(א) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יהוה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה פְּסׇל־לְךָ֛ שְׁנֵֽי־לֻחֹ֥ת אֲבָנִ֖ים כָּרִאשֹׁנִ֑ים וְכָתַבְתִּי֙ עַל־הַלֻּחֹ֔ת אֶ֨ת־הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָי֛וּ עַל־הַלֻּחֹ֥ת הָרִאשֹׁנִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר שִׁבַּֽרְתָּ׃ (ב) וֶהְיֵ֥ה נָכ֖וֹן לַבֹּ֑קֶר וְעָלִ֤יתָ בַבֹּ֙קֶר֙ אֶל־הַ֣ר סִינַ֔י וְנִצַּבְתָּ֥ לִ֛י שָׁ֖ם עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ הָהָֽר׃ (ג) וְאִישׁ֙ לֹֽא־יַעֲלֶ֣ה עִמָּ֔ךְ וְגַם־אִ֥ישׁ אַל־יֵרָ֖א בְּכׇל־הָהָ֑ר גַּם־הַצֹּ֤אן וְהַבָּקָר֙ אַל־יִרְע֔וּ אֶל־מ֖וּל הָהָ֥ר הַהֽוּא׃ (ד) וַיִּפְסֹ֡ל שְׁנֵֽי־לֻחֹ֨ת אֲבָנִ֜ים כָּרִאשֹׁנִ֗ים וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם מֹשֶׁ֤ה בַבֹּ֙קֶר֙ וַיַּ֙עַל֙ אֶל־הַ֣ר סִינַ֔י כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה ה׳ אֹת֑וֹ וַיִּקַּ֣ח בְּיָד֔וֹ שְׁנֵ֖י לֻחֹ֥ת אֲבָנִֽים׃ (ה) וַיֵּ֤רֶד יהוה בֶּֽעָנָ֔ן וַיִּתְיַצֵּ֥ב עִמּ֖וֹ שָׁ֑ם וַיִּקְרָ֥א בְשֵׁ֖ם יהוה׃ (ו) וַיַּעֲבֹ֨ר יהוה ׀ עַל־פָּנָיו֮ וַיִּקְרָא֒ יהוה ׀ יהוה אֵ֥ל רַח֖וּם וְחַנּ֑וּן אֶ֥רֶךְ אַפַּ֖יִם וְרַב־חֶ֥סֶד וֶאֱמֶֽת׃ (ז) נֹצֵ֥ר חֶ֙סֶד֙ לָאֲלָפִ֔ים נֹשֵׂ֥א עָוֺ֛ן וָפֶ֖שַׁע וְחַטָּאָ֑ה וְנַקֵּה֙ לֹ֣א יְנַקֶּ֔ה פֹּקֵ֣ד ׀ עֲוֺ֣ן אָב֗וֹת עַל־בָּנִים֙ וְעַל־בְּנֵ֣י בָנִ֔ים עַל־שִׁלֵּשִׁ֖ים וְעַל־רִבֵּעִֽים׃
(1) The Eternal said to Moses: “Carve two tablets of stone like the first, and I will inscribe upon the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you shattered. (2) Be ready by morning, and in the morning come up to Mount Sinai and present yourself there to Me, on the top of the mountain. (3) No one else shall come up with you, and no one else shall be seen anywhere on the mountain; neither shall the flocks and the herds graze at the foot of this mountain.” (4) So Moses carved two tablets of stone, like the first, and early in the morning he went up on Mount Sinai, as the Eternal had commanded him, taking the two stone tablets with him. (5) The Eternal came down in a cloud—and stood with him there, proclaiming the name יהוה. (6) The Eternal passed before him and proclaimed: “!יהוה! יהוה a God compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and faithfulness, (7) extending kindness to the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin—yet not remitting all punishment, but visiting the iniquity of parents upon children and children’s children, upon the third and fourth generations.”
Discussion: what is the nature of God described in this passage? What is implied by the notion of the Divine being both compassionate and forgiving, but also punishing?
הַשְׁכִּיבֵֽנוּ ה׳ אֱ־לֹקֵֽינוּ לְשָׁלוֹם וְהַעֲמִידֵֽנוּ מַלְכֵּֽנוּ לְחַיִּים וּפְרוֹשׂ עָלֵֽינוּ סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶֽךָ.... וּשְׁמוֹר צֵאתֵֽנוּ וּבוֹאֵֽנוּ לְחַיִּים וּלְשָׁלוֹם מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה׳ שׁוֹמֵר עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל לָעַד:
Help us, Lord, to lie down in peace, and awaken us again, our Sovereign, to life. Spread over us Your sukkah (shelter) of peace.... Guard our going out and our coming in for life and peace for now forever. Blessed are You, Lord, Who guards Your people Israel forever.
I. Weekdays: From Shelter to Redemption
כִּ֤י יִצְפְּנֵ֨נִי ׀ בְּסֻכֹּה֮ בְּי֢וֹם רָ֫עָ֥ה יַ֭סְתִּרֵנִי בְּסֵ֣תֶר אׇהֳל֑וֹ בְּ֝צ֗וּר יְרוֹמְמֵֽנִי׃
[God] will shelter (sukkah) me in God's pavilion on an evil day, grant me the protection of God's tent, raise me high upon a rock.
וַיֵּצֵ֤א יוֹנָה֙ מִן־הָעִ֔יר וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב מִקֶּ֣דֶם לָעִ֑יר וַיַּ֩עַשׂ֩ ל֨וֹ שָׁ֜ם סֻכָּ֗ה וַיֵּ֤שֶׁב תַּחְתֶּ֙יהָ֙ בַּצֵּ֔ל עַ֚ד אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִרְאֶ֔ה מַה־יִּהְיֶ֖ה בָּעִֽיר׃ וַיְמַ֣ן ה'־ אֱ֠־לֹקִ֠ים קִיקָי֞וֹן וַיַּ֣עַל ׀ מֵעַ֣ל לְיוֹנָ֗ה לִֽהְי֥וֹת צֵל֙ עַל־רֹאשׁ֔וֹ לְהַצִּ֥יל ל֖וֹ מֵרָֽעָת֑וֹ וַיִּשְׂמַ֥ח יוֹנָ֛ה עַל־הַקִּֽיקָי֖וֹן שִׂמְחָ֥ה גְדוֹלָֽה׃
Now Jonah had left the city and found a place east of the city. He made a booth (sukkah) there and sat under it in the shade, until he should see what happened to the city. The LORD God provided a castor-bean plant, which grew up over Jonah, to provide shade for his head and save him from discomfort. Jonah was very happy about the plant.
מֵתִיב מָר בְּרֵיהּ דְּרָבִינָא, בָּעֶרֶב מְבָרֵךְ שְׁתַּיִם לְפָנֶיהָ וּשְׁתַּיִם לְאַחֲרֶיהָ. וְאִי אָמְרַתְּ בָּעֵי לִסְמוֹךְ, הָא לָא קָא סָמֵךְ גְּאוּלָּה לִתְפִלָּה, דְּהָא בָּעֵי לְמֵימַר ״הַשְׁכִּיבֵנוּ״! אָמְרִי: כֵּיוָן דְּתַקִּינוּ רַבָּנַן ״הַשְׁכִּיבֵנוּ״ — כִּגְאוּלָּה אֲרִיכְתָּא דָּמְיָא.
Mar, son of Ravina, objected: In the evening, one recites two [blessings] prior to [Shema] and two [blessings] afterward. But if you say one must juxtapose [the blessing of redemption, ga'al yisrael, to the Amidah prayer], doesn’t one fail to juxtapose redemption to prayer [in the evening], as one must recite: Help us lie down [Hashkivenu]? They replied: Since the Sages instituted Hashkiveinu, it is considered one extended [blessing of] redemption.
II. Shabbat: From Redemption to Peace
הַשכִּיבֵנוּ יהוה אֱ־לקֵינוּ לְשלום. וְהַעֲמִידֵנוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ לְחַיִּים וּפְרוש עָלֵינוּ סֻכַּת שלוֹמֶךָ.... וּשמור צֵאתֵנוּ וּבואֵנוּ לְחַיִים וּלְשלום מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עולָם: וּפְרוש עָלֵינוּ סֻכַּת שלוֹמֶךָ. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה הַפּורֵש סֻכַּת שלום עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל עַמּו יִשרָאֵל וְעַל יְרוּשלָיִם:
Help us, Eternal, to lie down in peace, and awaken us again, our Sovereign, to life. Spread over us Your shelter of peace.... Guard our coming and our going; grant us life and peace, now and always. Spread over us the shelter of Your peace. Blessed are you, Eternal One, who spreads the shelter of peace over us, over all Your people Israel, and over Jerusalem.
תָּא חֲזֵי, כַּד אִתְקַדַּשׁ יוֹמָא בְּמַעֲלֵי שַׁבַּתָּא סוּכַּת שָׁלוֹם שַׁרְיָא וְאִתְפְּרִיסַת בְּעָלְמָא. מָאן סוּכַּת שָׁלוֹם, דָּא שַׁבַּתָּא, וְכָל רוּחִין וְעִלְעוּלִין וְשֵׁדִין וְכָל סִטְרָא דִּמְסָאֲבֵי כֻּלְהוּ טְמִירִין.... וּכְדֵין עָלְמָא בִּנְטִירוּ עִלָּאָה וְלָא בָּעֵינָן לְצַלָּאָה עַל נְטִירוּ כְּגוֹן שׁוֹמֵר אֶת עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל לָעַד אָמֵן. דְּהָא דָּא בְּיוֹמָא דְחוֹל אִתְתַּקַּן דְּעָלְמָא בָּעְיָא נְטִירוּ. אֲבָל בְּשַׁבָּת סוּכַּת שָׁלוֹם אִתְפְּרִיסָא עַל עָלְמָא וְאִתְנְטִיר בְּכָל סִטְרִין.
Come and see: when the day is hallowed at the entrance of the Sabbath, a canopy (sukkah) of peace hovers, spreading over the world. What is the Sukkah of Peace? The Sabbath, when all spirits, whirlwinds, demons, and the entire dimension of iniquity are hidden away.... then the world enjoys supernal shelter, and we need not pray for protection, for example, "who guards God's people Israel forever." This has been prescribed for weekdays, when the world does need protection, but on the Sabbath a sukkah of peace spreads over the world, which is sheltered on every side.
III. Sukkot: From Peace to Wholeness
וַיְהִ֣י בְשָׁלֵ֣ם סוּכּ֑וֹ וּמְע֖וֹנָת֣וֹ בְצִיּֽוֹן׃
[God's] sukkah was in Shalem, and God's dwelling-place in Zion.
אֶֽבֶן שְׁתִיָּֽה. בֵּֽית הַבְּחִירָֽה. גֹּֽרֶן אׇרְנָֽן. דְּבִֽיר הַמֻּצְנָֽע. הַֽר הַמּֽוֹרִיָּֽה. וְהַֽר יֵֽרָאֶֽה. זְבֻֽל תִּפְאַרְתֶּֽךָ. חָנָֽה דָוִֽד. טֽוֹב הַלְּבָנֽוֹן. יְפֵֽה נֽוֹף מְשֽׂוֹשׂ כׇּל־הָאָֽרֶץ. כְּלִֽילַת יֹֽפִי. לִינַֽת הַצֶּֽדֶק. מָכֽוֹן לְשִׁבְתֶּֽךָ. נָוֶֽה שַֽׁאֲנָֽן. סֻכַּֽת שָׁלֵֽם. עֲלִיַּֽת שְׁבָטִֽים. פִּנַּֽת יִקְרַֽת. צִיּֽוֹן הַֽמְצֻיֶּֽנֶת. קֹֽדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִֽׁים. רָצֽוּף אַֽהֲבָֽה. שְׁכִינַֽת כְּבוֹדֶֽךָ. הוֹשַׁע נָא: תֵּֽל תַּלְפִּיּֽוֹת. הוֹשַׁע נָא:
Foundation stone, chosen house, threshing floor of Ornan, hidden sanctuary, Mount Moriah, Mount of One Who Is Seen, palace of Your splendor, residence of David, goodly ridge, beautifully placed, joy of all the earth, most beautiful bride, resting place of justice, place of Your dwelling, tranquil habitation, complete sukkah, pilgrimage of the tribes, precious corner, excellent Zion, holy of holies, inlaid with love, dwelling place of Your glory - please save!
הִנֵּ֥ה יֽוֹם־בָּ֖א לַה׳ וְחֻלַּ֥ק שְׁלָלֵ֖ךְ בְּקִרְבֵּֽךְ׃ וְאָסַפְתִּ֨י אֶת־כׇּל־הַגּוֹיִ֥ם ׀ אֶֽל־יְרוּשָׁלַ֘͏ִם֮ לַמִּלְחָמָה֒.... וְהָיָ֗ה כׇּל־הַנּוֹתָר֙ מִכׇּל־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם הַבָּאִ֖ים עַל־יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְעָל֞וּ מִדֵּ֧י שָׁנָ֣ה בְשָׁנָ֗ה לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֺת֙ לְמֶ֙לֶךְ֙ יהוה צְבָא֔וֹת וְלָחֹ֖ג אֶת־חַ֥ג הַסֻּכּֽוֹת׃
Lo, a day of the LORD is coming when your spoil shall be divided in your very midst! For I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem for war.... All who survive of all those nations that came up against Jerusalem shall make a pilgrimage year by year to bow low to the King the God of Hosts and to observe the Feast of Booths.
שיהיו בנ"י מבוררין להיות קנין להשי"ת יותר מכל הברואים. וע"ז כתיב ולמקנהו עשה סוכות. וכ' הפורס סוכת שלום פריסה לשון פרס וחלק כמ"ש חלק ה׳ עמו שבחר לו השי"ת חלק מהנבראים. והשי"ת לו השלימות ולמה בחר לו חצי דבר. אך כתיב אשכון את דכא כו'.... וזה הפורס סוכת שלום. כי באמת הנקודה פנימיות שבכל מקום הוא השלימות. וכן בנ"י מתוך כל הנבראים.
Why should Israel be selected from among all other creatures to be God's own possession? As Scripture says, "For [Jacob's] possessions are made sukkot" (Gen. 33:17). And it is also written "who spreads out [pores] a sukkah of peace." But the word pores also means "to divide," or "to choose a portion," for "God's portion is His people" (Deut. 32:9), which He has chosen from among all creatures. God is wholeness itself. Why then did He choose a fragment of something? Scripture answers: "I dwell with the lowly and those of humble spirit" (Is. 57:15).... This is the real meaning of "who spreads out a sukkah of peace [shalom]." The inner point is that everywhere is wholeness [shleimut]; Israel represents this among God's creations.
Notes: the translation from the Zohar is lightly adapted from Daniel Matt's in the Prizker Edition Zohar, while the Sfat Emet translation is lightly adapted from Arthur Green's in The Language of Truth.
IV. Peace - Not Perfection, But Wholeness
A Grayer Model: Paradox No More
Rav Kook (1865-1935), the first Ashkenazi chief rabbi of Palestine, and a Jewish thinker, halachist, Kabbalist and Torah scholar
Jewish law validates a sukkah even when it has gaping hoes, when it is built from little more than two walls, or has large spaces between the walls and the roof. Even such a fragile structure still qualifies as a kosher sukkah. The same is true regarding peace. Peace is so precious, so vital, that even if we are unable to attain complete peace, we should still pursue a partial measure of peace. Even an imperfect peace between neighbors, or between an individual and the community, is worthwhile. "How great is peace!" proclaimed the Sages (VaYikra Rabbah 9:9). The value of peace is so great that we pray for it even if it will be like a sukkah--flimsy and temporary rendered fit only by special laws.
translated from.Ma'Amarei HaRa'ayah vol. I, pp. 149-150
(טו) ס֣וּר מֵ֭רָע וַעֲשֵׂה־ט֑וֹב בַּקֵּ֖שׁ שָׁל֣וֹם וְרָדְפֵֽהוּ׃
(15) Shun evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it.
Discussion: is the Psalmist saying that "peace" is the opposite of evil? OR ... is it possible to read this as suggesting by saying "seek" and "pursue" that this is an ideal we move towards even if we do not fully achieve it?
Rabbi Irwin Zeplowitz
In English “peace” implies an absence of conflict, an idealistic vision of ease, comfort, and tranquility. Peace is the absence of war. In Hebrew, however, שלום is related to the word שלם “wholeness”, hinting to something more nuanced, maybe something less that perfect. To be whole suggests that “peace” involves holding two truths at the same time – a bit like the symbol of yin-yang.
Wholeness is a recognition that “peace” is dynamic, dark moments commingled with moments of joy. It is the acceptance that life is often hard, that even on Shabbat we live with disappointment and uncertainty. But (and it’s a big but) we refuse to allow our fear or pain to define us.
This is why, it seems to me, our tradition uses the sukkah as a symbol of peace. At first glance the sukkah is an odd, even counter-intuitive metaphor. Why chose something where the rain can spoil a meal or that the wind knocks down? That, however, may be the very point of our traditions – that we do not seek “perfect peace”, but hope for a life of a tempered peace, one where we are in constant struggle to bring good into the evil, and wary of the evil in the good we think we are doing.