Sukkah Sensitivity - A Paradigm for Communing with the Outside World

Sukkah Sensitivity

originally posted Sept. 23, 2013 

Sukkah Sensitivity (c) 2000 by Rabbi Richard Wolpoe

 
One of the laws of the Sukkah roof {aka SCHACH} tells us if the shade is less than 

50%  it is invalid. And on the other hand, any thatched SCHACH that is so thick that 

rain cannot permeate is also not valid.

So the cover must be more shade than Sun, yet not so shady that neither rain nor the 

Starlight can penetrate.

This can be considered a metaphor for how a Jew should deal with the outside world.

A protection or barrier of less than 50% is invalid,it is too prone to assimilation.
It is by definition more outside than inside, it is too permeable to be considered valid 

protection. However, any barrier that does not allow rain drops or Starlight, that is so 

thick-skinned as to be totally insensitive to the outside world, is also no good.  IOW, 

avoiding assimilation does not entitle us to erect barriers that completely eliminates 

sensitivity to the outside world at large.

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Kol Tuv- Best Regards,
Rabbi Richard Wolpoe
RabbiRichWolpoe@Gmail.com