14 Adar II, 5774 (3/16/14) – Sukkah#41 {Tani}

Gemarah [41b middle]: On the 1st day of Sukkos, the lulav must be “yours,” in order to fulfill your mitzvah (obligation). It can not be someone else’s; not stolen nor borrowed.

T’s Lesson: We should try to personalize mitzvos to make them our own as much as possible. We should ensure that we put our own spin and flair on things (within the framework of Torah and Halacha). There are “Shiviim panim latorah,” (70 faces of the torah), with many ways to go about it. Rabbis may draw parallels between our times and those of Tanch (written and oral law books), while others relate anecdotally to lessons. Try to personalize YOUR miztvos in order to make them as dear to you as possible (i.e. having a blue striped talllis (shaul), if that is your favorite color, instead of a common black and white striped one).