Sukkos

“Speak to the Children of Israel and say to them: ‘(These are) the holidays of Hashem which you shall proclaim, holy convocations-- ‘These holidays are Mine!’’”
(Vayikra 23:2)

The language of this verse is curious-- why does the Torah stress-- with repetition in the first person no less-- that the holidays here ennumerated are Hashem’s holidays? We’ve seen often, no repetition or stress is superfluous. If so, what is the meaning in this case?

Even though the verse has already said, “These are the holidays of Hashem”, we shouldn’t understand this to be a generic statement, identifying these days as times of rest and happiness, similar to the celebrations of the other nations of the world. Rather, the holidays of the Jewish people are of another type entirely.

The purpose of the Jewish “yom tov” is no less, as our verse tells us, than to proclaim to the world the holiness of the Almighty. Hence, it is only in that they are “holy convocations”, that is, opportunities for us to give testimony to the presence of holiness in the world, that our holidays are “My holidays”. This, and just this, is the purpose of the Jewish celebration.

What a different perspective on the concept of “holiday” than that so common in the world around us! (The Sefer Hachinuch explains as such in his commentary on the mitzva of the 4 species-- at a time of inherent joy such as Sukkos, we are given a mitzva which daily reminds us to use that joy for the sake of heaven, to recognize that it is from him that all joy comes. Edit.) Chag sameach!!

(This d'var Torah is based on the work Peninei Daas, the essays of the Telsher Rosh HaYeshiva Rabbi Eliyahu Meir Bloch, zt"l, edited by Rabbi Noson Tzvi Baron, shlit"a, and Rabbi Avrahom Chaim Levin, shlit"a, vol. 2, p. 51-2)