One of the central commandments of the Sukkot Festival, called Tabernacles, is the animal sacrifices made for the 70 Nations of the world, during the Temple period.
These sacrifices go on diminishing, starting from 13 bulls on the first day and finishing at 7 on the seventh day of the festival, which makes a total of 70. (Numbers 29) Why do we go along the diminishing order and not increasing, if the purpose is to bless the nations?
The answer is found in the explicitly stated reason, for the chosen status of the children of Israel.” It is not for your multitude that God has desired you and chosen you. But because you are the smallest of all peoples.”(Deuteronomy 7-7)
“because you are the smallest..” Ki atem hame’at.
Our Sages explain: “for you make yourself small.” Ki atem mema’atim et Atzmekhem.
By making ourselves small, depending on Hashem’s Mercy. Not by being proud and haughty and feeling superior. Humility before Hashem is the opposite of nationalism and xenophobia.
In Sukkot the children of Israel prayed for all the nations and the people of the world to live in peace. At the same time they were giving the world the way to be loved and “chosen”, that is by diminishing in ego before Hashem, and thus be like the children of Israel, who “make themselves small” only having the faith in Hashem and the wisdom of Torah to protect them in this world.
Abraham made himself small.
Jacob was the youngest.
Moses was the humblest.
David was the smallest among his brothers.
Solomon did not claim Kingship for himself like his brothers.
Throughout the Tanakh, we are reminded that humility, precisely the opposite of pride or sense of superiority, is the basis of being chosen by Hashem.
SUKKOT is the festival of Joy, called zman simhateinu.
On these days we must celebrate the joy of sharing with the world that humility brings us to proximity with the Divine.
The simplicity of the Sukka, where we dwell for 7 days for all to see, the simplicity of the mitsvot of Etrog and the 4 minim which are fruits and plants, all point to being humble to reach authentic joy.
Humble does not mean feeling powerless.
On the contrary, it means being aware of the power of Hashem, above and beyond our limited human abilities.
This is reflected in Sukkot being also the festival of water, because water was brought at this time as an offering in the Temple.
Water is softest and most humble, yet when gathered as one it can turn into the mightiest force of nature.
During the nights of Sukkot the greatest of Sages, including Hillel himself,used to perform dances and even acrobaties in the Temple for the people, to make them rejoice. This was called Simhat Beit haSho’eva, the Rejoicing of the house of Water drawing.
When a person decides to make other people truly happy, he can access any level, even the level of children, without feeling that they are inferior to him. Their joy is his reward.
It is in the very heart of that joyful humility, that one finds the secret of Hashem’s choosing.
HAG SAMEAH MOADIM LESIMH’A!
SUKKOT and the meaning of to be “chosen”.
