The Sukkot Team - Lulav, Etrog, Hadasim, and Aravot

This past Shabbat assembly I spoke with the students about the importance of a team.  Each player has his or her role, and every player is important to the group.  Teams that understand this are the most successful, both in sports and in other domains.  I shared with the students my own experience from way back in 1986, when  I was selected to play in the Maccabi Youth Games at York University in Canada.  (I did not know it at the time, but it was the last time the Maccabi Youth Games were international).  I was very excited to be chosen to play on our Metropolitan Yeshiva League team.

When the team gathered in Canada, I knew some of the players but not others.  One boy walked in and almost hit his head on the door frame.  He was really tall, around 6’8”.  Another player was built like a tank.  He was as wide as he was tall.  Once we started practicing, it was clear that one player had been selected for his speed.  He was as fast as lightning.  He dribbled right past and around all of us.  I was not the 6’8” kid, or the one built like a tank, or the super fast one, so why was I on the team?  The coach told us all at the first practice that on this team “each player had his role.”  We were chosen because each of us had something unique to contribute to the team!

Our roles became clear at our first game.  The tallest player and the “tank” were responsible for getting all of the rebounds and throwing them to “speedy” so he could score.  This plan worked out great and we won the first game by 70 points.  I got to play the last 10 minutes of this game.  Throughout the next game, the score was close.  “Speedy” was in foul trouble and fouled out.  I took his place.  I was nervous, but Coach told me I was ready for this because I had practiced hard.  I played the last five minutes and we won by five points.   After that, I played a total of five minutes in the remaining  six games.  I was annoyed that I had played so few minutes.  The coach understood that my minutes in the games were important to me, but he told me that the minutes in practice were important to the team.  When I practiced hard, it made the starters better and the team better, as a whole.  The sum of all the parts was greater than the whole.

This is the message of the Arba Minim.  The Etrog, Lulav, Hadasim, and Aravot represent the different types of people who comprise the Jewish People.  Each type of person in the Jewish People has his or her strengths and weaknesses.  We may not accomplish everything as individuals,  but when we are together, held together like the Arba Minim, we can succeed as one, as the Jewish People. This is the lesson from holding the Arba Minim together.  All types of people are important to the success of humankind,  and we need to be open to, and accepting of all people. 

Shabbat Shalom and  Chag Sameach 

Rabbi Steven Penn