So here I am, home from a marathon Devarim/Tehillim session. It's Hoshana Rabba, the last time for us to repent for our numerous sins. Of course, you can do it on Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah too, but it's not quite as fun. What could possibly be better than hitting willow branches on the floor? Of course, there is a lot to be said for making Kiddush, but most of it is better said after Kiddush is made, and since that won't be happening over here for a couple hours yet, you're out of luck. Not to worry, because what's coming up is almost as good.
That is, nothing. Long and bitter experience has taught me that in many cases, the very best thing that can possibly be said is nothing. It is almost never necessary to have the final word, and usually, it would have been much better to have no word at all. And with these words of wholly unoriginal wisdom, I'll leave you be.
Monday, October 20, 2008
By your leave
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Sefer Haminhagim- Dor Hashmini: Minhogei Sukkah V'Chumarov
28. Some chassidim (the same ones that get drunk and beat their wives every shabbos) have a minhag to make kiddush on Hoshana Rabba in the Sukkah ... In fact, some hold that one must drink, lchol hapochos, a reviis of mashkeh every day in the sukkah.
29. In Lubavitch we're careful not only to brech in the sukkah, but to make sure that not even a drop of the effluence flows outside.
30. However, if one sees his chaver drunk and unconscious in the sukka, he mustn't delay to drag or push him into the backyard or off the balcony, because of the well known custom of Nisieinu not to sleep in the sukka.*
* Because of the strick adherence of this minhog, it's not enough to let the unconscious chaver sleep "unter di tishen" like at a regular year-long farbrengen. One of the Gedolei Roshei Hayeshivos V'Hamashpiyyim of this generation, who is known for his undying hiskashrus was once observed saying at a farbrengen "even Misnagdim sleep under their tables in the sukkah." So, because of the klal that chassidim must always outdo misnagdim, afilu ad mesirus nefesh mamosh, any chossid that sees his friend sleeping in the sukkah must be doicheh him b'shtei yodayim.
Another Rosh Yeshiva, farbrenging in the sukkah in the chatzer of the Ohel once said: On Sukkos, you have to live in your sukkah "Teishevu k'ein tadoru." Should we act differently than the whole year on Sukkos and not sleep under the table?
Tzorich iyun godol, aval baal nefesh yechamir al atzmo to chuck a table over the balcony onto his inebriated chaver.
A most impressive comment, Nemo, I see that you started your Simchas Torah early this year.
Purim ...
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