A Rich History
One Sukkot holiday, as I made my way toward the yeshiva in France with my four species in hand, I met my gentile neighbor. He stopped me to ask, “I met many people today walking like you, holding various plants. What are these plants? What do they symbolize?”
“They are the four species,” I answered.
But he was not satisfied. “What does that mean?” he continued. I briefly explained about the lulav, etrog, hadas, and aravah, which we are commanded to take on this festival.
The man took advantage of our religious discussion and continued, “Every year, I hear you singing in your little huts. Do you build a hut every year? What is the purpose of it?”
- Taking the four species
I began explaining the subject of the sukkah, relating that the Jews left Egypt many years ago. “Egypt?” he asked, puzzled. “When was this?” He knew that my family did not hail from Egypt.
“A couple of thousand years ago,” I replied.
He laughed and asked what had happened then. I related that our nation traveled in the Wilderness for forty years. “Why in the Wilderness?” he wondered, “It’s so hot by day and cold by night.” I then explained that Hashem enveloped us in Clouds of Glory, which protected us from the cold, the heat, wild animals, and all the dangers of the road. Therefore, we celebrate Sukkot, in memory of these wonderful clouds.
“And you mean to tell me that you believe all this?” he asked, incredulous.
“Certainly!” I exclaimed. “I celebrate this holiday specifically because I believe that Hashem redeemed us from Egypt, took us through the Wilderness, gave us the Torah, and brought us into our Land.”
He took his leave and left me with the thought that a gentile can never understand our faith in Hashem, as well as all of the wonderful holidays commemorating the many miracles which were done for our ancestors throughout our history. Gentiles do not have a history of faith.
Am Yisrael is the only nation which has weathered the batterings of history. Throughout the generations, they know that they are the descendants of our Avot and continue their legacy. Our virtue as the eternal nation lies in the fact that we transmit our rich heritage to the future generations. In this manner, our children, too, are proud of their unique status as the Chosen Nation. They will surely pass on the legacy to their children to come. A nation that has a past also has a future.
