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Sukkot (סוכות or סֻכּוֹת ''sukkōt'', booths) or '''Succoth''' or '''Sukkos''' is a Biblical pilgrimage Festival which occurs in autumn on the 15th day of the month of Tishri (mid- to late-October). The holiday is also known as the '''Feast of Booths''', the '''Feast of Tabernacles''', '''Tabernacles''', or the '''Feast of Ingathering'''. In Judaism it is one of the three major Holidays known as the Shalosh Regalim , which mark the three times during the year that the Jewish populace travelled to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. The word Sukkot is the plural of the Hebrew word ''sukkah'', meaning booth or hut. During this holiday, Jews eat their meals, entertain guests, relax, and even sleep in a ''sukkah'', a temporary structure (see below). The ''sukkah'' is reminiscent of the type of huts in which the ancient Israelite s dwelt during their 40 years of wandering in the desert after the Exodus from Egypt, and reflects God's benevolence in providing for all their needs in the desert. In Israel (and among Reform Jews), Sukkot is a 7-day holiday, with the first day celebrated as a full festival with special prayer services and holiday meals. Outside the land of Israel, the first two days are celebrated as full festivals. The remaining days are known as '' Chol HaMoed '' (festival weekdays). The seventh day of Sukkot is called ''Hoshanah Rabbah'' and has a special observance of its own. The day immediately following Sukkot is a separate holiday known as Shemini Atzeret , "the Eighth (Day) of Assembly." In Israel, the celebration of Shemini Atzeret includes Simchat Torah . Outside the land of Israel, Shemini Atzeret is celebrated on the day after Sukkot and Simchat Torah is celebrated on the day after that, bringing the total days of festivities to eight in Israel and nine outside Israel. SUKKOT LAWS AND CUSTOMS The ''sukkah'' The central symbol of Sukkot is the ''sukkah'', a temporary dwelling place. According to the Torah, men and boys over the age of , the Mitzvah to ''lesheiv'' is incumbent on all Jews over the age of B'nai Mitzvah , both male and female. According to Halakha , a ''sukkah'' is a structure consisting of 2 1/2, 3, or 4 walls with a roof made of an Organic material which has been disconnected from the ground (the ''s'chach''). It should be at least three feet tall. Portable ''sukkahs'' are available for those who have little space, or when travelling (in order to have a place to eat one's meals). The sky should be mostly visible from the location where the ''sukkah'' is built. In practice, the walls of a ''sukkah'' can be built from anything ranging from wood to canvas to Aluminium , and the roof material can range from pine branches to Palm fronds to Bamboo . The walls may also be part of a house or fence. The specific details of what constitutes a wall, how short/tall a wall can be, whether there can be spaces between the walls and the roof, and the exact material required for the ''s'chach'' can be found in various exegetical texts. ''S'chach'' is the Hebrew name for the material used as a roof for a sukkah. ''S'chach'' has to have grown from the ground, but then must be disconnected from it. Palm Leaves , Bamboo Sticks and Pine branches and even wood as well as many other types of Organic Material could all be used for ''s'chach'' unless they were processed for a different use. Many people hang decorations such as dried or plastic fruit, streamers, shiny ornaments, and pictures from the interior walls and ceiling beams of a ''sukkah''. Families may also line the interior walls with white sheeting, in order to recall the "Clouds of Glory" that surrounded the Jewish nation during their wanderings in the desert. In Israel and in temperate climates, Orthodox Jew s will conduct all their eating, studying, and sleeping activities in the ''sukkah''. Many Jews will not eat anything except water or fruit outside the ''sukkah''. In Israel, it is common practice for hotels, restaurants, snack shops, and outdoor tourist attractions (such as the zoo) to provide an eating ''sukkah'' for their guests. ''Sukkas'' can also be seen on apartment balconies. On the directive of their '' Rebbe '', Lubavitch er Hasidim differ from other Orthodox Jews in that they don't sleep in the ''sukkah'' due to its intrinsic holiness. In cold climates such as the Eastern United States , Canada , and the United Kingdom , full observance of the Mitzvah of sleeping in the ''sukkah'' is almost impossible. Jews in these locales will spend some time in the ''sukkah'' eating and relaxing but go indoors to sleep. Though one need not eat or sleep in the ''sukkah'' if it is raining, Lubavitch er Hasidim will still eat there. Although the festival of Sukkot is a joyous occasion, and is referred to in Hebrew as ''Yom Simchateinu'' (the day of our rejoicing) or ''Z'man Simchateinu'', (the season of our rejoicing), the ''sukkah'' itself symbolises the frailty and transience of life. It also reminds its dwellers that true security comes from faith in God, rather than from money or possessions. Ushpizzin Many Jews observe the custom of inviting seven spiritual "guests" (known as ''ushpizzin'') to be with them in their ''sukkah''. These ''ushpizzin'' are the seven "shepherds" of Israel. They are:
According to tradition, each night a different guest enters the ''sukkah'' first and the other six follow him. The custom of inviting guests to the ''sukkah'' also includes living guests; many people invite family, friends, neighbours, or people who are alone to join them for a snack or a meal. These guests may be Jews or Gentiles . The Four Species On each of the seven days of Sukkot, the Torah requires the Jew to take '' ( Date Palm frond), '' Hadass '' (bough of a Myrtle tree), and '' Aravah '' ( Willow branch)—which are bound together and collectively referred to as the ''lulav''—and the '' Etrog '' (a Citron , a lemon-like citrus fruit). These plants are usually sold in religious communities during the days preceding the festival. However, in some Reform communities where these plants are not available locally, other plants such as Reed s are substituted for one or more of the four species. The Four Species are waved as follows: The first three species are held in the right hand, while the ''etrog'' is held in the left hand. The user holds his or her hands apart while saying the special blessing, ''"Blessed are You, God our Lord, King of the Universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to take the lulav"''. Then the user brings his or her hands together so that the ''etrog'' touches the ''lulav'' bundle, and points and gently shakes the Four Species three times in each of the four directions, as well as up and down. Symbolically, this ceremony is a prayer for adequate rainfall for all the vegetation of the earth in the coming year. In Orthodox circles, the Mitzvah of waving the ''lulav'' and ''etrog'' is mandatory each day of Sukkot (except Shabbat ) for men and boys over the age of Bar Mitzvah . Women are not obligated to wave the ''lulav'' and ''etrog'', but they may do so if they choose. In Conservative and Reform circles, all Jews over the age of B'nai Mitzvah perform the waving ceremony. The waving ceremony is usually done in the Synagogue during the daily prayer services, although it can also be done in the privacy of one's home or ''sukkah''. During the first six days of Sukkot, all the worshippers in the synagogue leave their seats and make a complete circuit around the sanctuary in a procession with their ''lulavs''. The ''lulav'' and ''etrog'' are shaken during the recital of Hallel . On the seventh day of the holiday, known as Hoshanah Rabbah , the worshippers make seven circuits around the sanctuary. The s and the Karaite s, maintained that they were meant for building the ''sukkah'', as would appear from Neh. 8:14-18, while their opponents contended that they were to be carried in the synagogue procession. ''Chol HaMo'ed'' The second through seventh days of Sukkot (third through seventh days outside the land of Israel) are called ''Chol HaMo'ed'' (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 ''sukkahs'' or on family outings—are permitted by Jewish law. Activities that will interfere with relaxation and enjoyment of the holiday—such as laundering, ironing and mending clothes, engaging in labor-intensive activities, or performing business activities—are not permitted. Orthodox Jew s typically treat ''Chol HaMo'ed'' as a vacation period, eating nicer than usual meals in their ''sukkah'', entertaining guests, visiting other families in their ''sukkahs'', and taking family outings. Nightly ''Simchat Beit HaShoeivah'' celebrations round out the holiday schedule. ''Simchat Beit HaShoeivah'' In the days of the , Sukkot is the time of year in which God judges the world for rainfall; therefore this ceremony, like the taking of the Four Species , invokes God's blessing for rain in its proper time. The water for the libation ceremony was drawn from the pool of Shiloah in the City Of David , and the joy that accompanied this procedure was palpable. (This is the source for the verse in Isaiah: "And you shall draw waters with joy from the wells of salvation" (Isa. 2). Afterwards, every night in the outer Temple courtyard, tens of thousands of spectators would gather to watch the ''Simchat Beit HaShoeivah'' (Rejoicing at the Place of the Water-Drawing), as the most pious members of the community danced and sang songs of praise to God. The dancers would carry lighted torches, and were accompanied by the harps, lyres, cymbals and trumpets of the Levites. According to the Mishnah tractate Sukkah, "He who has not seen the rejoicing at the Place of the Water-Drawing has never seen rejoicing in his life." Throughout Sukkot, the city of Jerusalem teemed with Jewish families who came on the holiday pilgrimage and joined together for feasting and Torah study. Nowadays, this event is recalled via a ''Simchat Beit HaShoeivah'' gathering of music, dance and refreshments. This event takes place in a central location such as a Synagogue , Yeshiva , or place of study (refreshments are served in the adjoining ''sukkah''). Live bands often accompany the dancers. The festivities usually begin late in the evening, and can last long into the night. Hoshanah Rabbah The seventh day of Sukkot is known as Hoshanah Rabbah (הושענא רבא, Great Supplication). This day is marked by a special Synagogue service in which seven circuits are made by the worshippers with their ''lulav'' and ''etrog''. In addition, a bundle of five '' Aravah '' branches is taken and beaten against the ground, accompanied by a series of liturgical verses ending with, "''Kol mevasser, mevasser ve-omer''" (A voice brings news, brings news and says)—expressing hope for the speedy coming of the Messiah . The reasons for the latter custom are rooted in Kabbalah . Abudarham speaks of the custom of reading the Torah on the night of Hoshanah Rabbah, out of which has grown the modern custom of meeting socially on that night and reading from Deuteronomy , Psalms , and passages from the Zohar ; reciting Kabbalistic prayers; and eating refreshments. In Orthodox Jew ish circles, men will stay up all night learning Torah . Among Sephardic Jews, prayers known as "''Selihot''" (forgiveness) are recited before the regular morning service (these are the same prayers recited before Rosh Hashanah ). In Amsterdam and in a few places in England, America, and elsewhere, the Shofar is also sounded in connection with the processions. The latter practice reflects the idea that Hoshanah Rabbah is the end of the high holiday season, when the world is judged for the coming year. SHEMINI ATZERET AND SIMCHAT TORAH The holiday of Shemini Atzeret (שמיני עצרת - lit. "the Eighth {Link without Title} of Assembly") is a separate festival that follows immediately after Sukkot, on the eighth day (eighth and ninth days outside the land of Israel). The family returns indoors to eat and sleep in their house, special synagogue services are held, and holiday meals are served. In Israel, Shemini Atzeret lasts for one day and the festivities of Simchat Torah (שמחת תורה) coincide with it. Outside of Israel, Shemini Atzeret lasts for two days and the festivities of Simchat Torah fall on the second day. Simchat Torah (lit. "the joy of the Torah") is an especially happy day on which the very last portion of the Torah is read in the synagogue during morning services and, in order to convey the idea that Torah study never ends, the very first portion of the Torah (the beginning of Genesis ) is read immediately after. All the men and boys over the age of Bar Mitzvah are called up to the Torah for an ''aliyah'', and all the children under the age of bar mitzvah are also given an "''aliyah''" called ''Kol HaNa'arim'' (all the children)—the youngsters crowd around the reader's table while men hold up a large Tallit to include them all in the ''aliyah''. Both during the night service and the morning service in Orthodox synagogues, all the Torah scrolls are removed from the ark and all the worshippers engage in rounds of spirited dancing. Seven official circuits around the reader's table (called "''hakafot''") are made, although the dancing can go on for hours. In the Former Soviet Union , Simchat Torah was the day on which Jews gathered in the street outside the synagogue to dance and proclaim their Jewishness openly. Refusenik s were often inspired by that Simchat Torah celebration to pursue other Jewish religious practices in secret, despite Communist oppression. THE HOLIDAY IN THE BIBLE In the Hebrew Bible, Sukkot is called:
In later Hebrew literature it is called “''chag'',” or " {Link without Title} festival." Sukkot was agricultural in origin. This is evident from the name "The Feast of Ingathering," from the ceremonies accompanying it, and from the season 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 (compare Judges 9:27). And in what may explain the festival’s name, Isaiah reports that grape harvesters kept booths in their Vineyards ( Isa. 1:8). 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” (Lev. 23:39; Judges 21:19) or simply “the Feast” (1 Kings 8:2, 65; 12:32; 2 Chron. 5:3; 7:8). Perhaps because of its wide attendance, Sukkot became the appropriate time for important state ceremonies. 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 after the Babylonian Captivity (Ezra 3:2-4). In the time of . (E.g., Richard Elliott Friedman . ''The Bible with Sources Revealed'', 228-29. New York: HarperSanFrancisco, 2003.) to present the offering, the man of God, at the command of the Lord, cried out against the altar” in disapproval (1 Kings 13:1). According to Zechariah (Zech. 14:16-19), Sukkot in the messianic era will become a universal festival, and all the surrounding nations will make pilgrimages annually to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast there. (A modern interpretation of this resulted in a recent holiday celebrated in Jerusalem by non-Jews, "The Feast of Tabernacles".) Sukkot is here associated with the granting of rain, an idea further developed in later Jewish literature. Observance of Sukkot is detailed in Mishnah and Talmud tractate Sukkah, part of the order Moed (Festivals). SUKKOT AS A PLACE NAME The name ''Sukkot'' appears in a number of places in the Hebrew Bible as a location:
These last three locations may be identical. SEE ALSO
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