Likkutei Torah · Sefer Shemos · Shabbos October 3
פרשת סוכות
Parshas Sukkos
4 maamarim of the Alter Rebbe on the parsha, in the Hebrew of the Kehot edition, with every marei makom opened right where it appears. Each small section with a faithful English translation and a short explanation.
Your progress in Parshas Sukkos
The maamarim 4
- ושאבתם מים בששון ממעיני הישועה And you shall draw water with joy from the wellsprings of salvation The three stages of the Temple service in Tishrei, the heavenly fire on the altar, the Sukkos water libation, and Shemini Atzeres that gathers them in, are three stages of love in the heart: fiery love aroused in prayer, the quiet self-nullification of nearness, and the lasting hold of that nullification through Torah study.
- ושאבתם מים בששון ממעיני הישועה (בישעיה י״ב) “And you shall draw water with joy from the wellsprings of salvation” The wine libation is Binah, understanding that can be put into words and brings joy by revealing; the Sukkos water libation is Chochmah, which is above letters and so was never written in the Torah. On Sukkos, through the teshuvah of Yom Kippur, even this distant Chochmah comes close and revealed, and so the water drawing was the greatest joy.
- להבין מ״ש ביום השמיני עצרת תהיה לכם To understand what is written, “On the eighth day there shall be an atzeres for you” The atzeres of Pesach is “to Havayah your G‑d” because it holds back the soul's great love so that G‑d is drawn down into Torah and mitzvos, yet only as a reflection; the atzeres of Shemini Atzeres is “for you” because on it the Torah as it is above, G‑d's own truth, is placed in Israel's mouths.
- ביום השמיני עצרת תהיה לכם On the Eighth Day, There Shall Be an Atzeres for You G‑d hides Himself on Rosh Hashanah the way a father hides from a wise son, only so that we will seek Him and the revelation of Sukkos will bring Him greater joy; on Shemini Atzeres He gives us His own crown, the Torah, and the acceptance of His kingship is gathered in for the whole year with a joy so deep it stays inward.
Learn it in seven days Sunday to Shabbos
The Rebbe asked that all the maamarim of the week’s parsha be learned in that week, spread over its seven days. Here is the parsha in seven portions of about equal length.