When does being united require us to be different? On the upcoming holiday of Sukkot, we take four very different species, and hold them together, as one. The classic explanation is that they represent very different kinds of Jews.
The Etrog has both taste and fragrance, representing Torah knowledge and good deeds. The Lulav has taste but no fragrance. The Hadas has fragrance but no taste, and the Arava has neither.
Yet all four of them are required. If even one is missing, the Mitzvah is incomplete. Jewish unity doesn't mean sameness. Every kind of Jew has a place in the nation.
In Tai Chi, Zhong Ding is centered stability, coordinating different parts of the body around a center axis, to form a balanced whole.
On Sukkot, we hold the Mitzvah near our hearts, a reminder to find our common center, as we celebrate together as one people. Learn more at TorahTaiChi.com.
