Taamei Hamitzvos - Rejoicing on the Festivals
By Rabbi Shmuel Kraines
Mitzvah #488; Devarim 16:14
We have a Mitzvah to rejoice during the three festivals, Pesach, Shavuos, and Sukkos. By bringing joy over the festivals into our hearts, we connect with their meaning and deepen our relationship with Hashem. As with any relationship, the joy that exists between the two parties is like emotional glue. It is similar to the way the joy that exists between a bride and groom at the time of their wedding bonds them together (see Rashi to Kesubos 8a).
Each festival commemorates a different fundamental event in our history and has its own flavor of joy, which enhances our relationship with Hashem correspondingly. When we rejoice on Pesach over our rise from slavery to Hashem’s chosen people, we become inspired to accept the yoke of His kingship with love. When we rejoice over the Giving of the Torah on Shavuos, we become inspired to study and fulfill it. On Sukkos, we rejoice over how Hashem took us under His wing in the Wilderness, and then showed unconditional love for us when He forgave our sin of the Golden Calf and returned to dwell among us. This celebration deepens our love and appreciation for Him and strengthens our bond to the highest degree.
Sefer HaChinuch suggests that another reason for the Mitzvah to rejoice over the festivals is that people have a natural need to rejoice periodically. Hashem therefore designated the festivals as outlets to channel this drive for a highly productive and holy purpose so that it does not drive us down and away from Him instead.
The three festivals also coincide with three stages in the agricultural year. Pesach is the time of spring and the barley harvest, and Shavuos is the time of the wheat harvest, which is even more significant. Sukkos is the time when all the produce that has been left to dry on the field during the summer is gathered, and then the joy reaches the highest degree (see Shulchan Shel Arba §2).
At all these times of joy, there is a risk that a person may attribute his success to his efforts and rejoice over his own greatness. The resultant combination of engaging in frivolity while not feeling subjugated to Hashem can be disastrous. Therefore, Hashem commanded us to appear before Him in the Beis HaMikdash at those times and acknowledge Him to be our master and benefactor, so that we will rejoice over Him instead and merit additional bounty.
Orchos Tzaddikim(Shaar Simcha; cited in Taryag Mitzvos HaMevuaros) suggests that when a person enjoys delicacies on Yom Tov, he should use the opportunity to recall the ultimate spiritual delight of World to Come, and he should aspire to attain it.
There is a special obligation to rejoice on Shavuos, the day when we received the Torah. Even the opinion among the Sages that maintains that a person is allowed to engage solely in spiritual matters on Pesach and Sukkos agrees that it is necessary to feast on Shavuos (Pesachim 68b). This is because we need to show that we are happy that we received the Torah (Rashi). Rav Yosef would have a succulent calf prepared on this day, and he would proclaim: If not for this day, how many Yosefs there are in the marketplace! He celebrated the day that elevated him above ordinary people.
We will close by mentioning two of the many reasons suggested for the custom of eating dairy products on Shavuos. This topic is discussed at length in Taam HaChalav, from where I quote. One reason is that the Torah is compared to milk and honey (Shir HaShirim 4:11), and some therefore have a custom of enjoying honey as well (Aruch HaShulchan, citing Sheyarei Keneses HaGedolah). By delighting in something that symbolizes the Torah, we bond with it and its Giver. A second reason is that we want to bring to heart that the Torah is to us like a mother's milk is to her infant (based on Yeshayah 28:34 and Resisei Laylah §56). Just like an infant feeds regularly, finds new flavor in the milk every time (Eruvin 54b), derives from it all necessary nutrients, and depends on it for his life, so too, we discover new insights and tastes within words of Torah every time we contemplate them, we feed on it day and night, we derive from it all the knowledge, inspiration, and blessing we need, and it is our very life for all eternity.
