SPECTATORS OR PARTICIPANTS

Say our Sages: “On the first day of Sukkot, a person cannot fulfill his obligation by waving a Lulav that does not belong to him or her.” (Mishnah Sukkah 3:13).

The Lulav (palm branch) together with the myrtle, the willow and the Etrog (citron) makes up the Arba’a Minim (the Four Species) that symbolize the harvest. But they symbolize more than that. According to our Sages the Lulav represents the spine; the willow, the lips; the myrtle, the eyes; and the Etrog, the heart.

Thus, there is a profound message in the fact that a person must use his or her own Lulav and not one that is borrowed. We cannot live our lives with some one else’s heart, or spine, or lips or eyes. We must bring to the adventure of living our own heart and soul.

Too often we approach life as spectators, rather than as participants. We are content to sit on the sidelines and watch other people live. Sukkot falls during the football season and faithfully every Sunday millions of people will watch as others play. I sometimes think that football is the great religion in American life. It moves us and inspires us. But it does not motivate us to participate.

We approach Judaism in the same way. We watch as others observe. We watch as others study. We watch as others pray. And then we wonder why Judaism doesn’t turn us on.

The truth is that the spectator cannot possibly know the emotions and the feelings and the satisfactions of the participant. From its very inception, the Synagogue was an institution that involved the people and urged their participation. It was never meant to be the exclusive domain of the “professionals.”

And so the Synagogue today invites and urges participation. It can give so much. But it needs your heart and soul. It needs your involvement.

No one can eat for me or sleep for me or live my life for me. No one can be Jewish for me. Whatever is worthwhile and has meaning for us, we must do ourselves.

This is the grand message of Sukkot.