ע"ל סימן תרכ"ד דמצוה להתחיל בעשיית הסוכה מיד במוצאי י"ה וכתב מהרי"ל מיד לאחר יה"כ יעשה הסוכה ואפי' אם הוא ע"ש דמצוה הבאה לידך אל תחמיצנה:
One should try to begin building the sukkah immediately after Yom Kippur so that one goes one from one mitzvah to another.
אמר רבי אבין: משל לשנים שנכנסו אצל הדיין ולית אנן ידעין מאן הוא נוצח, אלא מאן דנסב באיין בידיה, אנן ידעין דהוא נצוחייא. כך ישראל ואומות העולם באין ומקטרגים לפני הקב"ה בר"ה ולית אנן ידעין מאן נצח, אלא במה שישראל יוצאין מלפני הקדוש ברוך הוא ולולביהן ואתרוגיהן בידן, אנו יודעין דישראל אינון נצוחייא. לפיכך משה מזהיר לישראל ואומר להם: ולקחתם לכם ביום הראשון:
This commandment is a parable that describes two people who contend in a legal battle before the King. Although the two people were not informed in whose favor the judgment was issued, they can figure it out by looking to see who walks out still holding his weapons. Thus Israel along with the nations of the world face the Divine judgment on the Day of Atonement. We cannot tell which one emerged victorious, which is why God commanded You shall take for yourselves ... You can see from the fact that Israel emerges from before God holding its palm leaves and citrons, its lulav and etrog, that Israel emerged victorious.
The worshiper also needs Sukkot which counterbalances Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur takes place inside; Sukkot takes place outside. On Yom Kippur we fast; while on Sukkot we feast. On Yom Kippur we pray and study with our minds; for Sukkot we build with our might. On Yom Kippur we hold a book in our hands; on Sukkot with the lulav and etrog we hold nature. On Yom Kippur we are serious and introspective; on Sukkot we are told to be joyful.
Yom Kippur peels all your protective layers and helps you enter that joy, Sukkot says, hey, don’t rush to reinstall that armor, hang out, vulnerable, in this fragile hut and discover that you can hold this open joyful space for longer. You’re ok. Stay here. Make joy a habit.
A Story
A man once came before the Chazon Ish (a Russian-born Orthodox rabbi, 1878-1953) and explained that he didn’t have enough money to pay his taxes and, therefore, would not be allowed to vote in an upcoming election. The Chazon Ish responded: “You should sell your tefillin and pay the taxes… tefillin, you can borrow from another, but the right to vote you cannot get from someone else.”
(ב) לא תהיה אחרי רבים לרעות - אם הם דנים שלא כדין לפי דעתך ואף על פי שלא יאמינו לך כי אם למרובים.
(2) לא תהיה אחרי רבים לרעות, if, in your opinion, the majority are about to commit an error in judgment, do not remain silent because they are the majority, but state your view. This applies even if you know beforehand that they will not accept your viewpoint but that of the majority.
כל צרכי ציבור שאינן יכולין להשוות עצמן יש להושיב כל בע"ב הנותנים מס ויקבלו עליהם שכל אחד יאמר דעתו לשם שמים וילכו אחר הרוב
For any community matter on which they cannot find common ground, they should convene all taxpayers, and they should agree that each will voice his view altruistically, and they will follow the majority
“The rights guaranteed by the constitution and the Bill of Rights have allowed us the freedom to practice our religion without interference and to live in this republic in safety. A fundamental principal in Judaism is Hakaras HaTov(gratitude); recognizing the benefits afforded us and giving expression to our appreciation. Therefore it is incumbent upon each Jewish citizen to participate in the democratic system which guards the freedoms we enjoy.”
תָּנֵי רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בַּר יוֹחָאי, מָשָׁל לִבְנֵי אָדָם שֶׁהָיוּ יוֹשְׁבִין בִּסְפִינָה נָטַל אֶחָד מֵהֶן מַקְדֵּחַ וְהִתְחִיל קוֹדֵחַ תַּחְתָּיו, אָמְרוּ לוֹ חֲבֵרָיו מַה אַתָּה יוֹשֵׁב וְעוֹשֶׂה, אָמַר לָהֶם מָה אִכְפַּת לָכֶם לֹא תַחְתִּי אֲנִי קוֹדֵחַ, אָמְרוּ לוֹ שֶׁהַמַּיִם עוֹלִין וּמְצִיפִין עָלֵינוּ אֶת הַסְּפִינָה.
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai taught a parable: Men were on a ship. One of them took a drill and started drilling underneath him. The others said to him: What are you sitting and doing?! He replied: What do you care? Is this not underneath my area that I am drilling?! They said to him: But the water will rise and flood us all on this ship!