Torah Thoughts
Sukkot is such a fun holiday! It is so PALPABLE! Eating and even sleeping outside, looking at the stars, smelling the Etrog, shaking the Lulav… every time I feel so CONNECTED to every generation that came before! I guess the commandment to do this, for the reasons stated (see the Sukkah text), have worked!
Moses in the Cleft of the Rock… waiting to see G-d’s back
On Shabbat Chol Hamoed Sukkot we read the story of Moshe Rabbeinu asking G-d to SEE Him. G-d tells Moshe Rabbeinu this would kill him, but that he COULD “see” G-d’s back, protected in the crevice of a rock (OK, I think this snack could be improved, but this is what I have for now). Afterwards, Moshe states the 13 attributes of G-d.
Please understand that the “face” and “back” are understood to be not literal. G-d has no face, no palm, no back. But a mere human could not comprehend G-d as a whole.
The reading ends with:
“Feast of Ingathering” is another name for Sukkot.