From: Yisrael Yitzchak Rosenfeld
The Klausenberger Rebbe z”l once said:
On Sukkot we take four species:
- the Esrog,
- the Lulav,
- the Hadass, and
- the Aravah.
After the holiday we keep the Esrog, the Lulav and the Hadass in order to burn them together with the chametz before Pesach.
But the Aravos
– the simple willow, which possesses neither fragrance nor taste
– we place above the Aron Kodesh, the Holy Ark.
Why? asked the Rebbe.
Because on Hoshana Rabbah we strike the Aravos
– not the Esrog, not the Lulav;
we strike the willow,
so that it takes upon itself the sins of the entire Jewish people.
And one who is willing to absorb blows on behalf of the Jewish people deserves to rest in the holiest place.
The Rebbe z”l added another thought, this time regarding Bedikas Chametz
– the search for leaven before Pesach.
We take a wooden spoon,
a candle, and
a feather, and carefully search for every crumb.
But what do we do with the spoon when we are finished?
We burn it.
Why? asked the Rebbe.
Because it is an object
whose only purpose is to search for what is not right—
only for chametz, for faults,
for imperfections.
And something that only searches for the bad… does not deserve to continue to exist.
Today is the yahrzeit of the Rebbe.
May we always do and see the good.
