Four Species and sukkah draw down supernal joy

בענין הד' מינים בחג שנידונין בו על המים.

Concerning the Four Species (Daled Minim) on the festival, on which we are judged regarding water.

Sukkos, when the world is judged for rainfall, is bound up with the mitzvah of the Four Species.

וכללות בנ"י המה המעוררים לפתוח פי הבאר.

And the collective body of Bnei Yisrael are the ones who awaken the opening of the mouth of the well.

Bnei Yisrael are the ones who arouse from below the flow of blessing, "opening the well" of divine bounty.

כדאיתא בזוה"ק בפסוק עלי באר ענו שצריך התעוררות מלמטה.

As is brought in the Zohar on the verse "Rise up, O well, answer it" — that an awakening from below (is'arusa diletata) is required.

The Zohar teaches that the heavenly flow depends on an awakening initiated by us below.

באר חפרוה שרים כרוה כו' הם הד' מינים שבבנ"י.

"A well that princes dug, that nobles bored" etc. — these are the Four Species within Bnei Yisrael.

The verse's description of those who dig the well alludes to four types among Bnei Yisrael, paralleling the Four Species.

שרים בחי' ענף עץ עבות האבות שנקראו שרים.

"Princes" (sarim) — the aspect of the "branch of a thick tree" (the hadas), the Avos, who are called princes.

The hadas corresponds to the Avos, the "princes" who first dug the well.

נדיבי עם הערבי נחל.

"The nobles of the people" — the willow of the brook (the aravah).

The aravah, which grows by the brook, corresponds to "the nobles of the people."

במחוקק הוא היסוד שהוא כפות תמרים.

"With the lawgiver's staff" — this is the foundation (yesod), which is the "branches of date palms" (the lulav).

The lulav, the palm branch, corresponds to the lawgiver and to the sefirah of yesod.

במשענותם האתרוג.

"With their staves" — the esrog.

The esrog corresponds to "their staves," completing the parallel of the Four Species to the diggers of the well.

וממדבר מתנה הוא סיוע הסוכה שרומז לדור המדבר שהי' הנהגה למעלה מהטבע.

"And from the wilderness, a gift" — this is the support of the sukkah, which alludes to the generation of the wilderness, whose mode of conduct was above nature.

The continuation of the verse, "and from the midbar a gift," hints at the sukkah, recalling the desert generation that lived by miraculous, supernatural providence.

וכן הוא כפי התאספות הד' מינים כך שורה עליהם בחי' הסוכה שהיא נועם ה' שחל שם שמים על הסוכה.

And so it is: according to the gathering together of the Four Species, so does the aspect of the sukkah rest upon them — which is the "pleasantness of Hashem" (noam Hashem), for the Name of Heaven rests upon the sukkah.

When the Four Species (the four types within Yisrael) are united, the holiness of the sukkah — Hashem's pleasantness and Name — descends upon them.

ואמת כי תכלית כל העבודות לזכות למתנת עליון והמים הוא הרמז להברכה הבאה מן השמים בחג הזה על כל השנה.

And it is true that the purpose of all the avodos is to merit the supernal gift; and the "water" is the hint to the blessing that comes from Heaven on this festival for the entire year.

The goal of all our service is to receive the gift from above; the water for which we are judged symbolizes the year's blessing drawn down on Sukkos.

ואיתא אין כלי מחזיק ברכה אלא שלום.

And it is taught: no vessel holds blessing except shalom (peace).

Only peace can serve as the vessel to contain and retain blessing.

והחג הזה הוא בחי' השלום מדתו של אהרן אוהב שלום כו'.

And this festival is the aspect of shalom, the trait of Aharon, who loved peace etc.

Sukkos embodies the middah of shalom, exemplified by Aharon HaKohen, the lover of peace.

והוא כענין השבת קודש שנק' ג"כ שלום.

And it is like the matter of Shabbos Kodesh, which is also called shalom.

Like Shabbos, Sukkos too bears the name shalom.

והענין הוא כשזוכין לקבל החלק מהשורש שיש לבני ישראל למעלה כי בעולם הזה הם כמו פלג גופא.

And the matter is: when one merits to receive the portion from the root that Bnei Yisrael have above — for in this world they are like "half a body" (pelag gufa).

In Olam Hazeh a Jew is only half-complete; shalom comes when he receives his upper portion and is made whole.

ולכן בש"ק שמתעלין ומקבלין הנשמה יתירה נק' שלום.

Therefore on Shabbos Kodesh, when one is elevated and receives the neshamah yeseirah (additional soul), it is called shalom.

Shabbos is called shalom because the neshamah yeseirah completes the "half body," restoring wholeness.

וכמו כן בזה חג האסיף.

And likewise on this Festival of Ingathering (Chag HaAsif).

The same completing of the "half body" happens on Sukkos, the festival of ingathering.

וע"י שמתאספין למטה מקודם חל עליהם החלק שלמעלה כמ"ש ויהי בישורון מלך בהתאסף כו'.

And through gathering together below first, the upper portion rests upon them, as it is written, "and He became King over Yeshurun when [the heads of the people] gathered together" etc.

When Bnei Yisrael first unite below, their higher portion descends upon them — kingship and unity above follow gathering below.

הוא הד' מינים והסוכה כנ"ל.

This is [the meaning of] the Four Species and the sukkah, as above.

This gathering and elevation is enacted through the Four Species and the sukkah.

וזה עצמו נכלל בפי' בסוכות הושבתי פי' כשהוציאנו הקב"ה ממצרים העלה אותנו עד השורש והוא בחי' תשובה ובחי' שבת.

And this very idea is included in the meaning of "In sukkos I caused [Bnei Yisrael] to dwell" — meaning, when Hashem took us out of Mitzrayim He raised us up to the root, which is the aspect of teshuvah and the aspect of Shabbos.

"I caused them to dwell in sukkos" means Hashem elevated us at the Exodus all the way to our supernal root — a return (teshuvah) to our source, akin to Shabbos.

ולכן צריך הסתר ע"י הסוכה כמ"ש ג"כ בשבת פורס סוכת שלום עלינו.

Therefore a covering is needed by means of the sukkah, as we also say regarding Shabbos, "He spreads the sukkah of peace over us."

This elevation requires the concealing shelter of the sukkah, just as Shabbos brings the spread "sukkah of peace."

והענין עפ"י המד' בשיר השירים שובי שובי השולמית כו' מה תחזו כו'.

And the matter is according to the Midrash on Shir HaShirim: "Return, return, O Shulamis… what will you behold" etc.

The Midrash on the verse "Return, O Shulamis" frames the next idea — the nations calling Bnei Yisrael, "the Shulamis," to return.

כי הד' מינים הם רמז לד' דגלים הד' מינים שנמצאו בנפשות בני ישראל.

For the Four Species are a hint to the four banners (degalim) — the four types that are found in the souls of Bnei Yisrael.

The Four Species correspond to the four banners of the camp, representing four distinct soul-types within Bnei Yisrael.

וכתיב איש על דגלו באותות כו' שנתדבקו כל השבטים באותות המיוחד להם.

And it is written, "each man by his banner, with the signs" etc. — that all the tribes cleaved to the sign unique to them.

Each tribe attached itself to its own distinctive "sign" or banner.

והם אותיות הוי"ה ב"ה וב"ש כדאיתא בזוה"ק.

And these are the letters of the Name Havayah, blessed is He and blessed is His Name, as is brought in the Zohar.

The four banners correspond to the four letters of Hashem's Name, as the Zohar explains.

ויש לכל בני ישראל אחיזה שם כמ"ש ושמך כו' עלינו קראת.

And every Jew has a grasp there, as it is written, "and Your Name… You have called upon us."

Each Jew is bound to a letter of the divine Name, for Hashem's Name is called upon Bnei Yisrael.

וכן מבקשין בנטילת לולב לידע איך שמך נקרא עלי.

And so, in taking the lulav, we ask to know how Your Name is called upon me.

Taking the lulav is a request to recognize how Hashem's Name rests upon us.

ואז נק' השולמית.

And then one is called "the Shulamis."

When the divine Name is recognized within Yisrael, they earn the title "Shulamis" (the perfected one of shalom).

ובזה מקנאים האומות לבנ"י ואומרים שובי.

And regarding this the nations are envious of Bnei Yisrael and say, "Return!"

The nations, envious of this closeness to Hashem, call upon Bnei Yisrael to "return" to them.

והסוכה שהוא רמז לענני הכבוד המכסין לבנ"י כמו שהיו נכסין במדבר שהיו אז בשלימות לגמרי.

And the sukkah, which alludes to the Clouds of Glory (Ananei HaKavod) that covered Bnei Yisrael — just as they were enveloped in the wilderness, when they were then in complete wholeness.

The sukkah recalls the Clouds of Glory that enveloped Bnei Yisrael in the desert, when they were entirely whole and elevated.

וזהו השמחה שהי' בבית השואבה.

And this is the joy that was at the Bais HaSho'evah (the place of the Water-Drawing).

This wholeness is the source of the great rejoicing at the Simchas Bais HaSho'evah.

דכתיב הרבית הגוי לו הגדלת השמחה.

For it is written, "You have increased the nation, You have magnified the joy."

The pasuk links the increase of the nation to the magnifying of its joy.

הרבית הוא כמו הרבה אתכם הרים אתכם וכשמתעלין עד השורש הוא עיקר השמחה.

"You have increased" (hirbisa) is like "He multiplied you," "He raised you up"; and when one is elevated up to the root, that is the essence of joy.

Reading "hirbisa" as "He raised you up," true simchah is the joy of being elevated all the way to one's supernal root.

ובזוה"ק פ' וירא (קי"ו א') דורש בפסוק תחת כו' עבדת ה' בשמחה זו כהנא ובטוב לבב לואי מרוב כל ישראל ע"ש.

And in the Zohar, Parshas Vayeira (116a), it expounds on the verse "Because [you did not serve Hashem]… serve Hashem with joy" — this is the Kohen; "and with goodness of heart" — the Levi; "from the abundance of all" — all of Yisrael; see there.

The Zohar divides the verse's expressions of joyful service among Kohen, Levi, and the whole of Yisrael — each with its own form of simchah in avodah.

והוא בחי' הג' מועדות פסח הוא בחי' לוים בשיר לכן פה סח והוא על הדינים שנעשין במצרים בעבורינו.

And this is the aspect of the three festivals: Pesach is the aspect of the Levi'im, in song — therefore "the mouth speaks" (Pe-sach) — and it is about the judgments that were carried out in Mitzrayim on our behalf.

Pesach corresponds to the Levi'im and song (the name Pesach read as "the mouth speaks"), recounting the judgments Hashem visited on Mitzrayim for our sake.

ושבועות הוא כללות ישראל.

And Shavuos is the collective whole of Yisrael.

Shavuos, the giving of the Torah, corresponds to the entirety of Klal Yisrael.

ובסוכות השמחה שהוא העבודה בשורש כהנא דמיחד יחודא.

And on Sukkos is the joy that is the avodah at the root — the Kohen, who effects the unification (yichud).

Sukkos corresponds to the Kohen, whose joyful avodah reaches the very root and unifies the worlds.

ואיתא מי שלא ראה שמחת בית השואבה לא ראה שמחה מימיו.

And it is taught: whoever did not see the rejoicing of the Bais HaSho'evah never saw rejoicing in his days.

The Mishnah declares the Simchas Bais HaSho'evah the greatest joy one could ever witness.

דכתיב משוש כל הארץ.

For it is written, "the joy of all the earth."

The Mikdash (Tziyon) is called "the joy of all the earth."

וכמו שמקום זה נתן שמחה לכל המקומות.

And just as this place gave joy to all places.

In the dimension of space, the Mikdash radiated joy to every place on earth.

כמו כן בזמן.

So too in time.

The same radiating of joy applies to the dimension of time.

הזמן שהי' המקדש קיים נתן שמחה לכל הזמנים לפניו ולאחריו.

The time during which the Mikdash stood gave joy to all times, before it and after it.

The era of the standing Mikdash radiates joy backward and forward across all of time.

וכל מה שנמצא שמחה בעולם הוא התנוצצות מבית המקדש.

And all the joy that is found in the world is a glimmer (hisnotzetzus) from the Bais Hamikdash.

Every bit of true joy anywhere is a spark radiating from the Bais Hamikdash.

וחג הזה נקרא זמן שמחתינו שע"י הסוכה מתגלה הארה משמחת המקדש.

And this festival is called "the time of our rejoicing" (zman simchaseinu), for through the sukkah an illumination from the joy of the Mikdash is revealed.

Sukkos is "the time of our joy" because the sukkah draws down a glimmer of the Mikdash's joy even now.

ואיתא מצות שקבלו עליהם בשמחה עדיין עושים כו'.

And it is taught: a mitzvah that they accepted upon themselves with joy, they still perform etc.

Chazal teach that mitzvos first accepted with joy retain their vitality and are still kept joyfully.

והג' מתנות שהי' לדור המדבר מן ובאר הי' ע"י מריבות.

And of the three gifts that the wilderness generation had — the manna and the well came about through quarrels (merivos).

Of the desert's three gifts, two — the mann and the well — were given amid the people's complaints.

וענני הכבוד קבלו בשמחה כמ"ש זכרתי לך חסד נעוריך כו'.

But the Clouds of Glory they received with joy, as it is written, "I remember for you the kindness of your youth" etc.

The Clouds of Glory alone were received joyfully, recalled by Hashem as the loving devotion of Yisrael's "youth."

והפסוק משבחם כמה פעמים ויש אשר ישכון כו' יום או יומים כו' עפ"י ה' יחנו כו'.

And the verse praises them several times: "and there were times when [the cloud] would rest… a day or two days… by the word of Hashem they would encamp" etc.

The Torah repeatedly praises Bnei Yisrael's devotion in following the cloud, encamping and journeying solely by Hashem's word.

ויסעו ע"ש.

"And they would journey"; see there.

They moved only when the cloud lifted, in complete submission to ratzon Hashem.

ולכן נשאר זכר ממתנה זו לדורות בימי הסוכות:

Therefore a remembrance of this gift remained for the generations in the days of Sukkos.

Because the Clouds of Glory were received with joy, they alone were established as an eternal remembrance — the mitzvah of sukkah.

Summary: On Sukkos, when we are judged for water, the collective Bnei Yisrael awaken the flow of blessing from below; the Four Species correspond to four soul-types (and the four banners and letters of Hashem's Name), and when united, the holiness of the sukkah — Hashem's pleasantness and the Clouds of Glory — rests upon them. Only shalom can hold blessing, so Sukkos, like Shabbos, completes the Jew's "half body" by drawing down his upper portion. The joy of the Bais HaSho'evah is the joy of being elevated to one's root; just as the Mikdash radiated joy across all space and time, the sukkah now reveals a glimmer of that joy. Because the Clouds of Glory alone among the desert's gifts were received with joy, they remain forever as the mitzvah of sukkah.