Sukkot

The first time we visited Israel, we stayed in a zimmer (guest dwelling) in Moshav Avi'ezer. Baruch and Keter owned this home and they designed the upper level as a rental unit. This allowed us to enjoy a more authentic Israel. It was October and Baruch, Keter, and their five children had celebrated Sukkot not many days before we arrived. Their booth was still intact. We snapped this picture of its roof, as we looked down at it from our porch.

Guest Blogger: Imelda Quibin

My Firsthand Observations about this Jewish Feast

Once a year, the Jews celebrate the feast of Sukkot. It is also called the Feast of Tabernacles and the Feast of Booths and is sometimes spelled "Succoth." It is the seventh and last biblical feast. This feast reminds the Jews of their ancestors’ forty years of wilderness wanderings, after they were led by their father Moshe (Moses) from Egypt.

The Jews leave the comfort of their homes and build a shaky "succa," or tabernacle, outside their homes. If they live on the upper floor of a building, they build a succa on the terrace. If they live on the first floor, they have a spacious area in which to build their succa. For seven days, except for Shabbat (the Sabbath), they pray, eat and sleep in the succa.

I was once employed by a religious couple and the man loved to sleep in the succa. One night, it was a little bit cold and rainy. The following day he had to go to the hospital. So the next year, he let his son sleep in the succa instead of him. (Jews believe that the succa should not be empty during the night.)

I served food in the succa for seven days, except for Shabbat. When the Sukkot celebrations fall on a Saturday, or Shabbat, the observance of Shabbat preempts the Sukkot celebrations.

What is the purpose of Sukkot?

A succa, or tabernacle, is more or less built as seen in the above picture. It is a temporary shelter to be used for seven days. Why is the feast for seven days, instead of one month, ten days, or another time period? Because to God, seven days represent perfection.

Sukkot leads Jews from the holiday of awe (Yom Kippur) to the holidays of joy. Jews say that the succa represents the Holy Temple, or the model of the sanctuary in the desert – the tabernacle plan – after which it was crafted. The guests of the succa (ushpizim) are the great personalities of biblical history, and the most fitting decorations for the succa are scenes from the Temple service. As part of the decoration, I saw a picture of Abraham offering his son Isaac on Mount Moriah.

Sukkot also depicts the harvest festival in which a succa was built to remind the Israelites of their desert wanderings. Perhaps depending on their budget, some but not all, Jews place fresh fruit above the roof of the succa. The emphasis on fruit and vegetables in the decoration of the succa and in the meals reinforce the theme of abundance and hospitality in every harvest holiday.

Four Species

Four species (Arva Melim) of fauna are used during Sukkot: Lulav (palm frond), etrog (citron), hadas (myrtle), and arava (willow). These four species are taken by the men to the synagogue for seven days, except Shabbat. The species are held together each morning as well as during certain portions of the service. During the week prior to the celebration, these four species sell like hot-cakes in the Jerusalem market.

They use a magnifying glass to inspect every species, to ensure that it is perfect, free of insects and holes, giving particular attention to the leaves. They are so strict that I think they are inspecting the pores of the plants! Well, the main theme of this celebration is perfection! Just one set of arva melim is expensive. But as my employer says, the cost does not bother him; it is for the service of God.

Only these two things – the succa (booth) and the four species – are needed to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.

Simhat Torah (Joy of the Torah)

This is the last celebration of the Succoth. It represents the completion of the reading of the Torah. There’s nothing sweeter than the Torah, they say. And children can only celebrate something this sweet by having something sweet to eat. I once witnessed this kind of celebration. Men brought scrolls out into the lobby of the synagogue. Some people were singing and others were dancing with the scrolls. Some people threw candies and other sweets. The men were very careful to not drop the scroll; they say that dropping it would bring bad luck. After a one-year reading of their Bible (Old Testament), they conclude it with Simhat Torah. After this they will start reading again from Genesis. For them, the reading of the Word of God brings life and joy, just as reading the Word bring life and joy to us Christians! This celebration is similar to what happened when King David brought the ark of God back to Jerusalem (II Samuel 6).

Millennium Reign

The Succoth celebration of the Jews is like the millennial reign we read about in the Book of the prophet Isaiah. From many references, I selected one verse for an example: Isaiah 35:1 “The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.” Revelation 20:6-7 states, “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison.”

During that time, people will not be living in beautiful buildings and houses; the saints will reign with Jesus. I once heard my pastor say that we will be living with Jesus, like it was in the Garden of Eden. Hungry wild animals will become tame as before. A foretaste of Heaven! We can renew our strength with this promise given by God!! Perfection is only found in Jesus Christ.

Scripture Reference: Leviticus 23:33-44