Wednesday, October 7, 2020

Different Kinds of Succahs

My Uncle just shared with me his thoughts on the argument in Tractate Succah 11b -12a (including Tosafos) between Rabbi Yochanan and Raish Lakish. They argue about the nature of the clouds of glory. Did these clouds ascend from the ground or descend from heaven? 

My Uncle suggested that from a Kabbalistic view the argument can be restated as whether these clouds were a result of an "arousal from below" or an "arousal from above". He suggested that both are true. When human behavior was appropriate, there was an "arousal from below" and no need for one from above. When behavior was inappropriate, then the clouds needed to continue functioning on the basis of an "arousal from above" only.

Then he ended the lesson with that it's good to consider what kind of Succah we're sitting in. Is it one which is from an "arousal from below" or one which is from an "arousal from above" or perhaps some kind of mixture?

Chag Same'ach!

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