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Sukkot Background
Sukkot begins September 30, 2004 at sundown and continues until October 8th.
Tishrei is a busy month. It begins with Rosh Hashana, followed by Yom Kippur. Then, only four days later, the longest of the Jewish festivals arrives. Three holidays make up this celebration, Sukkot, Shimini Atzeret and Simchat Torah.
The festival of Sukkot is marked by the building of a thatched hut in which one eats and sleeps, called a sukkah.  The building of a sukkah is prescribed in the Torah, where it is written, "On the fifteenth day of the seventh month shall be the Feast of Booths [Sukkot], seven days for Adonai... for seven days you shall dwell in booths; every citizen shall dwell in booths so that your generations will know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt" (Leviticus 23:33-44).
Sukkot is one of the three pilgrim festivals, along with Pesach and Shavuot. When the Temple stood in Jerusalem, Jews would make pilgrimages on each of these three festivals, bringing offerings. It is interesting to note that these three holidays commemorate critical moments in the formation of the Jewish people: freedom from slavery in Egypt (Pesach), wandering in the desert (Sukkot), and receiving the Torah (Shavuot).
After leaving Egypt, the Jews dwelt in temporary shelter - a hut or 'sukkah', and we build and dwell in the sukkah during this holiday to remind us of experience of our ancestors. Jews are instructed to build a sukkah before the holiday begins, so that they can eat and many traditional Jews begin building their sukkah even before breaking the Yom Kippur fast.
The joyous celebration of Sukkot is also linked to the agricultural cycles of Israel. It is at this time of year that the fall crops are gathered. Before the destruction of the Temple, a portion of this was brought as an offering.
 We use of the four species (lulav, etrog, willow and myrtle) as ritual objects during Sukkot to celebrate the harvest. "You shall take on the first day the fruit of goodly trees, branches of palms, and boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before Adonai your God for seven days" (Leviticus 23:40).
Sukkot also marks the beginning of the rainy season in Israel. Since water is the key to survival in the desert, this time of year is critically important, and joyous.
Starting on Shemini Atzeret, the last day of Sukkot, we add a prayer for rain to the Amidah, the daily prayers.
This holiday is indeed multifaceted. It is referred to by three names in Torah:
Hag HaAsif - The Festival of the Ingathering (harvest) Exodus 34:22; Hag HaSukkot - The Festival of the Booths (shelter) Leviticus 23:34; Z'man Simchateinu - The Time of our Joy. |
