Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 18 Tishri, 5785
Sukkot Day 4

Good afternoon!  Today is the fourth day of Sukkot, and we are working our way towards Simchat Torah. There are only a few days left before we “begin again” with the Torah.  We’ve been down a long journey in the Torah this past year. We are counting down to the time we can start over.

Starting over may create feelings within us – feelings like relief over getting “another chance” to start again – or anxiety because all the work we’ve engaged in? We start over and wipe the slate clean.

The lessons though – they stick with us in 5785. We don’t start Genesis with no context. We start with the knowledge of the work we’ve put in already.

How does it feel for you to “begin again?”

Here are my thoughts from last year:

Sukkot Day 4:

Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 18 Tishri, 5784

Chag Sameach! it is day FOUR of Sukkot.  We are almost halfway done with the harvest festival as we make our way toward the turning back of the Torah and starting over with Genesis.

Today’s reading is digging in deeper into part of the the portion we read yesterday (Number 29:17-25).  We are reading Numbers 29:20-28.

First. Let’s look at what we read yesterday, from Numbers 29:

17: And on the second day, twelve young bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs in the first year, [all] unblemished.

18: And their meal offerings and their libations, for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, as prescribed.

19: And one young male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, its meal offering, and their libations.

So yesterday, we started with the offerings the Torah discussed for day two of Sukkot.  12 bulls. 2 Rams. 14 Lambs. All unblemished. Meal offerings and libations (read drink poured out)for these animals. And one young male goat.

Today, we start with an overlap from yesterday:

20: And on the third day, eleven bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs in the first year, [all] unblemished.

21: And their meal offerings and their libations, for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, as prescribed.

22: And one young male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, its meal offering and its libation.

23: And on the fourth day, ten bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs in the first year, [all] unblemished.

24: Their meal offerings and their libations, for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, as prescribed.

25: And one young male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, its meal offering and its libation.

So yesterday, we covered day 2, 3, and 4 of Sukkot.  Today we cover day 3, 4, and 5 (still to come below)

And what do we notice? The first thing I notice is a countdown.

Nothing changes with these offerings each day of Sukkot – EXCEPT the number of bulls. Going back to Day 1 of Sukkot – 13 bulls. Day 2 of Sukkot – 12 bulls. Day 3 of Sukkot – 11 bulls. Day 4 of Sukkot – 10 bulls.

Today we are on 10 bulls. We add on today’s portion with the following part of the Torah:

26And on the fifth day nine bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs in the first year, [all] unblemished.

27And their meal offerings and their libations, for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, as prescribed.

28And one young male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, its meal offering, and its libation.

So it seems like we have a pattern.  Each day of Chol Hamoed, we read about yesterday’s offering. Today’s offering. and Tomorrow’s offering.

The message I hear is “context.” Sukkot is a Holiday that is all about context.  What is coming ahead – what came before – what is this moment?

We are called to harvest the work in our lives – in context.  We must NOT forget what came before. We must NOT ignore what is coming. AND. We need to be in a moment.  We can’t get stuck in yesterday’s offerings.  Today we are lighter than yesterday.  We sacrifice less than yesterday.

I wonder if the Harvest is about moving away from sacrifice towards thriving?

How many of us live lives where we BELIEVE our purpose IS sacrifice? That if we are NOT sacrificing, working hard, etc – that we aren’t worth much to Hashem?

And yet, we see a picture here of the sacrifices getting easier each day of the Harvest.  And I am reflecting on Day 1 being 13 bulls. Or we Can look at it from 13 + 2 + 14 + 1 = 30.

Day 2 = 12 or 29

Day 3 = 11 or 28

Day 4 (Today) = 10 or 27

All the way to day 7:  7 or 7+2+14+1 = 24

I won’t spoil the sacrifice on Day 8.

But this is interesting to me.  Today, we sacrifice 10 bulls/27 total animals.

The sacrifices get easier. What do you think of that?