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    The two communities

    A Midrashic interpretation of the Four Species which we take on Sukkot says that each of the four represents a human type and only if all types and opinions are held together do we have a community.

    A nice thought but some people turn it into a slogan. They say, “That’s unity: all are equal and everyone is entitled to their own point of view – from the most orthodox to the most unorthodox”.

    That’s a misunderstanding of the Midrash. There are two types of community, as Rav Soloveitchik says – the community of faith, and the community of fate.

    In the community of faith all are believers and accept the authority of the Word of God. Those who deny these elements cannot be members of the faith community.

    In the fate community everyone is obligated to the well-being of Jewish peoplehood.

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