know lost a son. And he still hasn't gotten his son back, as a hostage. There was a pamphlet going around the yeshiva on Rosh Hashanah that was written by Rabbi Perez about his son, about finding inspiration in these difficult times. It's lo yuman ki supara. Person would not believe.

23:31 We speak about Mika Amcha Yisrael. Every time there's a chesed in Klal Yisrael, it's Mika Amcha Yisrael. Of course, we are a nation of chesed par excellence. I don't mean to diminish that in any way, but this year Mika Amcha Yisrael took on new dimensions, unseen dimensions, unheard dimensions that I don't think existed before in the history of the world. People who underwent the most exceptional tragedies—they didn't just thrive despite their circumstances; they thrived because of their circumstances. In these ways, they embody the character traits of all the Zion Roms. Of Avram Avinu and Yitzchak and Yaakov and Yosef and Moshe and Aaron and David, each one went into gullus and each one became one of the Zayin Roim because of the gullus that they went into. And I think this is the deeper meaning of what the Sar Shalom was saying. The Sar Shalom was saying we have the extra simcha because of the Yushpizen, because we're inspired to sit in our sukkah because we know that as we encounter the chaotic nature of the world.

24:40 We access a dimension of simcha because we live with the inspiration of the Zion Roim. In a certain sense, this is the protection that they offer us. The protection that they offer us is that they come, they sit in our sukkah, and they remind us that we become great not despite our circumstances, but because of our circumstances. So we enter into the chaotic nature of the sukkah, and these seem to be paradoxical themes. It seems to be like on the one hand, it's man simchaseinu, and we're now post Yom Kippur, and we're leaving Yom Kippur with the feeling of innocence. And so there's a tremendous feeling of joy. On the other hand, we enter into the temporary nature of the sukkah. We read Koheles. We underscore the temporary nature of all things. How do we live with this paradox of being exceptionally besimcha and exceptionally in a state of chaos all at once? The paradoxical nature of sukkah is unified by the idea that we are besimcha because of the chaos. The chaos gives us the opportunity to reach into dimensions of ourselves that we could not have possibly explored or begun to know if it weren't for the chaos of our lives.

25:52 Of course, none of us desire this chaos. This is not what we want. But the nature of the world is chaos. This is how Avram Avinu finds. We know the medrash says that Avram Avinu Again, it's the Darch Mashiach, but Avram Avinu was walking down the road and he saw a palace on fire, and he couldn't understand why the owner of the palace wasn't putting out the fire, and so he screamed out, "Who is the Bal Habira? Who is the owner of this palace?" And Hakadosh Baruch Hu sticks his head out the window and he says, "Hineini, I am the Bal Habira. It's my palace," which means that Hakadosh Baruch Hu. Is found. He's discovered within the palace being on fire. In the words of Rabbi Sir Doctor Chief Lord Jonathan Sachs, every title in the world. But what an amazing person he was. Rabbi Sachs says that Judaism does not deny the chaotic nature of the world. As many religions just go, it's not chaos. Everything Akhodesh Baruch does is for the best. That might be true. Of course, we believe Gamzulutova. And Kol Mand Aved Rachmanu LeTav Aved, but we also believe that the Bira is Dolekas.

26:56 We believe the palace is on fire. There's a tragic nature to this world, not tragic in the Greek sense of the word, where there's tragedy for no reason, but the nature of our tragedy is purposeful. Gamzu LeTova Kol Mand Aved Rachmanu LeTav Aved, and yet we don't know the purpose. We believe that there's a purpose, but we don't know the purpose. So we live with the fact that there is a palace, and the palace is on fire. But we also believe that within that palace that's on fire, Hakadosh Baruch Hu is meant to be found specifically in those places. And so Avram Avinu calls out and he says Hakadosh Baruch Hu, where are you? Because the chaotic nature of the world forces us to ask the question: Where can we find God? How can we respond to this palace being on fire? And that's exactly where Avram Avinu finds Hakadosh Baruch Hu. He finds him within the palace that's on fire.

27:45 And this is what we saw this year. It's people that achieved levels of greatness that I don't know if they would have otherwise achieved in their lives. My roommate and a friend of mine since I was six years old, my roommate from when I was in yeshiva, his name is Aaron Schoenfeld. Aaron Schoenfeld moved to Israel. I think maybe it was a year and a half, two years max, before some chas Torah of last year, and he came and he had a whole business plan of how he was going to make it here in Eretz Yisrael, and the war hit. He quit all of his jobs. He was an entrepreneur. He stopped all of his businesses and created a non-profit organization. He did it in a couple of days, called Smiles for the Kids, and he's raised tens and tens of thousands of dollars, probably hundreds of thousands of dollars. He literally is going around the country, bringing smiles to families displaced from the south, displaced from the north, and families going through terrible things, making carnivals.

28:41 It's unbelievable to think about. Here was a guy, my roommate, regular guy, regular Joe, and look what he's done! Look what he became within the chaos! Look how he responded to the tragedy that we've encountered. He mamish became someone that he otherwise would not have become. So this is the first dimension. With you, I think it's the simple dimension. As crazy as that is to say, I think it's the simple dimension of the yeshpizin that the yeshpizin inspire us. That within the temporary nature of this world and the chaotic nature of this world. We find greatness. That is lesson number one, message number one, and certainly a very important message. There is a deeper dimension. It's what I'm about to read to you is unbelievable. It's literally unbelievable. Sometimes when you're preparing a shir, the shir is like it just comes together. You're not sure how it comes together.

29:36 And this article was just shared by a chaver of mine yesterday, written by a woman whose name is Mrs. Ya'el Libowitz from Modi'in. And I actually had the opportunity. I called her myself yesterday. I said, "I'm giving sheir." I was giving sheir exactly on this topic. And I called her. I said, "Mrs. Libowitz, I need a Torah shabbalpey. I need the Rashi Tosas on this article, because this article just opened up another dimension of the Yeshpiz." And I told her I had one sheir prepared. I'm going in a totally different direction now. Because of this article, I'll try to unpack the article for you while I'm reading it. But this article needs to be shared everywhere. This is one of those few game-changing articles of the year that literally reshape the way that we think. I'm gonna read it to you. We'll read it together. After the shi, I asked Mrs. Fast to share the article on the Zoom link over here.

30:32 Exalted, holy guests enter. Exalted, holy patriarchs to be seated in the shade of the exalted faithfulness enter. Avram, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Yosef, Aaron, David, Moshe. This is the tefillah that we say for the Yeshpizim. This article, what I am about to read to you, is based on Mrs. Liebowitz's own experiences of going to pay shiva calls for those that have lost a child in Lebanon, in Gaza. Gut-wrenching article. A mother sits in a tent in her backyard. Just for those of you that don't know, that's the way that people have been sitting shiva here because so many people come to pay shiva calls. It's just not possible to host everybody in your house. Fans blow from all four corners to keep those inside comfortable. Visitors sit in semicircles around her. Most are at a loss for words, but those who knew him well and share their memories bring her a sharp sort of comfort.

31:31 She laughs when his high school buddies recall the stunts he used to pull. And she hangs on to every word of those who fought alongside him. They're impossible to miss. Their boots are heavy and they smell like war. They've come straight to her house without even stopping to see their own families first. By the way, this is exactly what it's like when Eli Moshe Zimbalist Hashem Yikom Damo was killed in battle. My mother's next-door neighbor and my mother's closest student ever. When I went to pay a shiva call to Eli Moshe's parents, this is exactly what it was like. It was just soldiers coming straight from war to pay a shiva call because they felt they had to be there. And again, this is her own first person account of Mrs. Liebowitz expressing what it was like at a particular shiva call. A young woman bouncing a baby on her hip stands in the back with her husband. When his mother catches sight of her.

32:24 The women exchange a wistful smile, and his mother unconsciously fingers the safety pin holding her torn collar together. They both know that the woman in the back was his first true love. He didn't get a chance to finish the job he started. Visitors overhear his mother say to a sixteen-year-old girl from the north. Who has taken a four-hour bus ride to pay her condolences. But his soldiers will. They will make it safe for you again. This is true, by the way. People come from up north all the time. They come to pay shiva calls just to say thank you to those mothers that have lost their children. And this is a mother consoling a child who's taken a four-hour bus ride to say thank you for what her child did. The teenager from the north who never met the soldier but had heard his story hugs his mother goodbye.

33:12 And everyone watching is reminded what their people are made of. As the afternoon wears on and the crowd thins. Two men she has never seen before walk in. And take their seats opposite her. The older of the two has a warm, hospitable smile. The younger one seems shy. Do I know you? The mother asks. Yes and no, the old man answers. I too was asked to sacrifice my son. And the mother, thinking she understands, offers him an empathetic tilt of the head. What was he like? She asks softly. This is him, " the old man says, putting his hand on the shoulder of the shy man next to him. But I thought you said I was asked. But in the end, the old man glances up towards the heavens. He was saved by an angel. The old man is visibly pained for the mother as he says the words.

34:12 He rubs the chauffeur he has been holding in his lap. It is obvious to anyone looking at them that the son would do anything asked of him. I'm happy for you, she tells the old man. She reaches behind her for the framed picture of her son. Taken the day he was sworn in. His sun-kissed face is beaming with devotion as he salutes his superiors. She hugs the picture to her chest. My son, my only son, my beloved son She says under her breath. For those of you who haven't caught it yet, that was Avram and Yitzchak. Another old man sits just behind the first one. We've never met, he says, anticipating her question as she takes him in. There's a yellow string around his wrist. I never take it off, " he says when he notice when he sees her notice it And she knows there is more, so she leans in to hear his story.

35:06 I too had a son torn from me. His eyes grow dark as the memory surfaces. They brought me the blood-stained shirt he was wearing when it happened. I found out later that he had languished in a pit before being dragged over the border. The mother shakes her head, wanting to unhear the details. She tells them that no matter how many stories like this she has been told, each one feels surreal. One of the other visitors asks, with a tone of desperation, if they know what happened after he was taken. The father hesitates for a moment, taking in the faces around him before conceding. He was returned to me. My family is whole again. Some around him are euphoric; others look anguished. "I'm sorry, " he continues. I know that not everyone's story ends like mine. Of course, this is Yaakov and Yoseph. I'm happy for you, the mother says. But those sitting closest to her hear the almost inaudible moan that escapes her chest as she watches the old man leave the tent.

36:06 Supported lovingly by a younger man in a colorful coat. As they exit, a man dressed in fine white linen steps into the tent. The dusty soldiers do their best not to sully his immaculate outfit as they brush past him. He walks straight towards the mother and bows his head before taking a seat. She studies the man's face carefully. "Who have you lost?" she asked, intoning. "My two eldest, " he answers, in the line of duty. She tells him that her heart cannot fathom two. Serenely, he responds, "God takes the best of them." She's waiting for more, but the man in white falls silent. This is a reference to Aaron Cohen, who comes in the white linen of the Cohen Gadol who lost Nadav and Avihu, and he has nothing to say because Vayidom Aaron. Aaron's greatness is in his silence. She listens to the conversation swirling around her. This part, by the way, is true. This is not poetic. Missleibowitz told me she based it on the true story.

37:12 The medic who tried to save this boy's life, who was killed in Lebanon. Came to pay a shiva call to the mother. We know he did everything he could. She hears her husband tell the mother of a young medic. Her husband is looking off in the distance as he says the words. He doesn't look the mother of the medic in the eyes, but he repeats his words a second time and asks that she relays them. A group of older kids from the neighborhood stands around a table littered with plastic plates and store-bought cookies. They flip through the photo album. The family is left for others to peruse and reflect on how many blows their small community has suffered. Loss is a part of their daily lives now. So is fear. But they refuse to stop laughing. Make a bracha on the food in his memory. A stocky old woman in a headscarf says as she pats the arm of one of the boys and she shuffles past.

38:06 Good kids, you're all good kids. They get a kick out of her, and one of the girls offers to help her back to her car. For those that have paid these shiva calls, you know that bubbie is by every single shiva call. She, somehow, Eretz Yisrael is full of those bubbies who just pat kids and just say, "You're all good kids. You're all good kids." The mothers' friends clear plates, replenish cookies, heat up dinner, and serve tea. When there's no food left to busy themselves with, they hover. Until that week, the mother admits to one of them as she takes the bowl of soup being offered, she did not realize how profoundly loving the act of hovering is. As she brings the spoon to her mouth, a ruddy-cheeked man sits down to her right. His face is battle weary, and his hands are streaked with dirt.

38:54 He too is new to her, so she asks him if he knew her son. Not personally, he says, but I know the battle he was fighting. And I know how fierce the enemy is. All of you, young, beautiful boys, she says, biting her lip to stop its quivering. And we send you off to fight monsters. They are monsters, he agrees, well-trained monsters. And seeing their perverse hatred up close is haunting. But if not us, he asks, with a conviction that no longer surprises her Then who? By the way, this is based on a true story about Mrs. Liebowitz. Was talking to my friend Yankee Mickley's son Who was going off to war And he said, "If not us, who? None of us want to be fighting. None of us want to be doing this, but of course we have no choice." The mother tells him about all the plans her son had.

39:47 "What would you do?" she asks him. "If you didn't have to go fight the monsters?" The man blushes. "Come on," she persists. I've always wanted to be a songwriter. The mother smiles. You have a poet's soul, she says. I saw it the moment you sat down. The warrior blushes again. Please be careful out there, she says, knowing how futile her words are. Our enemies outsize us, he says, unflinching. But we have a weapon no army in the world has. The mother nods in agreement. That, of course, is a reference to Davar Melech. When the last of the visitors leave, the mother pulls her aching body out of the low chair. She relishes the tense quiet. But it's interrupted by a boy who slows his run as he enters the tent. "I'm not here to stay," he tells her breathlessly, realizing that he has arrived too late.

40:39 "I was just told to deliver this," he says, handing her an envelope. The woman is caught off guard. "Who writes letters these days?" she says before tearing it open. The words seem to illuminate the page. I have spent my entire life studying God's teachings, but His ways remain inscrutable. I also spent my life yearning to get to the land of Israel, but that too remained beyond my grasp. I stood on a mountain once and looked over. It was nothing. It was like nothing I had ever seen. And I never wanted anything as badly. I know there are so many like me who wanted to get back to our homeland, but history would not allow it. Your son lived on our land and died for our people. There is no greater Jew than he. In humility and gratitude, I send you strength to continue for the sake of our everlasting people.

41:30 That, of course, is a reference to Moshe Rabbeinu. The mother puts the letter back in the envelope and slips it into her pocket. In a few days' time, the holiday will start. And the week after that, Simchas Torah. None of the adults she has spoken to know how they're going to get through it. Everything is still so raw. And the horrors are ongoing. The boy turns to leave, but before he does, he says, "My friends and I will be back next week to put up your sukkah." You don't need to worry about it. Just let us know when to come. He says it kindly but nonchalantly. That's how she says to herself And smiles at the young boy in humility and gratitude. This article touched me so deeply because it Gave us a new perspective on what the Yeshpizen are. Maybe they don't only come to inspire us to achieve greatness. Maybe they come just to sit next to us and share in our pain.

42:32 Maybe nobody could know the pain of what it means to live through the times that we've been living in. Like Avram and Yitzchak Who were literally called upon to make the greatest sacrifice, but were only saved by a moment, by a Malach. Maybe only Yaakov and Yosef can understand the pain of what it means to lose a son. To monsters, to be held in captivity. And even though in that case there was a reunion Maybe only they can know the pain of those families that will never have that reunion. And maybe it takes an Iron Akojin who lost his children and Vayidomaro and reached that incredible level of having no tainas on a Godosh Baruch Hu. And he understood that Nadav and Avihu were taken because they were the best of them. They were the biggest tzaddikim. They were meant to be the future leaders of Am Yisrael.

43:20 Maybe only Aaron and Cohen could sit with us in the sukkah and be menachem avol. Maybe only David Hamelch understands what it means to fight an enemy that is so much greater than us in number. But not to be afraid of the goliaths that exist out there. It doesn't matter if the entire world isn't against us. We know that we have a Kol D'Kodesh Baruch Hu on our side. And we know that the fight is just And we're willing to do whatever it takes. None of us want to be in this position, and none of us wanted to see our children become soldiers. Maybe it takes Moshe Rabbeinu to appreciate what it means to live in Eretz Yisrael, because he was never able to reach Eretz Yisrael himself. And maybe it's the kindness and the humility of Moshe Rabbeinu that says, 'Your children are the best of us, and they literally gave their lives for their people.'

44:10 But ultimately, at the end of the article, the Yeshvizen coming and paying their shiva calls—it's the child that says, "We'll be back to build Yerushalayim." Because you're not alone. Because you're a Jew, and because we're with you. And perhaps that's the greatest gift that we can give each other in this time—just to keep reaching out to each other in love and in kindness, in humility, and in pain, and just to be able to share the pain of another Jew—to be imo anochi betzara. I grew up in a yeshiva called Yeshiva Darke Torah. For the life of me, I can't remember Rabbi Bender ever giving us a shmuz on Friday about the value of sitting and learning b'hasmada. But I promise you I remember over and over again how Rabbi Bender told us that the main thing is to be a balchesed, and that when a Jew is in pain, you have to be imo anochi b'tzara.

44:59 We have to build each other's sukkas for those people that don't have people to build their sukkas. In Mevaseret, there are a number of young men, married young men, that have gone out to fight. And they're no longer there just to take out the garbage. There's a Torah nut in the yeshiva. There's a Torah nut of boys that go every day and take out the garbage so that the mothers don't have to schlepp the garbage themselves. A small thing. But something to be imo anochi b'tzara. Not only that, our Talmud Torah is for these precious soldiers to be saved, and every word of Torah we know is a magain for these soldiers. But also, on a very basic human level, to reach out to another who's in pain and say, 'You're not alone.' And ultimately, that's the greatest redemption of the pain that we're going through as we enter into the Sukkah this year. To understand that we can live with a tremendous amount of pain, but we can also be besimcha, because those Jews who were the most simchadic Jews, Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Yosef, David, Moshe, Aaron, all of them, all of these Zion roim—they're the shepherds. Because what it means to be a shepherd is to be with your flock.

46:04 Especially in times of exceptional pain. And so the second level of the Yeshpizen is not just telling us, not just reminding us that greatness is found in our weakest and most difficult moments, but perhaps even one dimension greater than that—that the ultimate expression of the Yeshpizen is to sit with a Jew when they're in the chaos of the sukkah When we're surrounded by flimsy walls and flimsy schach, and we have no idea what's going to come But we know we're not alone. Every Jew sits out in their sukkah together. None of us are better than anybody else. It doesn't matter if we live. In the biggest houses with the fanciest cars On Sukkot we're all together in the flimsiness, in the temporary nature of our world. And so I want to wish everybody a beautiful Yom Tov. And when it comes to this Simchas Torah If you feel you can't dance It's understandable.

47:00 What we saw this year is beyond human comprehension. But if there is one way that we're going to be able to dance, the only way that we're going to be able to dance is together. Because Simchas Torah is a Shavuos-like event. There are a lot of very deep connections between Shmini Atzeres, Simchas Torah, and Shavuos. Not to get into right now because we're out of time. But there's a lot of very deep connections, and to understand that just as we were zochah to Kabbalas Torah because we stood ki isha chad beleiv chad, the only way that we're going to be zochah to a Simchas Torah this year. If we will be Keisha Chad Beleve Chadif, we'll be dancing in a way that every single Jew is united. And I know that we're not allowed to be masav al yomtiv. And I know that there are those people that said we should commemorate October seventh because we don't want to commemorate it on some chas Torah because we shouldn't be sad on yomtiv.

47:47 But personally, I feel it's really just the opposite. We shouldn't be celebrating only October seventh. We have to celebrate October seventh because that's the way the nations of the world understand the tragedy. But we should understand that this happened on Simchas Torah. It happened last year when we weren't able to dance in a circle altogether because there were those of us that had to leave Simchas Torah and leave the circle to go off and fight. And there are those of us that are not back in the circle this year because tragically they gave their lives to save ours. But the only way that we're going to be able to dance is if we dance together. And I'll share with you one last thing that I heard that's very beautiful. Again, from my mechanic, just as I was coming over here It's inappropriate to be Masav on Yom Tov. But this year, he told me in his shul that before every single hakafah They're going to say they're going to declare this hakafah is for those that can't be here because they're out fighting, and then they're going to start hakafah aleph.

48:41 And they're going to say this hakafah is for the chaturvim, for those people that are still being held hostage and can't dance with us, and then they'll have hakafah bais, and then they'll say and this hakafah is for those that can't be with us because they lost their lives fighting for us, and that'll be Hakafah Gimel. And each one is going to have a special union of dancing with those that can no longer be with us in Simchas Torah, or can't be with us in Simchas Torah because they're off doing exceptionally important things. Sukkis is a time when all of us sit. Besukah, Achas, the Gemara says we all sit together. And if that's true on Sukkot, then it's going to be true on Simchas Torah. The only way that we're going to make our way out of this is if we can sit with each other together. Imo Anochi Butzara, feeling the pain of every single Jew, and be'ez Hashem, we should be zeicher. We should be zeicher to the ultimate nechama that comes with the greeting of Mashiach Zekenu, which be'ez Hashem will be the end of this entire story.

49:34 Wishing everyone a beautiful yomtov. Wow! Thank you, and thank you Rabbi Berg. Is there a minute that, or if anybody has a question that they could ask you, please? Sure. Anybody that has any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. I think everybody is Not so many words right now. But if anybody has, please don't hesitate. It's understandable if there are no questions. I have not a question And I'm not on camera. Sorry, Weiss. Because no one wants to see me right now. Thank you. That was really, really. After what happened yesterday at the base, I just can't function. I had told me that we're on that base. So thank you. This is needed to hear. I think it's not a question. It's more like I feel so. I wish there was more we can do. Obviously, we dive and we get sedaka. What can we do?

50:49 What is there? Is there something we can volunteer ourselves for here in America that would make a difference? Any of those opportunities. There are all these amazing organizations that are doing so much, and I can't imagine how difficult it must be to be so many thousands of miles away from Eretz Yisrael right now. I'm sure it's very difficult to be away from home now more than ever. And I think your question is a very practical one. I'd like to give a very practical answer. I don't think you need me to tell you about all the amazing organizations that exist that are doing Hashem's work and that we can donate to. But I will say this: I think it brings an exceptional comfort to those who are living here to know that even if you can't be here physically, we're with you. Distance cannot be a cause for cognitive dissonance.

51:39 And if we're so many thousands of miles away, and we're going on our chalimoid trips, which we should, because that's what the soldiers want—they want us to live our lives. But if we're going on these trips without a thought in the world about the people that are suffering and the people that are doing everything they can for us, that's inappropriate. And so maybe one thing that we can do is we can just take a moment over Sukkot and just remind our children and remind our families that if there's an illness in the body, that means there's an illness in the soul. Rabbi Cherevi Zeichesad the Kavrocha would always say to somebody who came to him for a medical question, he would say, "You have a medical question. You have to go to the best doctors, but don't forget that any healing that has to happen because the body and the soul are connected has to happen equally with both the body and the soul."

52:24 And so he'd always say to be makabel on themselves something, because if you want to really heal yourself, make a kabbalah. I think this year the ultimate Kabbalah really ought to be imo anochi b'tzara and to take the time to do something extra if it's an extra dvar Torah or an extra couple of minutes in the sukkah. It means a lot to the people here to know that those who cannot be here are really with us. I think that is a tremendous thing. Sometimes it's very painful when I speak to some of my chaverim that are very far away, not just in distance but very far away emotionally. It's very painful to talk to them because They talk as if nothing is happening, and in our world here in Eretz Yisrael, there's no such thing as nothing is happening. It was when the latest missile barrage from Iran came. I was home, my wife was home, my oldest daughter with her son was home, and my other son was home. My other daughter was home as well. The rest of my kids were out.

53:19 And I can't describe to you what it's like to be in a mamad and to be making frantic phone calls to make sure that everybody's okay and that everybody's in a safe place. As soon as the sirens are over, running out even before the time is officially up to just go collect them and bring them home because it's better to be there together. And it's this terrifying thing. And then to get on the phone with a friend who's living very far away, and just to act as if it didn't happen. It happened, and it's really important that all of Klal Yisrael is imah nochi b'tzara together. I know that you're looking for a practical answer. I think that's the most practical answer I could give. If you're looking for organizations to donate to, we could certainly furnish you with a list of amazing organizations. But I think in terms of avodah, that's probably the best answer that I can give. Okay. I think Mrs. Hershey, have your hand raised.

54:07 Did you mean to do that, or was that your beautiful grandson? That was me. Sorry for all the changing children on the lap. Something that has always been a very connecting thing for me, but now it's on a whole other level. And I think it just really takes what you said for me to follow. I was listening to I think I'm saying her last name right, Mrs. Edinger or Edingers, Lavaya. I listened to it eight times. And I made my children and my husband and everybody listen to it. And when we're talking about practical and what we could do, Hakadosh Baruch Hu Even though giving tzedakah is so important and helping organizations is so important, Hakadosh Baruch Hu needs us to change how we're living every single day. And Hakadosh Baruch Hu has chosen each one of these kedoshim and each one of these families to be a part of His plan to help change us.

55:05 And when you listen to these levayas and take the time out of your day instead of scrolling through social media, scroll through a levaya And listen to it a bajillion times And elevate yourself on some level from their strength and from how they're behaving, then I feel like we're raising up their neshamas to levels that we're supposed to be doing. That's the voda that I feel that we could be doing here on this earth while we're living, and they're not. Hashem chose them to help us know how to live better as human beings to each other and to our families and so on. I think just like you said, showing up like those shvisen, and showing up in people's lives and just sitting there or listening and learning how to become a better person from it. That's one of the greatest things we can do. Hundred percent, couldn't agree with you more. If this doesn't change the way you live I don't know what possibly would. Very beautifully said, Mrs. Hirsch. Thank you very much, everyone. Wishing everyone a good Yontif, and we should be Zeicher to Besuras Tavis B'kar of Mamish. Amen. Thank you. Thank you, Barry.