Relationship with Shabbat
Our last piece studied the significance of Shabbat, the holy day that signifies our relationship with Hashem and occurs each week. In addition to Shabbat, Hashem commands us to observe Moadim - holy days that also signify our relationship with Him, but occur once a year.
Like Shabbat, we are prohibited from performing work on the Moadim, but for a very different reason. Shabbat prohibits work because the goal is to commemorate Hashem’s cessation of work on that day. On Moadim, we refrain from work to distinguish the day, celebrate it, and focus on its message and theme.
Importance
Celebrating the Moadim properly is of great significance. One who disrespects them loses their portion in the Next World. This is because the Moadim are a time when we meet with Hashem - either by physically travelling to the Beit HaMikdash or, at least, by being in His Presence. The relationship experienced on the Moadim explains why Chazal compare one who disrespects the Moadim to an idol worshipper. Neither person is appropriately focused on their relationship with Hashem.
Two Frameworks
The Torah presents two types of Moadim: the three Regalim and the Yamim Tovim of Chodesh Tishrei. Let’s study each type.
Regalim
Sifrei Shemot and Devarim present the first type of Yom Tov - the three regalim. The Torah calls these Yamim Tovim “regalim” because they are times we are meant to travel by “foot” to the Beit Midkash. The regalim reconnect us with Hashem and His Holiness, which is most palpable in His holy Temple. They are also times to reconnect with the rest of the Jewish people, who all make the pilgrimage together.
Each of the regalim also has unique historical and agricultural significance. The Torah first makes this point regarding the first Moed of the year, Pesach. In Shemot 13, the Torah presents Pesach’s historical significance - we are commanded to observe the holiday to commemorate and show appreciation for Hashem’s taking us out of Mitzrayim (Egypt).
Later in Sefer Shemot, the Torah adds that Pesach falls in the “month of spring.” Pesach is the beginning of the agricultural growth cycle. It is a time when we feel, and thus need to express, our dependence on Hashem for our sustenance. Hashem began our history as a people by redeeming us from Mitzrayim in the spring. Each year, we connect the spring of the agrarian process to our national spring, and, in the process, remind ourselves to attribute the agricultural growth to the same G-d who freed us from Mitzrayim during the spring thousands of years ago.
The Torah emphasizes this agricultural aspect even more with regard to the other two regalim, Shavuot and Sukkot. Though both of these regalim commemorate historical events (Matan Torah and the sukkot of the desert, respectively), the Torah presents Shavuot only as the chag (holiday) of “harvest” and Sukkot (mainly) as the chag of “gathering.”
The Torah links moments of agricultural success to historical events to remind us who we should thank for both. After completing the harvest between Pesach and Shavuot, we thank Hashem for both His physical and spiritual sustenance: the crops and the Torah. After gathering the crops by Sukkot, the Torah commands us to celebrate before Hashem in His Beit Hamikdash and sit in sukkot to remember how Hashem protected us in the desert. We show our appreciation of the fact that just as He protected and provided for us then, so He continues to do so today.
The Month of Tishrei
Sukkot is also part of the second framework of Moadim - those of the month of Tishrei. The month of Tishrei is a month of Moadim. It is the only month with more than one - in fact, it has three! More than a third of the month is holidays.
Why is Tishrei so special?
The answer lies in the fact that it is both the “end of the year” and the “beginning of the year.” It is both the first month and the seventh month. On the one hand, it is the seventh month of the year that begins in Nissan. On the other hand, it is also viewed as the beginning of the year in its own right.
Agriculturally, Tishrei marks the end of an agricultural cycle and the beginning of a new one. We finish gathering last year’s crops and begin anticipating and praying for the rains that usher in the next cycle.
Rosh Chodesh Tishrei is also Rosh Hashanah. It is when Hashem created the world and thus evaluates its direction. He judges each of His creations and determines what role they will play in His world in the upcoming year. This reality requires us to recognize Hashem as Creator and King and to affirm our commitment to serving Him properly. Hashem’s judgment and our reflection on our relationship generate the ten-day period of teshuvah that culminates with the forgiveness, atonement, and purification of Yom Kippur, the day Hashem first showed His forgiveness of the Jewish people through Moshe’s descent with the second pair of Luchot.
The Duality of Sukkot
Sukkot completes both of the Moadim cycles; it is the third holiday of each cycle.
On the one hand, it is the third of the regalim, the third time we make the pilgrimage to Yerushalayim. It is also the end of the agricultural cycle, when we celebrate the gathering of the crops that began their growth in the spring and pray for the rain that will jumpstart the next cycle.
On the other hand, Sukkot is the third of Tishrei’s holidays. It is when we celebrate the forgiveness and purification we achieved on Yom Kippur. We celebrate the fact that Hashem has once again chosen the Jewish people and each of us as individuals.
Sukkot’s duality, its celebration of the successful completion of both cycles, explains why we offer double the number of rams and sheep offerings each day of Sukkot (compared to other holidays) and why the Torah mentions simchah, joy, so many times in reference to Sukkot. Sukkot is the ultimate celebration of personal and agricultural success.
May appreciating our Moadim help us properly commemorate and celebrate each of them!
Rav Reuven Taragin is the Dean of Overseas Students at Yeshivat Hakotel and the Educational Director of World Mizrachi and the RZA.
His book, Essentials of Judaism, is available at rabbireuventaragin.com.