Rabbi Guzik - A Bisl Torah

A few days ago, I encountered some poor customer service. I made an appointment, arrived, was told the appointment had changed, and asked to come back later. I rearranged my schedule, came back for the new appointment, and was informed to return in a few hours.

It happens in mere seconds. The book of Devarim, the final verses of the Torah are read, we stand in recognition and less than a minute later, the first book of the Torah takes its place. If someone left the room, the transition between ending and beginning would hardly be apparent.

The holiday of Sukkot provides a directive for hospitality. But not just the welcoming of friends and family in the here and now. There is an ushering of spiritual guests from the heavens above.

As the Talmud explains, a kosher sukkah provides more shade than sun. Rashi teaches that the sukkah’s shade is meant to be a respite from the heat. Imagine wandering in the desert. The less shade, the more susceptible one is to the outside elements. The beating of a sweltering sun is slightly mitigated with a few branches overhead.

My favorite mitzvah of the year comes immediately after Yom Kippur. As the last shofar blast pierces the night, we are supposed to run home and start building our sukkah. The first nail hammered into the ground to symbolize an urgency to begin our year with action.

Our youngest child started kindergarten. It is a special feeling to have a “last first.”

About a year ago, I purchased two potted lemon trees. For months I marveled over the trees’ phases of life. The beautiful white flowers, many visiting hummingbirds, and luscious fragrance of beginning blooms. Over time, I noticed dozens of green buds emerging from the branches. Finally! Our lemon tree was producing fruit. And yet, day by day, my family would wonder, “When will these green buds ever turn yellow?” We even thought, perhaps, we purchased the wrong trees. Did the nursery accidentally switch our desired lemon trees for limes?

A few weeks ago, one of our beloved Sinai Temple members, Norman Pell passed away. Norm epitomized goodness. There is no other way to explain it. I know I wasn’t special in the ways he interacted with me because everyone felt the same way. Norm’s love for others went above and beyond.

Today is my 40th birthday. While most birthdays feel special in some way or another, my 40th feels significant. Perhaps because one of my most vivid childhood memories is celebrating my father’s surprise 40th birthday. I couldn’t believe that I was invited to a party with so many adults. And now, I look back at the moment and wonder if my dad felt exactly the way I do today. Sure, I woke up, age 40. But really, aren’t I just a kid? My license tells one story, but my internal clock is feeling quite young.

On our family road trip to the Grand Canyon, we decided to take a leisurely shuttle to see the various viewpoints. Our driver was surprisingly convincing, encouraging us to get off at the first overlook. We spent ample time looking at the splash of colors painted across the canyon and watched mules make their way towards the Colorado River. But then we realized we missed some important information from our bus driver. The only option for getting back to the visitor center was to keep walking to the next overlook.