As we have studied Masechet Sukkah together, we have stressed two themes: that of simcha, joy; and…
Sukkah 52: The Greatest Joy
“Whoever did not see the celebration of the drawing of the water (simchat beit hashoeva) has…
Rabbi Alex Israel to be Scholar in Residence on March 29
Rabbi Alex Israel will serve as scholar in residence on the Shabbat of March 29 at Zichron Yisroel…
Sukkah 48: Pass the Water
In a recent post, we discussed the opposition to the mitzvah of placing the arava on the altar. An…
Sukkah 46: A Daily Dose of Blessings
“Rav Yehuda said in the name of Shmuel: lulav, seven; and sukkah, one” (Sukkah 45b). So…
Sukkah 45: Seeing Double
The arava, the willow branch, has a dual function on Sukkot. It is the last of four species that…
Sukkah 43: My Lulav Is Better Than Yours
Despite the explicit command to take the lulav on the first day of Sukkot--…
Shemini: Holy Cow!
In Jewish law, it is the middle that is most important. We surround the sefer Torah with …
Sukkah 38: Shake the Lulav
"A child who knows how to shake [the lulav] is obligated to take the lulav" (Sukkah 42a).
Sukkah 36: Lulav in the Sukkah
We tend to view the mitzvoth of sitting in the sukkah and the arba minim (henceforth…
Sukkah 35: Long Live the Etrog
The Rambam in his introduction to the Mishna divides the Oral Law into various categories. He…
Sukkah 34: Don't Cut Yourself
"And you shall take for yourself on the first day pri etz hadar, a beautiful fruit tree,…
Sukkah 30: Why Steal a Lulav?
My first introduction to the writings of Rabbi Soloveitchik was in yeshiva in Israel when I…
Sukkah 27: I Love My Sukkah
Considering that one is supposed to live in one’s sukkah as one lives in one’s home one…
Sukkah 26: I'm Too Busy
"Rabbi Yossi Haglilee used to say: One who is involved in a mitzvah is exempt from another…
Sukkah 22: Seeing Stars
One of the basic requirements of a sukkah is that the s'chach provide more shade…
Parshat Shekalim (Pekudei): Pre-empting Haman
“Reish Lakish said: It was well known beforehand to Him at whose word the world came into…
Sukkah 21: Time to Go to Bed
As important as classroom education may be, informal education is often more valuable. "The…