In Kohelet, Shlomo Hamelech tells us, "Cast your bread upon the waters for in the course of time you will find it." Just as it seems impossible that water will return one's bread, it may seem as if one's chesed will never be repaid. Rashi brings the example of Yitro who did not know that his act of kindness towards Moshe would bring him priceless reward. Shlomo Hamelech assures us ultimately we will be recompensed.

"Give a portion to seven and even to eight, for you do not know what evil will be on the earth." Charity has the power to bring salvation and one never knows when one will need this merit. There is a natural instinct not to give. Therefore, halacha states that it is better to give a little to a lot of causes than a lot to a few so that one gets used to giving.

Rashi writes, "Sheva yemi bereishit v'shmone yemei milah." (There are seven days of creation and circumcision is on the eighth day.) The seven days of creation parallel the seven sefirot (attributes) with which Hashem rules the world. Six of these sefirot can be seen through the external prism of life. The seventh aspect, malchut (sovereignty), gives form to the other six and corresponds to that which exists in space. Malchut is manifested by a person having a sense of their own sovereignty, of going beyond his instincts. It is the inner part that takes externality and dedicates it towards something. In modern society that something is self. In Judaism, it's Hashem. This signifies eight. Yishmael held himself superior to Yitzchak for being circumcised at thirteen when he already had free choice. But eight signifies more than choosing. It's negation of self in the ultimate sense.

Seven korbonot tzibbur (public sacrifices) were offered on Pesach and eight on Sukkot. Tzibbur is defined as seven, a sovereign being, a collective. Pesach was the time when we became an autonomous people. Yet the cycle of the Jewish year ends with Sukkot. Then we recognize that Hashem is greater than our will.

"In the morning, sow your seed, and in the evening, do not withhold your hand, for one does not know which will succeed, this one or that one, or whether both of them will be equally good." This can be explained in three ways:

One should never stop learning and growing. A woman could say, "I've been through seminary, there's no real mitzva for me to learn Torah." But in truth you always have to stay inspired. You never know which era of your life will be the most fruitful. Certainly for a man he can never say he's learned enough Torah.

A person should never think he has enough children. How can one know which child will ultimately bring the most joy? King David was the unwanted child. Rav Shach was one of the youngest of a large brood of children. There's a curse upon all of us, "B'etzev teldi banim. You will bear children with anxiety." But it's not necessarily true that smaller families are happier and have more successful children. The same amount of angst can be spread a lot thinner. We have to trust Hashem and see children as a blessing.

One should never give up teaching. Rabbi Akiva lost 24,000 students. Yet he did not succumb to despair. He began again with five students. Similarly, when the great Torah scholars of war-torn Europe reached the spiritual wastelands of America they rebuilt Torah with faith and courage.

"And the light is sweet, and it is good for the eyes to see the sun. For if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all, and let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many; all that befalls [him] is vanity." This refers to the light and sweetness of Torah. The difference between a dark and light room is that with the light you can see reality. There's nothing sweeter than following the straight path of Torah. If a person has no joy because he's always in an uncertain situation, he creates his own gehinom, both in this world and the next. Orchot Tzaddikim says simcha is a feeling of tranquility that comes as a direct result of bitachon.

"On the day that the keepers of the house tremble, and the mighty men are seized by cramps, and the grinders cease since they have become few, and those who look out of the windows become darkened." The keepers of the house are the lips. The mighty men are the upper legs that will shake when one walks. The grinders are the teeth that will fall out. Why this grim picture of old age? Kohelet tells us that as a person's body disintegrates, one's soul should gain prominence.

"And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God, Who gave it." Just as earth is passive, the body must be trained to serve the soul. All of the toil of this world becomes as nothing the moment the soul comes before Hashem. The only thing that remains relevant is what the soul became in the face of it all.

"The end of the matter, everything having been heard, fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the entire man." The lowest level of yirat Hashem is fear of punishment. A higher level is fear of Hashem himself. Still higher is trembling before Him in one's heart.

Keeping the mitzvot is our very purpose on this world. The pleasure that comes from sensing Hashem's presence and knowing that one is fulfilling His wishes is the greatest joy a person could have.

The Shem Mishmuel notes that the final war of Gog and Magog will be on Sukkot. Good will struggle with evil and Mashiach ben David will emerge victorious. Why is Sukkot associated with the ultimate great battle?

In Sefer Devarim we read how the kohen would say the parsha of Shema with the Jewish soldiers. He would adjure them not to be afraid and to trust Hashem. Rashi comments that the merit of saying Shema would save them. Why is this mitzva associated with success in battle?

We begin Shema with kabalat ol, accepting the yoke of Hashem's kingship. It is immediately followed by the verse, "V'ahavata et Hashem," you should love Hashem. The Shem Mishmuel explains that kabalat ol must go hand in hand with ahavat Hashem, a yearning to become close to Him. While the first verse involves the intellect, the understanding that there is a Creator, it has to be coupled with ruach, spirit and love. One must reach the level of closeness described in Shir Hashirim as shalhevet kah, a burning, exciting love that inspires us and makes us run to do the will of our Master. It's a special emotional connection that is unique to the Jewish people, much like a son to a parent or a bride to her groom. Certainly non-Jews have a relationship with Hashem, but they serve Him out of awe from a distance.

That is why when the soldiers said the Shema with the proper ahavat Hashem and joy they were able to win any battle. If we personify that relationship of love and passion, Hashem will go all out for us.

On Sukkot we celebrate this loyalty, this simcha, and the profound connection we have with Hashem. Ultimately love will defeat fear. The Jewish people will win over Gog. Modern society's worship of self will be supplanted by the joy of serving Hashem with deep and everlasting love.

The Torah tells us, "Ba'sukkot teishvu shivat yamim." You shall sit in the sukkah seven days. The Tiferet Shlomo explains that teishvu can be read as tashuvu, repent. On Sukkot a Jew must engage in the process of rectification. After going through a forty day process of teshuva, what is there left to do?

On Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur we repented out of fear but on Sukkot we do teshuva out of love and joy. We turn our sins into mitzvot. Rav Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev taught that on Rosh Hashana we throw our sins in the water at Tashlich and on Sukkot we draw them out as mitzvot with the Nisuch Hamayim (water libation ceremony).

The sukkah teaches us that our existence is not dependent on anything except for the grace of Hashem. Just as the Jews were sustained in the desert for 40 years, we too live only through His kindness. Rav Tzadok taught that wherever a person's mind is that's where he can be found. If we can put ourselves in the mindset of the Jews in the desert we will realize that every moment of our life depends on Him.

The work of teshuva begins Rosh Hashana and climaxes on Shemini Atzeret when we proclaim, "Hashem hu Elokim." Rav Pincus notes that each day of Aseret Yemei Teshuva is a building block which adds up to ten. This is the difference between fear and love. Fear is divided into components. Each sin must be dealt with separately. But ahavat Hashem is all-encompassing. Therefore, Sukkot is related to the number seven, the concept of entirety. Elul, Rosh Hashana, and Yom Kippur are about searching for Hashem. Sukkot is finding Him and not letting go. The ultimate teshuva is becoming so close to Hashem.

The Siftei Chaim writes that atzeret means to gather in. We must take all of the spiritual treasures we've collected throughout these awesome weeks and make them ours. On Rosh Hashana we focus on Hashem on an intellectual level. Our avodat Hashem becomes transformed as we enter the rarified atmosphere of the sukkah. On Hoshana Rabbah we surround the bima seven times, reminiscent of the war with Yericho. After all our inner work, the walls between us and the Creator come crashing down with an intensity of love. Then we can enter Shemini Atzeret, where we unite as one with our betrothed.

The Shvilei Pinchas quotes the Arizal that the sukkah is like the ohr makif, an all-encompassing light, a guarded tent where no outside influences can enter. On Sukkot we start a new accounting and the satan tries to knock us down again. Therefore, Hashem gives us the light of the sukkah to protect us. The acronym of sukkah is somech v'ozer kol hanoflim. He supports and aids the fallen.

Sukkot is connected to Yaakov, who personified the attribute of truth. The voice that says you can't pick yourself up is falsehood. Even if we have fallen to the lowest levels, Hashem will uplift us from the depths.