Bs”d
Succos (5768)
By Mordechai Dolinsky
The Torah expresses to us its selection of the esrog that it can remain growing on the tree from year to year—hador al hailan mishana l’shana, We may say that this is more than a hint but is rather an outstanding attribute of its essence.
Why is this a positive attribute? It is noteworthy that in the course of the awesome Yom Kippur service the Kohain Gadol has whole array of objects that their beginnings are waiting for his continued service. He says vidui on the “par” the it waits; he makes a goral on the goats and then they wait; he again goes back to the “par” makes a second vidui, slaughters it and then it waits, this process goes on and on. From the complete picture of this emerges a concept of the supreme importance of allowing something to stand for the right time to come. Likewise the essence of an esrog is that it can stand from year to year. This is supreme lesson for life-don’t insist on “now”, allow time for the right thing to happen.
Have a very joyous and significant Shmini Atzeres and Simchas Torah.