1. May G‑d bless each and every one of you and your families — the men, women, and children. For festivals should be celebrated together with many others, how much more so, together with one’s family, one’s fellow congregants, and one’s relatives.
May this happiness continue throughout the year. This is particularly true since the previous year was “a year of miracles,” and this year, an alef was added to the name of the year, making it a year when, “I will show you wonders.” This implies a higher level of miracles, events which are considered wondrous even when compared to miracles, and as the Rabbis explain, are wondrous even when compared to the miracles that accompanied the exodus from Egypt.
May these also include the most important and greatest miracle, the coming of Mashiach. May he come speedily, in the blink of an eye so that we can continue the celebration of the festivals in the ultimate redemption.
The potential for this is enhanced by the fact that this year we have three sets of festivals which — together with the Shabbos that follows them — form a three day continuum of holiness. Rosh HaShanah and Sukkos are followed by Shabbasos and similarly, Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah are followed by Shabbos Bereishis.
May this lead to a new beginning for the creation at large, in keeping with “The new Torah which will emerge from Me.” At the very first moment of the redemption, the new Torah will already be revealed for that moment will include complete perfection and fulfillment as is promised in regard to the redemption, including the changes that will take place in the natural order.
This is appropriate on Erev Sukkos and how much more so, during the “season of our rejoicing” for rejoicing breaks through all barriers and limitations. May this rejoicing lead to the feast of the Leviathan and the wild ox, which in addition to the spiritual significance implied, will be a feast in this material world.
What is fundamentally important is that we are “shown the wonders” of the ultimate redemption immediately. This is particularly relevant at present since, as related in the prophet Zechariah’s vision, the holiday of Sukkos is intrinsically related to the redemption and to its influence on the seventy nations of the world.
May this all take place immediately so that we can recite our afternoon prayers — and even prepare for those prayers — together with the entire Jewish people in Eretz Yisrael, in Jerusalem, in the Beis HaMikdash, and in the Holy of Holies. And of fundamental importance, may this take place immediately.
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