All You Need is Love (Lennon, McCartney, 1967)

No, John and Paul didn’t compose this article, they only supplied the title.  And it seems they got it right. With all that is happening in the world today, possibly all that we need to make this world a better place is for mankind to reach out and love our fellow man.

And just like so many other things, this concept also comes from us, the Jewish people. (See previous article – Memorable Quotes).

More than 3,300 years ago, the Bible told us to take the four species during the Holiday of Succoth, hold them together in both hands and wave them in all six directions (that’s south, north, east, west, up and down). In fact, you may have even seen people walking around with these oversized lemons and palm tree branches with a bunch of leaves sticking out from either side representing the four specified species.

But what on earth does that have to do with togetherness?

Good question.

The Rabbis explain that each of the four species represent a different type of Jew. There are those who understand what Gd requires of us but don’t do anything about it, those who do good deeds but don’t understand why we are driven to behave that way, those who learn, teach, practice and help others and, unfortunately, the multitude of Jews living today who have never learned or had the chance to learn and don’t “do”.

On Succoth we bring them all together. We are making a statement that we are all Jews, we are one Nation. We have had a long and arduous history but we have a promise from our Creator that we will always be His special people.

On Succoth, the most joyous of all Holidays, we declare that no matter how dispersed we are to the four corners of the earth, whether you are high up on the ladder of success or religiosity, or if you are just beginning, you are my brother. And I love you.

Yup, the Beatles just might have gotten it right. It’s been a long and winding road through hard days and nights and now it’s time to come together. All we need is love.

And what better time to start than right now?