Sukkot

[Hebrew sukkôt, (feast) of booths (commemorating the temporary shelters of the Jews in the wilderness), pl. of sukkâ, booth, from sākak, to weave together, screen.]

Sukkot is one of the three Pilgrim Festivals when, in ancient times, the Jews made pilgrimages to the Temple in Jerusalem. Like passover and Shavu'Ot, Sukkot has both historical and agricultural significance. Its historical meaning is indicated in the Bible, which links it with Israel's 40-year journey through the Wilderness en route to the Promised Land. During that time, they lived only in "tabernacles" or booths, in commemoration of which the Bible instructs the Jew to "live in booths for seven days" (Lev. 23:42-43). However, as an agricultural event, occurring in the fall harvest season, Sukkot was also observed as a festival of thanksgiving for the bounties of nature granted during the past year (Ex. 23:16; Deut. 16:13).

The various names given to this festival provide a comprehensive explanation of its purpose:(1) Ḥag ha-Asif, "the Festival of the Ingathering [of crops]" (Ex. 23:16,34:22), pointing to its agricultural importance; (2) Ḥag ha-Sukkot, "the Festival of Tabernacles" (Lev. 23:34; Deut. 13, 16), commemorating Israel's experience in the Wilderness under God's protection; (3) Ḥag, "the Festival" (Lev. 23:39-41; Num. 29:12), a name popular with the rabbis, as if to suggest that Sukkot was the holiday par excellence; and (4) Zeman Simḥatenu, "the Season of our Rejoicing" (cf. Deut. 15:14-15), a liturgical designation reflecting the Bible's commandment "to be altogether joyful."

In the older books of the Bible, Sukkot is the only holiday given considerable attention, indicating that it was the main festival of the time. Its centrality disappeared, however, when Jews lost contact with the land after the destruction of the Second Temple. The main observance of the festival involves "dwelling" in the Sukkah. Today this is a very temporary structure built especially for the festival in one's yard or garden, or on a balcony, patio, etc. It is not roofed over but thatched with foliage or some other natural growth through which the stars can be seen at night. The Ethiopian Jews (Beta Israel), who also observe Sukkot, never made booths, probably because they live in huts all year round. While the sukkah was originally a reminder of Israel's sojourn in the Wilderness, the rabbis suggested that its insubstantial nature symbolizes man's reliance on Divine protection. All meals during the festival are eaten in the sukkah, unless bad weather makes it impossible to do so.

Ushpizin, a 16th-century custom which originated among the kabbalists, is still part of the religious observance in the sukkah. The word ushpizin means "guests" and refers to seven notables in Jewish history (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joseph, and David) who are symbolically welcomed into the sukkah, one each day.

Central to the festival are the Four Species, plants (one being a fruit) which are held together and waved at different points in the festival service, in accordance with the biblical injunction to "rejoice before the Lord" (Lev. 23:40). These Four Species (arba'ah minim) are the lulav or palm branch, the etrog or citron, the hadassim---three myrtle twigs---and the aravot---two willow branches. "Taking the lulav" applies to all four species, which are arranged in a bouquet. On the first seven days of the festival, apart from the Sabbath, the lulav is taken up and, during the Hallel, waved in all four compass directions as well as upward and downward to acknowledge God's omnipotence and sovereignty over the entire universe. Appropriate to the joyous character of Sukkot, the "full," unabridged Hallel (Ps. 113-118) is recited each morning. The book of Ecclesiastes is prescribed reading for Sukkot. It may be that the pessimistic outlook of Ecclesiastes was thought suitable for the fall, when people began to anticipate the winter rains and colder months ahead.

As on all other holy days, an Additional Service (Musaf) follows the Morning Service and the Reading of the Law. On the first seven days of the festival, a procession takes place around the synagogue to the accompaniment of Hoshanot prayers and hymns. The hosha-na refrain means "Save, we beseech You!" and this ceremony recalls the daily circuits made around the Altar on this festival in the Temple. On a Sabbath, the prayers are recited but no procession is held.

Seven circuits (Hakkafot) take place on the seventh day of the festival, Hoshana Rabbah (i.e., "the Great Hoshanah"). Traditionally, Hoshana Rabbah marks the conclusion of the solemn season and this is reflected in various customs: the Ashkenazi reader wearing a Kitel and chanting High Holiday prayer modes, the Shofar being sounded during the processions in Sephardi congregations. Finally, all of the Four Species are exchanged for a bundle of "hoshanot" and this is struck three times until some leaves fall off; it has been suggested that this is symbolic of the Resurrection, as the denuded branches of a tree bud with new life in due season.

A characteristic feature of the eighth day, Shemini Atseret, is the Prayer for Rain to fall in the Holy Land, a blessing that is essential for a fruitful year. In Israel on that day (and in the Diaspora on the following day) Simḥat Torah marks the conclusion of the annual Torah reading cycle and the beginning of a new cycle (for details, see Simḥat Torah).

In ancient days, the joy of Sukkot was further enhanced by the Water-Drawing Festival, Simḥat Bet ha-Sho'evah, when water libations were ceremoniously poured over the altar to highlight the petitions for rain that had been offered on Sukkot. Joyous festivities and merrymaking linked with these ceremonies took place in ancient Jerusalem. In modern Israel, special "Water-Drawing" festivities are held by religious circles during the intermediate days of Sukkot and have also been revived in kibbutzim.

The ancient ceremony of Hakhel, prescribed in Deuteronomy (31:10-13) and described with more detail in the Mishnah (Sot. 7:8), has also been revived. In Temple times, when the people were assembled during the Sukkot following the end of the Sabbatical Year, portions of the Torah were read aloud by the king or, when no king ruled, by the religious leader. In the HakheI ceremony's modern form, the President of Israel publicly reads from the Torah to a mass assembly gathered at the Western Wall.

One of the prophetic readings for the festival is chapter 14 of Zechariah, where it is said that all the nations will someday go up to Jerusalem "to keep the feast of Tabernacles" (verses 16-19). A total of 70 bullocks were sacrificed in the Temple on the seven days of the festival (Num. 29:12ff.). The rabbis suggest that this number corresponded to the 70 nations of the world (Suk. 55b).

One of the three annual pilgrim festivals, it is celebrated during the fall. Commencing on the 15th day of the seventh month, Tishri, it is prescribed to last seven days with an extension of one day called the Eighth Day of Solemn Assembly.

The Bible endows the festival with both historical and agricultural significance, giving it different names which reflect its place and purpose in Israelite life: "The Festival of Tabernacles", a reminder of Israel's sojourn in tabernacles during their wanderings in the wilderness (Lev 23:33-34); the "Festival of the Ingathering", the final harvest of the agricultural calendar (Ex 23:16; 34:22; Deut 16:13); and "The Feast", i.e., the festival par excellence (Lev 23:39-41; Deut 16:14; I Kgs 8:2, 65; 12:32; II Chr 5:3; 7:8; Neh 8:14; Ezek 45:25).

The Bible ordains several observances for the festival. First is the command to dwell for seven days in flimsy booths (Lev 23:42-43). Critical scholars are of the opinion that this is a late and rather forced connection with the period in the wilderness when, in any case, the Israelites dwelt in tents, not in booths.

The second biblical ordinance relates to the "four species" or plants which are to be used as symbols of rejoicing before God for the harvest which has just been completed. These are the fruit of "the goodly tree" (citrus fruit), the palm branch, boughs of a thick tree (the myrtle), and willows of the brook (Lev 23:40). According to Nehemiah 8:10-18 they were originally used in the construction of the booths.

Thirdly, according to Deuteronomy 31:10-11, every seventh year, on this feast, the Law was to be read publicly before a mass assembly of the entire people, men, women and children included.

In the Temple period, numerous sacrifices were offered each day of the festival. The individual brought a basket of harvest fruits (Deut 26:1-11) in addition to other animal sacrifices. Numbers 29:12ff prescribes as many as 70 bullocks, a symbolic number later associated by the rabbis with the "seventy nations of the world" thereby suggesting that the sacrifices were offered in pious concern for the welfare of all peoples. This universalist theme echoes the prophecy of Zechariah who predicted that all the nations of the world would join the People of Israel in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles (Zech 14:16). A further universalist dimension can be noted in the biblical account of the dedication of Solomon's Temple, which took place during this festival. In the king's long prayer at the ceremony, he urges God to hearken to the Gentile peoples who will come to pray to him (I Kgs 8:41-43). After the Babylonian Exile, celebration of the festival included the sojourn in the booths and recitation of the Law (Neh 8:14-18); the sacrificial observance was resumed (Ezra 3:4).

In the NT Jesus attended the feast secretly after declining to go openly (John chap. 7).

Concordance
Lev 23:34. Deut 16:13,16; 31:10. II Chr 8:13. Ezra 3:4. Zech 14:16, 18-19. John 7:2

For the biblical location, see Sukkot (place).

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Sukkot
Sukkot in Jerusalem, Israel
Official name	Hebrew: סוכות or סֻכּוֹת English translation: "Booths" or "Tabernacles"
Observed by	Jews
Significance	One of the three pilgrim festivals
Begins	15th day of Tishrei
Ends	22nd day of Tishrei (21st in Israel)
2009 date	sunset, October 2 to sunset, October 9 / 10
2010 date	sunset, September 22 to sunset, September 29 / 30
Observances	Eating in sukkah, taking the Four Species, hakafot in Synagogue.

Sukkot (Hebrew: סוכות or סֻכּוֹת, sukkōt, also known as Sukkos, Feast of Booths, Feast of Tabernacles) is a Jewish holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei (late September to late October). It is one of the three biblical pilgrim festivals, when it was traditional for Jews to visit the Temple in Jerusalem.

The holiday lasts seven days, including Chol Hamoed and is immediately followed by another festive day known as Shemini Atzeret. The word Sukkot is the plural of the Hebrew word sukkah, meaning booth or hut. The sukkah is reminiscent of the type of fragile dwellings in which the ancient Israelites dwelt during their 40 years of wandering in the desert after the Exodus from Egypt. Throughout the holiday the sukkah becomes the living area of the house, and all meals are eaten in it. On each day of the holiday, members of the household recite a blessing over the lulav and etrog, or Four species.

According to Zechariah, in the messianic era Sukkot will become a universal festival and all nations will make pilgrimages annually to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast there.^[1]

Contents 1 Origin and observance 2 Laws and customs 2.1 Prayers 2.2 Chol HaMoed 2.3 Hakhel 2.4 Simchat Beit HaShoevah 2.5 Hoshana Rabbah 3 Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

Origin and observance

Sukkot was agricultural in origin. This is evident from the biblical name "The Feast of Ingathering,"^[2] from the ceremonies accompanying it, from the season – “The festival of the seventh month”^[3] – and occasion of its celebration: "At the end of the year when you gather in your labors out of the field" (Ex. 23:16); "after you have gathered in from your threshing-floor and from your winepress" (Deut. 16:13). It was a thanksgiving for the fruit harvest. Coming as it did at the completion of the harvest, Sukkot was regarded as a general thanksgiving for the bounty of nature in the year that had passed.

Sukkot became one of the most important feasts in Judaism, as indicated by its designation as “the Feast of the Lord”^[4] or simply “the Feast”.^[5] Perhaps because of its wide attendance, Sukkot became the appropriate time for important state ceremonies. Moses instructed the children of Israel to gather for a reading of the Law during Sukkot every seventh year (Deut. 31:10-11). King Solomon dedicated the Temple in Jerusalem on Sukkot (1 Kings 8; 2 Chron. 7). And Sukkot was the first sacred occasion observed after the resumption of sacrifices in Jerusalem following the Babylonian captivity (Ezra 3:2-4).

In Leviticus, God told Moses to command the people: “On the first day you shall take the product of hadar trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook” (Lev. 23:40), and “You shall live in booths seven days; all citizens in Israel shall live in booths, in order that future generations may know that I made the Israelite people live in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt” (Lev. 23:42-43).

In the time of Nehemiah, after the Babylonian captivity, the Israelites celebrated Sukkot by making and dwelling in booths, a practice of which Nehemiah reports: “the Israelites had not done so from the days of Joshua” (Neh. 8:13-17). However, the Talmud (Erkhin 32b) reasons that this cannot mean that the Israelites actually abstained from building booths for over nine hundred years, since "is it possible that the righteous King David never built a booth for Sukkot?". The Talmud therefore concludes that Nehemiah's intention here is that there was indeed the practice to dwell in booths during the Sukkot holidays of the first temple era, but that something was unique about the booths built now during Nehemiah's Sukkot holiday, something occurred which had not occurred since the days of Joshua. Namely, the holiness that the Israelites had imparted to the land of Israel when they originally entered it with Joshua--which the land had lost once the tribes began to be exiled--was now returned to it forever by the returning exiles. (For this reason also, the laws of Shmita and Yovel, which are Mitzvot that are only in effect upon holy land, were newly reinstated by the returning exiles.) Malbim adds that Nehemiah's observation here was exclusive to the city of Jerusalem i.e. that Jerusalem had never been allowed to have booths built within it during the first temple era since--unlike the rest of Israel--it was not portioned exclusively to any one of the original thirteen tribes of Israel, rather it was the collective possession of all the tribes. Hence, Jerusalem was until now considered a public domain and was therefore not allowed to contain a booth, which can only be built, according to Halacha, within a private domain.

Observance of Sukkot is detailed in Mishnah (Sukkah 1:1–5:8); Tosefta (Sukkah 1:1–4:28); Jerusalem Talmud (Sukkah 1a–); and Babylonian Talmud (Sukkah 2a–56b).

Laws and customs

Temporary booths used during the holiday

Sukkot is a seven day holiday, with the first day celebrated as a full festival with special prayer services and holiday meals. The remaining days are known as Chol HaMoed ("festival weekdays"). The seventh day of Sukkot is called Hoshana Rabbah ("Great Hoshana", referring to the increased number of circuits taken by worshippers in the synagogue during morning services; see below) and has a special observance of its own. Outside the land of Israel, the first two days are celebrated as full festivals.

According to halakha, one must eat major meals and sleep in a Sukka. In the case of rain eating and sleeping are not a requirement. The Four species must be waved.

Prayers

Prayers during Sukkot include the reading of the Torah every day, saying the Mussaf (additional) service after morning prayers, reading the Hallel, and adding special supplications into the Amidah and grace after meals. In addition, the Four Species are taken on everyday of Sukkot except for Shabbat and are included in the Hallel and Hoshanot portions of the prayer.

Hoshanot

On each day of the festival, worshippers walk around the synagogue carrying their Four species while reciting psalm 118:25 and special prayers known as Hoshanot. This takes place either after the morning's Torah reading of at the end of Mussaf. This ceremony commemorates the willow ceremony at the Temple in Jerusalem, in which willow branches were piled beside the altar with worshipers parading around the altar reciting prayers.

Ushpizin

During the holiday, some Jews recite the ushpizin prayer which symbolises the welcoming of seven "exalted guests" into the sukkah. These ushpizin, or guests, represent the seven shepherds of Israel: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joseph and David. According to tradition, each night a different guest enters the sukkah followed by the other six. Each of the ushpizin has a unique lesson which teaches the parallels of the spiritual focus of the day on which they visit.

Chol HaMoed

Main article: Chol HaMoed

The second through seventh days of Sukkot (third through seventh days outside the land of Israel) are called Chol HaMoed (חול המועד - lit. "festival weekdays"). These days are considered by halakha to be more than regular weekdays but less than festival days. In practice, this means that all activities that are needed for the holiday—such as buying and preparing food, cleaning the house in honor of the holiday, or traveling to visit other people's sukkot or on family outings—are permitted by Jewish law. Activities that will interfere with relaxation and enjoyment of the holiday—such as laundering, mending clothes, engaging in labor-intensive activities—are not permitted. Observant Jews typically treat Chol HaMoed as a vacation period, eating nicer than usual meals in their sukkah, entertaining guests, visiting other families in their sukkot, and taking family outings.

On the Shabbat which falls during the week of Sukkot (or in the event when the first day of Sukkot is on Shabbat), the Book of Ecclesiastes is read during morning synagogue services in Israel. (Diaspora communities read it the following Shabbat). This Book's emphasis on the ephemeralness of life ("Vanity of vanities, all is vanity...") echoes the theme of the sukkah, while its emphasis on death reflects the time of year in which Sukkot occurs (the "autumn" of life). The second-to-last verse reinforces the message that adherence to God and His Torah is the only worthwhile pursuit.

Hakhel

Main article: Hakhel

In the days of the Temple in Jerusalem, all Jewish men, women, and children on pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the festival would gather in the Temple courtyard on the first day of Chol HaMoed Sukkot to hear the Jewish king read selections from the Torah. This ceremony, which was mandated in Deuteronomy 31:10-13, was held every seven years, in the year following the Shmita (Sabbatical) year. This ceremony was discontinued after the destruction of the Temple, but it has been revived by some groups and by the government of Israel on a smaller scale.

Simchat Beit HaShoevah

Main article: Simchat Beit HaShoeivah

During the Intermediate days of Sukkot, gatherings of music and dance, known as Simchat Beit HaShoeivah, take place. This commemorates the Water Libation Ceremony which took place at the Temple in Jerusalem.

Hoshana Rabbah

Main article: Hoshana Rabbah

The seventh day of Sukkot is known as Hoshana Rabbah, meaning the "Great Supplication". This day is marked by a special service in which seven circuits are made by worshippers holding their Four species, reciting Psalm 118:25 with additional prayers. In addition, a bundle of five willow branches are beaten on the ground.

Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah

Main articles: Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah

The holiday immediately following Sukkot is known as Shemini Atzeret (lit. "Eighth [Day] of Assembly"). Shemini Atzeret is viewed as a separate holiday.^[6] In the diaspora a second additional holiday, Simchat Torah (lit. "Joy of the Torah") is celebrated. In the Land of Israel, Simchat Torah is celebrated on Shemini Atzeret. On Shemini Atzeret the sukkah is left and meals are eaten inside the house. Outside of Israel, many eat in the sukkah without making the blessing. The sukkah is not used on Simchat Torah.

See also

• Jewish holiday
• Feast of Tabernacles (Christian holiday)
• List of harvest festivals
• Ushpizin (film)

References

1. ^ Zech. 14:16-19.
2. ^ Ex. 23:16, 34:22
3. ^ Ezek. 45:25; Neh. 8:14.
4. ^ Lev. 23:39; Judges 21:19
5. ^ 1 Kings 8:2, 8:65; 12:32; 2 Chron. 5:3; 7:8
6. ^ Cf Talmud, Tractate Rosh Hashanah 4b, for rare cases where it is viewed as one.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sukkot

• JewFaq discussion on Sukkot

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