In Your Back Pocket

There really is nothing quite like Sukkot.  All of a sudden, temporary dwellings pop up all over the neighborhood--in yards, in driveways, on balconies--and people forgo their standard kitchens and dining rooms in order to eat their meals out in the (somewhat) open air.  If the weather holds, it's nothing short of glorious; if it doesn't, you get some good stories.  And, this being New England, either outcome is equally possible.

One of the aspects of Sukkot that I find intriguing is the coming of the Ushpizin (Aramaic for "guests").  The Ushpizin are the souls of the seven great leaders of Israel--Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joseph, and King David--who are believed to visit with us in the sukkah during the festival.  Welcoming guests is an important part of any Jewish holiday, but it is especially integral to the observance of Sukkot, which is a celebration of Jewish unity.  Along with all of our run-of-the-mill "earthly" visitors, the seven Ushpizin enter the sukkah on each of the seven nights of the festival.  Each one takes a turn leading the rest, and each one represents one of the Kabbalistic sefirot and its corresponding character traits:

Abraham--chesed--lovingkindness
Isaac--gevurah--strength and discipline
Jacob--tiferet--truth and beauty
Moses--netzach--endurance and victory
Aaron--hod--humility and divine splendor
Joseph--yesod--spiritual foundation and connection
David--malchut--sovereignty

The idea is that the Ushpizin help us access the Divine within ourselves through the spiritual pathways they represent.  It's a beautiful concept--you can explore it in more detail here and here.

I really love the idea of these seven distinguished forefathers of mine coming to give me an extra dose of spiritual nourishment during Sukkot.  It actually reminds me of a concept that some of my "recovery buddies" and I developed early into our journeys--we called it, "keeping people in your back pocket."  When we knew we would be entering into a situation that posed a challenge, we'd imagine having tiny yet powerful versions of supportive people in our lives tucked into our pockets (since it's all metaphorical, this works even if you wear skirts).  I remember countless conversations with a friend of mine that inevitably involved one of us telling the other, "I'll have you in my back pocket!"  Somehow, having her in my pocket would give me comfort and courage to do whatever hard thing needed doing:  eating an extra snack, having a difficult conversation, going to an unfamiliar social event, etc.

I've traveled far on my road of recovery, but from time to time I still draw upon the people I've stashed in my back pocket.  Each person provides me with an extra dose of something different:  poise, assertiveness, bravery, flexibility, confidence--the list goes on.  Sometimes, I imagine one of my "pocket people" doing nothing more than squeezing my hand and saying, "You can do this!"  They may not have the illustrious status of the Ushpizin, but each mentor, teacher, and friend who has ever occupied space in my pocket has given my soul nourishment when I've needed it most.

We all need people in our back pockets...all year long, not just during Sukkot.  As we take our first steps into this new year, I invite you to think about who you could squeeze into your pocket for those moments when you need a little extra inspiration and courage.  Really pack them in--the more, the better--and allow them to strengthen you whenever you need it!