Arava — Willow, one of the four species.

Arba minim — Literally “four species,” a quartet of plants used in Sukkot rituals: lulav, etrog, hadas, and arava. They symbolize joy for life and dedication to God. The four species are held and shaken during the Hallel service.

Etrog — Citron, one of the four species.

Geshem — Rain. An additional prayer for rain, Tefillat Geshem, is read on Shemini Atzeret in the fall, introduced in the poetic form of an alphabetic acrostic.

Hadas — Myrtle, one of the four species.

Hakafah — Literally “circuit,” a celebratory processional around the room done on Sukkot and Simchat Torah. On Sukkot hakafot (the Hebrew plural of hakafah) are done holding the four species, except on Shabbat. On Shemini Atzeret, the hakafot are done while singing, dancing, and carrying Torahs.

Hallel — Literally “praise” this short service is a collection of Psalms and blessings recited on festivals and Rosh Hodesh (the new moon) as a display of joy and gratitude.

Hatan/Kallat Bereishit — Literally “Groom/Bride of Genesis,” this is a designation of honor for the person who is called up to the very first aliyah of the Book of Genesis on the morning of Simchat Torah.

Hatan/Kallat Torah — Literally “Groom/Bride of the Torah” this is a designation of honor for the person who is called up to the very last aliyah of the Book of Deuteronomy on the morning of Simchat Torah.

Hol Hamoed — The intermediary days falling between the most sacred days of the festivals of Sukkot and Passover. These days have fewer prohibitions and commandments associated with them than the first and last days of the festivals.

Hoshanah Rabbah — Literally, “the Great Call for Help,” the seventh day of Sukkot during which hakafot are made and Hoshanot are recited. According to one tradition, it is the very last day for God to seal a judgment.

Hoshanot — Prayers of salvation that are chanted on Hoshanah Rabbah while holding the four species. At the end of the hakafot, each person takes a bundle of willow twigs and strikes it on the ground for symbolic purposes. Each prayer begins with the word hoshanah, which means, “Save, I pray.”

Kohelet —The Book of Ecclesiastes, a collection of wisdom, traditionally attributed to King Solomon. It is one of the five books from the part of the Bible called the Writings (Ketuvim) and is read on the intermediary Shabbat of Sukkot.

Lulav — Palm, one of the four species and also the name given to the general bundle of willow, myrtle, and palm branches.

Pitom — Literally “protuberance,” the bulging tip at the blossom end of the etrog. If it falls off naturally, the etrog is considered to be kosher. If it has been knocked off, the fruit is considered to have a blemish and thus be unfit for ritual use as one of the four species.

Shalosh Regalim — Literally “three festivals,” referring to Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot. On these occasions during biblical times Jews went on pilgrimages to Jerusalem to make special offerings at the Temple.

Shemini Atzeret — Literally “the Eighth Day of Gathering,” is the final day of Sukkot, which holds special significance as its own holiday. Jews thank God for the harvest and ask for winter rain to prepare the ground for spring planting.

Simchat Torah — Literally “rejoicing in the Torah,” the holiday that celebrates both the end and renewal of the annual cycle of reading the Torah. Typically, the congregation takes the Torah scrolls from the ark and parades with them in circles (hakafot) around the perimeter of the sanctuary.

Skhakh — The roofing of the sukkah, which is made from natural materials such as bamboo or palm branches.

Sukkah — Literally “hut” or “booth,” a temporary structure that is built in order to be dwelt in for the duration of the holiday of Sukkot. Its purpose is to commemorate the Israelites’ Exodus from Egypt and to make a symbolic gesture that acknowledges humankind’s reliance upon God. The construction of a sukkah follows a set of specific regulations.

Ushpizin — Literally “guests,” the biblical guests that the Zohar teaches are to be invited into the sukkah (along with the poor) during each night of Sukkot. Traditionally these seven guests are Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, and David. Today many people add the names of women to the list.

Zman Simchateinu — Literally “the time of our rejoicing,” an expression often used when referring to the days of Sukkot.

The post Must-Know Sukkot Words and Phrases appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

During the holiday of Sukkot we eat our meals in the sukkah (unless it’s raining) and spend time hanging out with family and friends in our temporary dwelling. Many families have a custom of decorating their sukkah with homemade artwork, posters, paper chains and gourds.

The post What Is A Sukkah? appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

But many people live in climates, neighborhoods, or buildings that preclude constructing and living in a sukkah. A local synagogue, campus Hillel, or even kosher restaurant will likely have one that you can use to fulfill the mitzvah of sitting in a sukkah. Yet everyone, with or without a personal sukkah, can turn to creative interpretations of “dwelling” and focus on the aspects of Sukkot that are oriented toward other rituals and customs to enrich the holiday experience.

At Home in a Hut

In the Torah, the children of Israel used sukkot (plural of sukkah) as their temporary homes while traveling through the desert. Instead of constructing your own temporary space — or in addition to it — you can help someone else acquire a permanent home. Habitat for Humanity, a Christian organization, runs building projects in many urban areas. There are also many  Jewish organizations that address homelessness and poverty, such as the numerous groups that are part of the Jewish Social Justice Roundtable.

Other service programs in your community may help individuals transition from homeless shelters into homes by collecting house wares and other necessary items. The acknowledgement that there are those in our communities who have no shelter at all can bring a meaningful awareness to your celebration.

A Temporary Dwelling

A sukkah is a transitional shelter meant to provide only the basic structure of a building. In fact, Jewish law requires a minimum of two and half walls, and the ceiling, covered in tree branches and leaves, must be open enough so that the stars are visible. One alternative is to build a sukkah-like structure indoors. For children, the act of building forts and tents is the creation of a personal play space. Adults can build a canopy over the dining room table using a tablecloth, or even over the bed — perhaps to look like a chuppah, or wedding canopy — to enjoy the temporary shelter and reminder of transition that it evokes.

Harvest Holiday

In the Bible, Sukkot marked the time of the fruit and grape harvests. It is also harvest time in North America, and the produce of the season is readily available. You can visit a farmer’s market or even a farm to buy or help harvest seasonal fruits and vegetables. Go apple picking or just visit the park to collect fallen leaves and twigs to use as decorations. Create centerpieces for the home with fruits and vegetables, and plan meals that incorporate a wide selection of local produce. Look for the variety of produce imported from Israel during this time of year, as well.

The Four Species

The lulav and etrog are made up of four different kinds of plants (citron/etrog, palm/lulav, myrtle/hadas and palm/arava) and are often called the Four Species, or arba minim. They function as one unit, and we say one blessing over them together: Their purpose is to gather and enjoy the plants of the land. Anyone can shake a lulav at home, in a synagogue, or wherever you find yourself, even out in the natural world. A lulav and etrog can be found online or in a local Judaica store. The four are often referred to under the inclusive term lulav, since the lulav is the largest and most prominent of the species. Thus, while the mitzvah is to wave the lulav, this actually refers to waving all four species: palm, willow, myrtle and etrog. Also, when people refer to the lulav and etrog, they are referring to all four species, including the willow and myrtle.

Ushpizin

All year, welcoming guests is a Jewish value expressed by the mitzvah of hachnasat orhim (welcoming guests). Invite guests to your home for a sukkah party or a meal and serve harvest-themed treats. You might also host a picnic in a local park.

At Sukkot we specifically welcome ushpizin, traditionally one of seven exalted men of Israel to take up residence in the sukkah with us: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron and David. Be creative and encourage your guests to welcome their own ushpizin — famous personalities and heroes, ancient or modern, Jewish or not Jewish, who lived exemplary lives and continue to inspire.

The Time of Our Joy

In Jewish liturgy, Sukkot is referred to as “the time of our joy,” z’man simchateinu. Take time off to spend with family or friends, or make lots of phone calls to wish a chag sameach, a happy holiday, to loved ones who are too far to visit.

Make your home a joyful place with decorations in the spirit of the holiday: decorate your front door with a harvest theme, hang paper chains from your ceilings, or build a mini-sukkah out of graham crackers, pretzels, and icing to serve as a fun treat. Sukkahs (the Hebrew plural is sukkot) in Israel are often decorated with what Americans would refer to as “Christmas lights,” so grab a box and string them around your windows and walls to transform your home into a sukkah.

The space and financial investment needed to build a sukkah can be very real, but finding ways to celebrate the holiday only takes some creative thinking.

The post Celebrating Sukkot without a Sukkah appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

Building the Sukkah

While building your own sukkah may seem like an overwhelming proposition, it can actually be a fun family project–and a relatively simple one at that. If you have the space and the inclination, consider ordering an easy, ready-to-assemble sukkah from a website such as The Sukkah Center or Sukkah Depot.

Building a sukkah is one of the few mitzvot (commandments) that involve the whole body. This can be a great bonding experience for everyone, especially in the crisp fall air. Find ways for each family member to get involved. Older children can help with the heavy building, while the younger ones can help gather tools and decorate.

If you are unable to build your own sukkah, there are plenty of opportunities to participate in the building and/or decorating of a community sukkah. Often synagogues organize family sukkah decorating events. Or you might ask a family friend who builds a sukkah if your family can lend a hand.

Time for “Home Decorating”

The Torah commands us to “dwell” in the sukkah. For the week of the holiday, the Sukkah becomes our home, and unlike our permanent homes–where the parents most likely do the interior decorating–Sukkot can be a fun opportunity for kids to help make decorating decisions. Your sukkah can be an ideal place to display your children’s artwork, for example.

Kids can choose a theme for the sukkah. The theme could be holiday related or not. I know one family who decided to have a “Global Sukkah” and decorated their sukkah with pictures from all over the world. Another family had a “Dora the Explorer” sukkah and made pictures of all the Dora characters. They had different parts of the sukkah represent different Dora adventure places such as Crocodile Lake and Spooky Forest.

Photographs also make great decorations, especially if you laminate them. You can take annual pictures of your family in the sukkah and then display them chronologically. This can be a wonderful way to record the growth of your family while preserving special memories of time spent together.

During the year, Sukkah decorations can be kept in a special “Sukkah Chest” to be opened only at decorating time. Over the years, your family will accumulate a unique collection of decorating memorabilia.

Dwelling in the Sukkah

Sukkot provides a wonderful opportunity for your family to “camp out” or take a vacation, right in your own backyard. During Sukkot, we are asked to feel the tension between the vulnerability of living outside in a fragile shelter and the safety of God’s protection.

Try to eat in a sukkah as often as possible. Meals can be simple, cozy and fun — just like you might have by a campfire. You can also experiment with moving some weekday activities into the sukkah, such as playdates and homework time. It is a mitzvah to recite the blessing over and wave the lulav and etrog on each day of Sukkot. The mitzvah is often done in a synagogue, but the family sukkah is a great location to do it as well.

READ: How to Buy a Lulav and Etrog

Children love the coziness of being outside at night. Bedtime rituals such as storytelling and singing are even more special when moved outside with everyone snug in their PJs and extra sweaters. And if everyone feels really brave, why not bring out the sleeping bags and air mattresses and sleep in the sukkah?

(Note: Sukkot should be a time of joy and pleasure, so if the weather is too cold, or it is raining, or there is some other reason for discomfort, go back inside. Everyone should be comfortable and have fun.)

Reaching Out to Others

On Sukkot, our “home-away-from-home” can be a welcome space for guests of all ages.

Inviting family and friends (old and new) into your sukkah helps enrich the meaning of the holiday.

There is also a mystical custom on Sukkot to welcome seven biblical guests into the sukkah, called ushpizin. These biblical guests are traditionally Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, and Aaron or David. Some families also welcome our female ancestors: Sarah, Miriam, Deborah, Hannah, Abigail, Huldah, and Esther. Ushpizin makes a great decorating theme as well. Children can draw pictures of biblical characters and stories. These stories can also be told or acted out in the sukkah, perhaps as an after-dinner activity.

Children can also think about other non-biblical ushpizin to “invite” into the sukkah. These can be famous historical figures (Jewish and non-Jewish), superheroes, and/or anyone your child looks up to.

Sukkot is a time to think about the blessing of having a permanent home, and to acknowledge that so many people lack this fortune. Families can put their thoughts into action by volunteering together a local homeless shelter or soup kitchen.

Focus on Joy

Sukkot is called z’man simhateinu, the time of our joy, and the activities, rituals, and foods you choose should focus on happiness. Sukkot is a great holiday to serve everyone’s favorite foods, wear new clothes and even exchange some presents.

In Israel and in some places in the United States, Sukkot is a week-long school vacation and thus a great time for families to go on tiyulim, or trips, together. If your family can get away, you might want to schedule an annual family hike, a trip to an amusement park, or an outing to any fun destination for this special week.

Often we tend to think that the most “important” holidays are the more serious ones, such as Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Sukkot reminds us that mitzvah gedola l’hiyot b’simha, it is a great mitzvah to be happy. Hag Sameah–have a joyous holiday!

The post Sukkot for Families appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

Because Simchat Torah is focused on celebrating with the Torah scrolls—chanting, dancing, and singing—it is not surprising that the day is almost entirely synagogue focused. Shemini Atzeret is a little different—why does God mandate a festival with little ritual uniqueness except for the prayer for rain recited in the synagogue? The answer is found in a Talmudic elaboration of the holiday’s essence, since the Torah itself is vague about the meaning of the holiday. Leviticus 23:36 states: “Seven days you shall bring offerings by fire to the Lord. On the eighth day you shall observe a sacred occasion (atzeret) and bring an offering by fire to the Lord; it is a solemn gathering: you shall not work at your occupations.” Trying to get to the essence of the verse, the rabbis reinterpreted the meaning of the word atzeret as “to tarry.” They postulated that God finds it difficult to part with the Jews who have been so actively involved in seven days of celebration and asks them “to tarry a little longer.” It is almost as if God is seeking an intimacy that precludes ritual and custom.

Consequently, the only real home custom of Shemini Atzeret harkens back to Sukkot. This is the day when the Jews leave the sukkah—slowly, tarrying, still experiencing the festive atmosphere. On Shemini Atzeret Jews linger in the sukkah. According to a variety of customs, some eat both the evening meal and the following day’s meal in the sukkah and make the blessing over wine, the kiddush, at both meals. Some make the blessing at one meal only (while some eschew the sukkah altogether). In all cases, because Shemini Atzeret is a unique holiday, the commandment to dwell in the sukkah no longer holds, and the blessing leshev basukkah, “to dwell in the sukkah,” is not recited.

Shemini Atzeret is not only a time for lingering in the sukkah, but a time for saying goodbye to the holiday season as well. Some people gather in the sukkah in the afternoon with friends and family to eat cake or fruit and have a drink (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) and then together to say good-bye to the sukkah for the current year. Whenever the final meal in the sukkah takes place, the following formulaic good-bye is recited by some Jews: “May it be Your will, Adonai, our God and the God of our ancestors, that just as I have fulfilled the mitzvah and dwelt in this Sukkah, so may I merit in the coming year to dwell in the Sukkah of the skin of Leviathan” (the skin of Leviathan alludes to messianic times).

The post Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah at Home appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

1. According to Bet Shammai, the sukkah must be large enough to contain a man’s head, most of his body, and his table (Talmud, Sukkah 2:7).

2. The walls of the sukkah may be made of any material, but must be sturdy enough to withstand an ordinary wind (Code of Jewish Law, Orach Chayim 630: 10).

3. It is meritorious to start building the sukkah immediately after Yom Kippur, even if it is Friday, because a chance to perform a precept should not be put off. One should choose for it a clean site. Everyone should build the sukkah,even if one is an eminent person (Code of Jewish Law, Condensed Version, Chapter 134).

4. There are many different opinions regarding the roofing of the sukkah. However, since we generally cover it with the branches of trees, or with reeds, which are detached products of the soil and not subject to defilement and are not tied together, there is no cause for scruples (Code of Jewish Law, Condensed Version, Chapter 134).

5. Enough boughs should be placed upon the sukkah so as to have more shade than sun. If it has more sun than shade, it is invalid. It is therefore necessary to put on enough branches, so that even if they should dry up, there would still be more shade than sun (Code of Jewish Law, Condensed Version, Chapter 134).

6. A sukkah that is erected underneath the branches of a tree is invalid. Even if the branches by themselves would provide more sun than shade, and the sukkah has been adjusted by means of putting there on extra branches, it is, nevertheless, invalid (Code of Jewish Law, Condensed Version, Chapter 134).

7. The obligation may be fulfilled with a borrowed sukkah but not with one that is stolen. Hence, a sukkah may not be erected on a public place. In an emergency, however, when one has no other sukkah available, one may sit in such a sukkah and say the prescribed benediction (Code of Jewish Law, Condensed Version, Chapter 134).

Excerpted from Every Person’s Guide to Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, and Simchat Torah. Reprinted with permission of the publisher. Copyright 2000 Jason Aronson, Inc.

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Both the holiday’s celebration of the harvest and its remembrance of Israel’s vulnerability in the desert point to human dependence on God’s beneficence and the consequent obligation to give thanks to God. The home customs of Sukkot also encompass both dimensions.

Basic Requirements for the Sukkah

The sukkah (plural: sukkot) gives the holiday its name, and one of its defining commandments is for Jews leshev ba-sukkah, “to dwell in the sukkah.” A sukkah may take a variety of forms—from a relatively elaborate wooden structure, to a simple hut on an apartment balcony, to a prefab of aluminum poles and canvas walls—as long as it satisfies a few basic requirements. A sukkah must have at least three walls and be constructed of materials that can withstand an average wind, like heavy blankets, canvas, or wood. The roof must be covered with s’chach—a product of the earth that is no longer attached to the earth, for example, wood, bamboo poles, tree branches, but not a tree (it’s still connected to the earth). The s’chach should provide more shade than sunlight in the daytime, yet allow the brightest stars to be visible at night.

How to Decorate the Sukkah

Having satisfied the basic requirements, the sukkah may reflect the imaginative fancy of the builder, and decorating the sukkah can be a creative whole-family activity. In line with Sukkot’s nickname as zman simchatenu, “the season of our joy,” it is a custom, although not a requirement, to decorate the sukkah. Possibilities are endless: Rosh Hashanah cards, paper chains, paper lanterns, mobiles on hangars, laminated posters with Jewish and Sukkot themes, or even strings of colored electric lights. To reflect the bounty of the harvest, people also hang fruit, gourds, cranberries on a string, or Indian corn, but some prefer plastic fruit to avoid waste. Another custom that expresses the sense of joy and celebration is to wear new clothes on this festival.

Meals in the Sukkah with Ushpizin (Guests)

Once the sukkah is assembled and decorated, it is time to “dwell in sukkot for seven days,” as the Torah instructs. But what does this “dwelling” entail? Halakhah, Jewish law, understands this so mean that one must “make the Sukkah like a home.” This has been interpreted differently in different traditional communities depending mostly upon climate. The broadest interpretation is that most major life activities should happen in the sukkah—eating meals, relaxing, entertaining, studying, and even sleeping. However, many Jews limit their sukkah dwelling to eating. Even for traditionalist Jews, if being in the sukkah would cause great discomfort–for example, in a heavy rain–the minimal requirement would be to recite the blessings for dwelling in the sukkah, wine, bread, and, on the first two nights, the shehecheyanu blessing. Then the meal could be continued indoors.

A sukkah custom developed by the kabbalists, or Jewish mystics, was to invite seven biblical ancestors, or “faithful shepherds” as sukkah guests. The traditional invitees are Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, and David; each night a different one of these seven guests, called the ushpizin, is considered the most honored guest. In mysticism, each of the figures mentioned represent one of the sefirot [emanations], an aspect of the Divinity. This practice reflects the mystical notion of the Sukkah as symbolic of the Divine, and the Jew dwelling with and within the Divine.

Today some liberal Jews also invite either the wives of these shepherds, or seven other worthy Jewish women. One old kabbalistic tradition, for example, invites the biblical figures Sara, Miriam, Deborah, Hannah, Abigail, Huldah, and Esther. Some Sephardic communities prepare a specially decorated chair for the main guest of each evening. It is also traditional to invite living human guests to share the joy of eating in the sukkah.

The Four Species: Lulav, Etrog, Myrtle and Willow

Another Sukkot commandment, the waving of the Four Species, while primarily a synagogue tradition, may also be done at home if a person is unable to go to the synagogue. The lulav (palm branches), hadasim (myrtle) and aravot (willow), are inserted in a woven holder and held together with the etrog or citron to wave the four species, accompanied by the blessing al netilat lulav, “on the taking of the lulav.” The actual waving—first to the east, then south, west, north, up, and down—usually takes place at the morning service before Hallel, or “Psalms of Praise,” on all seven days of Sukkot (except for Shabbat); if not, it can be completed any time during daylight hours. Although most commonly the lulav and etrog are purchased through a local school or synagogue, in urban Orthodox neighborhoods in the United States or in Israel, markets are open before Sukkot where people can examine the four species before buying. For more details, including the full text of the bessing, click here.

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Here are the parts of the service you can expect to see at a Sukkot morning service in synagogue:

• Structure of the Service
• Shaking the Lulav
• Hallel and Hoshanot
• Reading from Ecclesiastes
• Hoshanah Rabba Prayers

Communal religious services on Sukkot can take place inside of the sukkah, a a synagogue, or any place they are usually held.

Communal Morning Prayer Service

Sukkot morning prayer services traditionally have a similar structure to Shabbat services. They begin with the morning prayer service, Shacharit, continuing to a Torah service and, depending on the type of synagogue and denomination, concluding prayers.

Many congregations will use nusah, or prayer melodies, that are sung only on Sukkot.

During the service there are also several additional components that are specific to Sukkot.

Lulav and Etrog

A major focus of public worship on Sukkot is the waving of the “four species” during communal prayer services. The origin of this custom is a verse in the Torah, according to which the Israelites are commanded to “take the produce of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook and you shall rejoice before Adonai your God seven days” (Leviticus 23:40).

The rabbinic tradition understood this to mean that one should acquire a lulav and an etrog. A lulav is a palm branch; the branch is placed in a holder together with sprigs of myrtle (aravot) and willow branches (hadasim). These three are collectively referred to as the lulav, since the palm is the dominant feature. The etrog is a variety of citrus fruit also known as a citron.

The lulav and etrog are picked up and symbolically waved at different parts of the morning service. When they are all held together and shaken in prayer they are viewed as fulfilling the verse in the book of Psalms (Chapter 35:10), which declares that “All of my bones shall proclaim, ‘O Adonai, who is like You?’” (Leviticus Rabbah 30:14). In this manner, it is symbolic of devoting one’s entire body to the worship and praise of God.

Hallel and Hoshanot

The lulav and etrog are picked up and blessed for the first time during the synagogue services at the beginning of a section of prayers called Hallel, or Psalms of Praise (Psalms 113-118). The lulav and etrog are held in one’s hands throughout the joyous singing and recitation of these psalms and are waved in the six directions at three different points in the chanting of these psalms.

The lulav and etrog are set aside during the reading of the Torah but picked up again toward the end of the morning synagogue services for a unique ritual called the Hoshanot. The Hebrew word hoshanah means “please save (us)” and is a series of as many as seven liturgical poems calling upon God to rescue and redeem the Jewish people, primarily by sending rain.

To demonstrate the sincerity and seriousness of the worshippers, the Ark is opened and a Torah is removed from the ark. In a further bid to gain divine favor, everyone carrying a lulav and etrog joins a procession that circles the inside of the sanctuary of the synagogue, chanting and waving his or her lulav and etrog. This procession circling the sanctuary is called a hakkafah (“circling”). A different hoshanah prayer is recited every day of the festival.

Kohelet (Ecclesiastes)

Many communal Sukkot prayer services include a reading from Kohelet, or Ecclesiastes, during a Sukkot service in the morning or evening.  The book is found in the Writings section of the Bible.

Kohelet, the authorship of which is commonly attributed to King Solomon, was chosen as a reading because of its linked themes with Sukkot. As Kohelet talks about the futility of life and the transience of existence, the sukkah is a temporary dwelling that can remind people that nothing is permanent.

The book, chanted like a Torah portion, takes about twenty to thirty minutes overall. Some congregations do not read Kohelet, or just read selected passages.

Hoshanah Rabbah and Shemini Atzeret

The seventh day of Sukkot is a semi-holiday in its own right. Still counted among the days of hol hamo’ed (intermediate days of the festival), this day is called, Hoshanah Rabbah or the “great hoshanah.” Hoshanah Rabbah was viewed by the rabbis as a mini-Yom Kippur, a day on which the entire Jewish community is judged by God to be worthy or not of the seasonal rains.

All seven hoshanot prayers are recited in seven processions around the sanctuary. At the conclusion of this, a special ritual is conducted in which the branches of the willow are struck upon the ground. This is a symbolic attempt to rid ourselves of any remaining sins (the leaves representing these transgressions) that might influence God’s decision to send the seasonal rains. For many Jews, Hoshanah Rabbah is the last day one shakes the lulav and etrog and dwells in the Sukkah (though a number of traditional Jews continue to dwell in the sukkah through Shemini Atzeret). On the evening following Hoshanah Rabbah begins the festival of Shemini Atzeret.

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Sukkot History

The origins of Sukkot are found in an ancient autumnal harvest festival. Indeed it is often referred to as hag ha-asif, “The Harvest Festival.” Much of the imagery and ritual of the holiday revolves around rejoicing and thanking God for the completed harvest. The sukkah represent the huts that farmers would live in during the last hectic period of harvest before the coming of the winter rains. As is the case with other festivals whose origins may not have been Jewish, the Bible reinterpreted the festival to imbue it with a specific Jewish meaning. In this manner, Sukkot came to commemorate the wanderings of the Israelites in the desert after the revelation at Mount Sinai, with the huts representing the temporary shelters that the Israelites lived in during those 40 years.

Sukkot At Home

Many of the most popular rituals of Sukkot are practiced in the home. As soon after the conclusion of Yom Kippur as possible, often on the same evening, one is enjoined to begin building the sukkah, or hut, that is the central symbol of the holiday. The sukkah is a flimsy structure with at least three sides, whose roof is made out of thatch or branches, which provides some shade and protection from the sun, but also allows the stars to be seen at night. It is traditional to decorate the sukkah and to spend as much time in it as possible. Weather permitting, meals are eaten in the sukkah, and the hardier among us may also elect to sleep in the sukkah. In a welcoming ceremony called ushpizin, ancestors are symbolically invited to partake in the meals with us. And in commemoration of the bounty of the Holy Land, we hold and shake four species of plants (arba minim), consisting of palm, myrtle, and willow (lulav), together with citron (etrog).

Sukkot In the Community

As with all festivals, services play an important role in the communal celebration of Sukkot. In addition to special festival readings, including Psalms of Praise (Hallel), on Sukkot additional prayers are included in the service asking God to save us (hoshana, from which we get the English word hosanna). During the Hoshana prayers, congregants march around the synagogue sanctuary holding the lulav and etrog. The seventh and last day of the festival is called Hoshanah Rabba, the “Great Hoshana.”

Hol Hamoed (Intermediate Days) Sukkot

During the intermediate days of Sukkot, one is allowed to pursue normal activity. One is nonetheless supposed to hold and wave the lulav and etrog on a daily basis, eat one’s meals in the sukkah, and continue to dwell in the sukkah for the remainder of the holiday.

Sukkot Theology and Themes

The enforced simplicity of eating and perhaps also living in a temporary shelter focuses our minds on the important things in life and divorces us from the material possessions of the modern world that dominate so many of our lives. Even so, Sukkot is a joyful holiday and justifiably referred to as zeman simchateynu, the “season of our joy.”

The post Sukkot 101 appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

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, and you shall rejoice before Adonai your God seven days.

“The first day” refers to the first day of Sukkot. “Fruit of goodly trees” refers to the etrog (citron). “Branches of palm trees” refers to the lulav. “Boughs of leafy trees” refers to the myrtle (hadasim). “Willows of the brook” refers to the aravot or hoshanot.

The four are often referred to under the inclusive term lulav, since the lulav is the largest and most prominent of the species. Thus, while the mitzvah is to wave the lulav, this actually refers to waving all four species: palm, willow, myrtle and etrog. Also, when people refer to the lulav and etrog, they are referring to all four species, including the willow and myrtle.

How the Four Fit Together

The lulav is a single palm branch and occupies the central position in the grouping. It comes with a holder-like contraption (made from its own leaves) which has two extensions. With the backbone (the solid spine) of the lulav facing you and this holder in place near the bottom, two willow branches are placed in the left extension and three myrtle branches are placed in the right. The myrtle should extend to a greater height than the willows.

This whole cluster is held in the right hand, the etrog is held in the left, and the two should be touching one another. Some have the custom of picking up the etrog first and then the lulav — reversing the order when putting them down–because the etrog is referred to before the others in the biblical verse.

Waving the Lulav

It is a mitzvah to wave the lulav on each of the first seven days of Sukkot. The proper time is in the morning — either before the morning service or during the service immediately before the Hallel. A meditation (found in the Siddur, or prayer book) is recited prior to the blessing (this has many kabbalistic secrets concealed within it).

Blessing for Waving the Lulav

Read the Hebrew text of the blessing on Sefaria.

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us concerning the waving of the lulav.”

Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha’olam asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al netilat lulav.

On the first day of waving add:

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has granted us life, sustenance, and permitted us to reach this season.”

Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha’olam shehehiyanu v’kiyemanu v’higiyanu lazman hazeh.

After the Blessing

Before the blessing, the etrog is held with its pitom (stemlike protrusion) pointed downward. After the blessing, it is inverted so that the pitom faces up. At this point you wave/shake the lulav (together with the other three) in the following manner:

1. Stand facing east.

2. Hold the lulav out to the east (in front of you) and shake it three times. Each time the motion of shaking should be a drawing in to you–reach and draw in, reach out and draw in, reach out and draw in.

3. Repeat the same motion three times to your right (south), behind over your shoulder (west), to your left (north), raising it up above you, lowering it down below you.

4. All of these should be done slowly and deliberately–concentrating on the symbolisms and intentions of the act. The lulav is also waved during Hallel while saying:  “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His lovingkindness endures forever.”

Hodu – shake front [East]

L’Adonai – [never shake when saying God’s name]

Ki – shake right [South]

Tov – shake back [West]

Ki – shake left [North]

Le-olam –  shake up

Chasdo – shake down

This verse occurs twice during Hallel.

The lulav is again waved while saying:  “Let Israel say that His lovingkindness endures forever.”

Yomar – shake front [East]

Na – shake right [South]

Yisrael – shake back [West]

Ki – shake left [North]

Le-olam –  shake up

Chasdo – shake down

And it is waved again while saying: “We implore You, Lord, save us.”

A-na – [Shake front/East on first syllable, shake right/South on second syllable]

Adonai – [never shake when saying God’s name]

Ho-shi-ah [Shake back/West first syllable, shake left/North second syllable, shake up last syllable]

Na – shake down

The lulav and etrog are traditionally not waved on Shabbat because bringing these items to the synagogue would violate the prohibition against carrying. Some liberal synagogues do wave the lulav and etrog on Shabbat. While it is customary for each individual to have a lulav and etrog, many synagogues leave some sets in the synagogue sukkah for the use of their members. The lulav and etrog may also be waved at home.

Reprinted with permission from The Jewish Catalog: A Do-It-Yourself Kit, edited by Richard Siegel, Michael Strassfeld, and Sharon Strassfeld, published by the Jewish Publication Society.

The post How to Wave the Lulav and Etrog on Sukkot appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

According to rabbinic tradition, these tent-like structures represent the huts in which the Israelites dwelt during their 40 years of wandering in the desert after escaping from slavery in Egypt. The festival of Sukkot is one of the three pilgrimage festivals of the Jewish year.

The rabbis of the Talmud stipulated that a sukkah should have at least three walls and a covering. The walls can be of any material, but should be sturdy enough to withstand an ordinary wind. The roof should be made out of thatch or branches, which provides some shade and protection from the sun, but also allows the stars to be seen at night.

Find more details on the laws of sukkah construction here.

It is traditional to decorate the sukkah and hang fruit and fragrant plants inside. During the holiday, Jews traditionally spend as much time in the sukkah as possible. Weather permitting, meals are eaten in the sukkah, and some people even to choose to sleep in the sukkah.

Learn about some of the explanations for sitting in the sukkah here.

Learn more about building a sukkah here.

If building things is not your forte or you are pressed for time, consider ordering an easy, ready-to-assemble sukkah, either in a pop-up sukkah market or online.

The post What Is A Sukkah? appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

The Basics of Sukkot

Tuesday, September 29 at 2:00 p.m. ET/11:00 a.m. PT

In this class with My Jewish Learning, we will explore the basic mitzvot – commandments – related to the upcoming holiday of Sukkot. We will touch on the sukkah, the four species, the water libation, and the commandment to rejoice. Led by Dafna Siegman.

The Saga of the Citron: Historical and Global Perspectives

Wednesday, September 30 at 12:00 p.m. ET/9a.m. PT

Join Schusterman Center for Israel Studies at Brandeis University to discover what the etrog, or citron, can reveal to us about larger historical trends.

All is Fleeting: The Book of Ecclesiastes

Thursday, October 1 at 12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT

Join My Jewish Learning for this special Sukkot class on Kohelet, or Ecclesiastes, the biblical book that is read during Sukkot. Rabbi Sara Brandes will lead an inspirational exploration of the main themes of the text, which offer timeless wisdom during these unusual times.

From Yom Kippur to Sukkot

Wednesdays: September 30 and October 7 at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT

Join Torah in Motion, a Jewish educational institution based in Toronto, Canada, for this Sukkot series. Led by Rabbi David Silber.

Experiences in the Aleph Sukkah 

Friday, October 2 through Saturday, October 10

Join Aleph, the Alliance for Jewish Renewal, for prayer and learning experiences throughout the week of Sukkot! Chose among services, teachings, and meditation, with a different offering every day of the week.

Sukkot Workshop

Tuesday, September 29 at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT

Learn more about the holiday of Sukkot in this session with Rabbi Buchwald of the National Jewish Outreach Program.

Sukkah in Place

Thursday, October 1 at 8:00p.m. ET/5:00p.m. PT

The Jewish Museum presents an art experience that reimagines the human body as this year’s sukkah. Four choreographers will offer different perspectives in a physicalized ritual.

Sukkot Sermon with Dena Weiss 

Thursday, October 1 at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT

Dena Weiss of the Hadar Institute, an egalitarian educational institute based in NYC, will offer a pre-holiday teaching about the holiday of Sukkot.

Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, and the Joy of Water

Tuesday, October 6 at 2:00p.m. ET/11:00a.m. PT

Join My Jewish Learning’s special class led by Sarah Chandler. In ancient times, Sukkot opened with a water-drawing ritual which symbolized faith that the coming year’s rains would fall just in time.  On Shemini Atzeret, we mark the beginning of the daily prayer for rain with a special prayer. How can these rituals inform contemporary Jews’ relationship to rain?

SukkotLIVE: A Five Senses Sukkah

Tuesday, October 6 at 7:30p.m. ET/4:30p.m. PT

JewishLIVE has created an online, multi-room, wander-able Sukkah, and you are invited! Guests will be able to travel into the different rooms and engage each of the five senses.

Rise Up! A Community Sukkot Celebration

Tuesday, October 6 at 11:00p.m. ET/8:00p.m. PT

Join the Jewish Federation of Seattle for this online, community-wide Sukkot celebration!

Growing in Temporary Spaces: A Sukkot Writing Workshop and Discussion

Wednesday, October 7 at 10:00a.m. ET/7:00a.m. PT

Join Hazon, an organization focused on strengthening Jewish life and working towards environmental sustainability for this Sukkot writing workshop.

Shaking the Lulav and Etrog

Wednesday, October 7 at 10:30a.m. ET/7:30a.m. PT

Tune in to My Jewish Learning’s Facebook page to hear Dafna Siegman explain the four species and shake the lulav and etrog under her Jerusalem Sukkah!

Do-It-Yourself Sukkot Activities

Check out suggestions from HighHolidays@Home for Sukkot-related projects you can do at home, on your own time!

Sukkot on Sefaria

Sefaria is an open source online library of Jewish texts. Browse through traditional texts and contemporary source sheets related to Sukkot, such as “How to Shake a Lulav” and “The Symbolism of a Sukkah.” Try out Sefaria’s new feature enabling users to learn in real time on video with a chevruta, a study partner!

Sukkot learning resources from Pardes

Listen to a variety of Sukkot teachings from faculty members at Pardes, an educational institute based in Jerusalem. A Sukkot compendium of written materials is also available for download.

The post Your Guide to the Best Online Sukkot Classes and Events appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

Here are some ways you can greet someone on Sukkot:

• Moadim L’simcha (Moh-ah-DEEM Le-sim-CHAH) is used on both Sukkot and Passover, particularly the intermediate days of the festival. The traditional response is chagim u’zmanim l’sasson (khag-EEM oo-zmahn-EEM le-sah-SOWN).
• Chag Sameach (khahg sah-MAY-akh) literally means ‘happy holiday’ and applies to most Jewish holidays.
• Gut Yontiff (goot YUHN-tiff) is a yiddishized version of the Hebrew phrase yom tov meaning ‘good day’ and referring to any major holiday on which work is traditionally forbidden.

• Learn how to greet someone on Rosh Hashanah.
• Learn how to greet someone on Yom Kippur.
• Learn how to greet someone on Sukkot.
• Learn how to greet someone on Hanukkah.
• Learn how to greet someone on Passover.

The post How to Greet Someone on Sukkot appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

Jewish traditions of mujaderra come from Syria and Egypt, where it was often prepared as a Thursday night meal before Shabbat. The recipe dates back as far as the 13th century — some variations are porridge-like, and others (like this recipe) yield a pilaf whose rice and lentils are distinct.

I wondered if there would be a way to bring some seasonal produce into this dish without disrupting the beautiful way in which it’s already so complete. I went to the farmer’s market for inspiration, and returned with a few kabocha squash, a Japanese pumpkin variety. They’re as decorative as they are delicious. But you could also substitute acorn squash or small sugar pumpkins in place of the kabocha squash.

I cut them in half, de-seeded them and roasted them, transforming them into festive, edible vessels for mujaderra. The soft sweetness of winter squash offers a perfect contrast to the earthy brown rice and lentils. This hearty vegetarian meal has it all — a complete protein, vitamin-rich winter squash, plus the sweet treat of fried onions. Take it to the next level by topping with tahini dressing or a spoonful of labneh. This dish is vegan, gluten-free and perfect as a weeknight dinner or holiday entree.

Watch our video on how to make mujaderra here. 

The post Mujaderra Stuffed Kabocha Squash Recipe appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

In the Sephardic tradition, it’s common to stuff all kinds of vegetables: stuffed onions, stuffed zucchini, stuffed eggplant, and yes, stuffed peppers too. Filled with rice, meat, pine nuts, raisins, fresh herbs and varying spices, the Israeli and Sephardic versions are saucier than their American counterparts, and often impart a sweet and savory flavor profile; the American version is typically just savory.

This version is inspired by a recipe from Janna Gur, a story from a colleague about her weekly stuffed peppers and my desire to make a weeknight-friendly recipe that you can cook right in your slow cooker. If you prefer to make it in a traditional pot on the stove, or in the oven, cook for approximately 2 hours on medium-high heat (or 375 degrees in the oven)  instead of using a crockpot. You can watch the short video below to see the whole process.

This recipe is inspired by Janna Gur’s recipe for stuffed peppers featured in her second cookbook, Jewish Soul Food. 

The post Crockpot Israeli-Style Stuffed Peppers Recipe appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

–Daniel, New York

Answer: The Torah tells us in Leviticus 23:40 that we should “take the product of hadar trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook, and rejoice before Adonai your God seven days.”

The product of the hadar trees was understood by the rabbis to be the etrog, a citrus fruit that looks like a lemon, and the boughs of leafy trees are understood to be myrtle branches. So on Sukkot we wave the palm branch, myrtle branch and willow branch together with the etrog. The Talmud specifies that these four species should be attractive and of good quality, but the etrog in particular should be beautiful (Sukkah 35a). As a result, there are many people willing to spend a lot of time and money acquiring an especially good specimen of the etrog.

But the etrog has a secret gourmet life that it lives under its alias, the citron. When it’s living its citron-life, the etrog is a sought after ingredient popular in the cuisine of many countries and regions.

You’ve probably heard of Jews making etrog jam after Sukkot, but how about pickling some citron for a Tamil delicacy called narthangai, drying it to make a Korean tea, or using an old Greek recipe to make liqueur from the leaves of the citron tree? A quick search at epicurious.com comes up with 15 different recipes calling for citron.

If you look carefully, you’ll likely find citrons stocked at fancy produce markets in the autumn when they’re in season. You may have even been walking by these tart-smelling fruits for years without recognizing them, because there are many more varieties of citrons than what we’re used to seeing in synagogue. Some are green, and as big as footballs (the Yemenite variety) and some bear a striking resemblance to a sea anemone (the Buddha’s hand variety). These citrons are not acceptable for religious use on Sukkot, since citrons grown purely for consumption are often grafted onto foreign rootstock, which makes for a hardier–but unkosher for waving–plant.

Citrons have also long been recognized for their medicinal uses. In the fourth century BCE Greek thinker Theophrastus prescribed citron as an antidote to poison and a calming agent for upset stomachs. He also believed citron could keep moths out of one’s clothes and improve one’s bad breath.

However, in all my citron-scouting for this column, I didn’t come across any non-Jews who seemed fanatically excited about the citron season. So I guess that is a specifically Jewish phenomenon. On the other hand, I was surprised at how popular citrons are in kitchens all over the world. I guess when life gives you citrons, you have more options than just waving them around with a palm branch.

The post Ask the Expert: What Can I Do With An Etrog? appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

The Torah itself gives two reasons, one agricultural and one historical.

Thanksgiving for the Harvest

The agricultural reasons are described in two places in the Torah.

1. Exodus 23:16: “…and the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in the results of your work from the field.”
2. Deut. 16: 13, 15: “After the ingathering from your threshing floor and your vat, you shall hold the Feast of Booths for seven days…You shall hold a festival…in the place that the Lord will choose, for the Lord your God will bless all your crops and all your undertakings, and you shall have nothing but joy.”

Thus, according to these verses, Sukkot is a holiday of thanksgiving for the harvest.

Historical Link to Ancestors, God

The historical reason is found in the book of Leviticus (23:42-43):

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…

Thus, according to Leviticus, we sit in the sukkah in order to retain a historical link with our ancestors and to remember all that God did for us when we left Egypt.

These are the simple reasons given by the Torah for observing this holiday, but Jews are never satisfied with the simple reason for anything! A few verses in the Bible were frequently expounded upon by later Jewish philosophers and rabbis. Sukkot is no exception.

Remembering the “Bad Old Days”

Philo

was a Hellenistic-Jewish philosopher who lived in Alexandria in the first century C.E. In his many works written in Greek, he gave allegorical interpretations to stories and commandments in the Bible. In his book De Specialibus Legibus, On the Special Laws (2:204, 206-211), he adds a number of reasons to those mentioned above. He writes:

Another reason may be, that it should remind us of the long wanderings of our forefathers in the depths of the desert, when at every halting-place they spent many a year in tents. And indeed it is well in wealth to remember your poverty, in distinction your insignificance, in high offices your position as a commoner, in peace your dangers in war, on land the storms on sea, in cities the life of loneliness. For there is no pleasure greater than in high prosperity to call to mind old misfortunes.

But besides giving pleasure, it is a considerable help in the practice of virtue. For people who having had both good and ill before their eyes have rejected the ill and are enjoying the good, necessarily fall into a grateful frame of mind and are urged to piety by the fear of a change to the reverse, and also therefore in thankfulness for their present blessings they honor God with songs and words of praise and beseech Him and propitiate Him with supplications that they may never repeat the experience of such evils.

Philo says two things: He says that it’s a pleasure for a prosperous person to remember the “bad old days.” But he goes one step further; he says that sitting in the sukkah reminds us how far we have come and leads us to praise and thank God for all the kindness He has bestowed upon us.

A Lesson in Humility

The Rashbam, R. Shemuel Ben Meir, lived in France in the 12th century. He was one of Rashi‘s brilliant grandsons and is known for his Talmud and Bible commentaries. In his commentary to the verse from Leviticus quoted above (23:43), he gives still another reason for sitting in the sukkah:

Why do I command you to do this?… Do not say in your hearts, “My own power and the might of my own hand have won this wealth for me. Remember that it is the Lord your God who gives you the power to get wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:17-18). Therefore, the people leave houses filled with good at the harvest season and they dwell in sukkot as a reminder that they had no property in the desert or homes to inhabit. This is why God designated Sukkot at the harvest season, so that a person’s heart should not grow haughty because of houses filled with everything good, lest they say: “Our hands made all of this wealth for us.”

In simple English, the Rashbam is saying: The sukkah is a lesson in humility; it comes to prevent a swelled head. God commanded us to sit in the sukkah precisely at the harvest season when we are congratulating ourselves for our successful harvest and our fancy homes. The humble sukkah reminds us: Everything you eat and everything you own comes from God.

The Rambam [Maimonides], incidentally, combines the reasons given by Philo and the Rashbam. In his Guide to the Perplexed (3:43), he says that sitting in the sukkah teaches Jews “to remember his evil days in his day of prosperity. He will thereby be induced to thank God repeatedly and to lead a modest and humble life.” Thus, according to Maimonides, the sukkah is meant to induce both a feeling of gratitude and a feeling of humility.

Increasing Our Faith

Rabbi Yitzhak Aboab lived in Spain in the 15th century. In his classic book of Jewish ethics, Menorat Hamaor, he gives still another explanation for sitting in the sukkah (Ner 3, Kelal 4, Part 6, Chapter 1, ed. Mossad Harav Kuk, p. 315):

When the Sages said in the Tractate of Sukkah (fol. 2a): ‘Go out from your permanent dwellings and live in a temporary dwelling,’ they meant that the commandment to dwell in the sukkah teaches us that a man must not put his trust in the size or strength or conveniences of his house, even though it be filled with the best of everything; nor should he rely upon the help of any man, even though he be the lord of the land. But let him put his trust in Him whose word called the universe into being, for He alone is mighty and faithful, and He does not retract what He promises.

This explanation is the subtlest of all we have seen thus far. R. Yitzhak Aboab thinks that the main point of living in the sukkah for seven days is to increase our faith in God. When we live in a sturdy house, we are protected from the elements; rain and cold and heat do not harm us. As a result, we begin to have faith in our homes, not in God.

Likewise, we tend to place all of our trust in men, especially influential rulers and leaders. By living in a flimsy sukkah for seven days, exposed once again to the elements, we realize that ultimately we must put our trust in God who rules over our houses, the elements, and all human rulers.

Universal Peace

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch

was the leader of neo-Orthodoxy in Germany in the 19th century. In his book Horeb, he says that the sukkah is a symbol of universal peace and brotherhood, as we recite in the evening service on Shabbat and festivals: “ufeross aleinu sukkat shelomekha“–“spread over us Your sukkah of peace.”

The term sukkah is used in this prayer to symbolize peace and brotherhood, which shall be based not on economic and political interests, but on a joint belief in one God (Horeb p. 126, quoted by Rabbi Isaac Klein, A Guide to Jewish Religious Practice, p. 159).

Remembering the Less Fortunate

The last reason for sitting in the sukkah is my own, although I’m sure someone has said it before. By sitting in a flimsy sukkah, exposed to sun and wind (and in some places, rain and snow!), we are reminded of those less fortunate than ourselves. Precisely at harvest time when we thank God for the bounty he has given us, we must remember to share it with the poor and the hungry.

And if you should ask me, what is the real reason for dwelling in the sukkah for seven days, I would immediately answer with the Talmudic phrase (Eruvin 13b) “Both these and those are the words of the living God.” Every one of these explanations can speak to us, but, “lo hamidrash hu ha’ikar ela ha’ma’se“–“more important than expounding the Torah, is observing it” (Avot 1:17). While sitting in the sukkah, every Jew will find his or her own religious, national, or personal reason for observing this beautiful mitzvah.

Reprinted with permission of the Schechter Institute in Jerusalem.

The post Seven Reasons For Sukkah Sitting appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

This holiday is unique in that it is the only time Jews are instructed to build a structure as part of their observance. Each household traditionally builds or has access to a sukkah, a temporary shelter constructed only for the holiday. Lasting one week, the holiday integrates a wide range of symbols and concepts.

The Sukkah

Most notable is the sukkah itself.  It is necessary that the sukkah be a temporary structure. Although the sukkah’s origin is in the temporary dwellings in which agricultural workers would reside during the hectic autumnal harvest season, Judaism has identified these huts with the dwellings of the biblical Israelites as they wandered in the desert for 40 years after the exodus from Egypt. In this manner, these temporary dwellings return us to a different time in our development and remind us of our journey to nationhood.

While traveling in the desert, the Israelites were not wandering aimlessly from place to place. As a young Jewish nation, they were trustingly following God as they ventured forth. Dependant entirely on God for food, safety, and direction, Sukkot is viewed as a beautiful and joyous time of bonding and loyalty between Jews and God. The flimsy sukkah structures return today’s Jews to this time in their history and to a celebration of devotion and dependence on God, who nurtures and cares for human beings.

The Harvest

The sukkah is traditionally decorated with varieties of fruit. The fruit reminds us of the annual fruit harvest that was celebrated at this time. The Torah commands that on Sukkot, one of the three pilgrimage holidays, all Israelites were to bring their first fruit harvest to a national assembly. During Temple times the nation would gather together at the Temple to celebrate the harvest. Thus, once again ancient Israelites were traveling and dwelling in temporary homes.

There is also a commandment in the Torah for each person to take the fruit of a “goodly tree,” later interpreted as a fruit called an etrog (citron). Along with this fruit, one must collect certain tree branches and rejoice before God. We therefore take a palm branch and connect to it myrtle twigs and willow branches. There are beautiful narratives in rabbinic literature that discuss the symbolic images of the etrog and lulav (as the combination of the palm, myrtle, and willow is collectively known). They include parallels to the Jewish matriarchs and patriarchs as well as to the body and soul of each individual Jew.

One of the more poignant images is viewing the lulav and etrog as symbolic of different Jews within our community, each of value yet each expressing their Judaism differently.  On Sukkot we symbolically unite all these Jews together and celebration that although as individuals we are so different, as a nation we are unified. We joyously share our celebration with God.

Another name for the holiday of Sukkot is zeman simchateinu, “the time of our rejoicing.” Clearly one rejoices over the harvest just completed, but more than that, there is a sense of priorities that are being established through the images of the holiday.

A Respite from Materialism

Dwelling in a sukkah forces us to remove ourselves from the materialistic things that normally fill our environment. Most people try to fill their homes with the most beautiful and expensive articles within their reach. We surround ourselves day to day with our materialistic accomplishments and dwell in their midst. Sukkot forces us to leave those behind and return to a much simpler, almost nomadic existence. Our priorities refocus onto affirmations of nationhood and spirituality while we are reminded how fleeting wealth can be.

Sukkot returns us to a time in Jewish history when the entire nation was homeless and wandering. In the desert, the ancient Israelites often asked neighboring nations for assistance in their travels, but were often turned down. To show that we have learned form the travails of the past, it is traditional to invite others to share a meal in our sukkah as we remember how central compassion must be in a world where material things so easily come and go.

In a modern world it can sometimes be difficult to remember how dependent each part of nature is on the other. The holiday of Sukkot reinforces the notion that all of nature relies on a relationship with the Divine Creator and that humanity must play its part in securing favorable decrees and harmony within nature. From the individual to the community to the world at large, the holiday of Sukkot broadens our perspectives and reminds us to check our priorities.

The post Sukkot Theology and Themes appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

The post History of Sukkot appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

With a formula established by the kabbalists in the 16th century, based on the earlier Zohar, on each night of Sukkot we invite one of seven exalted men of Israel to take up residence in the sukkah with us. “When a man sits in the shadow of faith (sukkah) the Shekhinah (Divine Presence) spreads Her wings on him from above and Abraham and five other righteous ones of God (and David with them) make their abode with him? A man should rejoice each day of the festival with these guests.”

The inspiration for hakhnasat orekhim (hospitality to guests) goes back to our first patriarch, and the first guest honored, Abraham. He would sit outside waiting for the opportunity to invite dusty wayfarers into the shade of his tent, and then run to prepare a meal of the choicest ingredients. (A midrash based on the apocryphal Book of Jubilees claims that the first booth, on which the holiday Sukkot is based, was built by Abraham when he greeted the three Angels who came to tell him his wife Sarah would at last bear a child Genesis 18:1-10. Jubilees 16:21 traces other observances of Sukkot to Abraham’s tents in Beersheva, where he erected an altar and circled it while praying.)

We perform a short ceremony to welcome the ushpizin (Aramaic for “guests”). The full text for the invitation that they join us, including prayers that our fulfillment of the mitzvah of sukkah will be worthy of Divine favor, is printed in a full daily/festival siddur (prayer book). Then, on the first day we say, “I invite to my meal the exalted guests, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, and David. May it please you, Abraham, my exalted guest, that all the other exalted guests dwell with me and with you – Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, and David.” On each day, a different one of the seven is singled out, in order.

The Sephardim (Jews of Spanish or Mediterranean ancestry), who often set aside a special chair laden with holy books for the ushpizin, invite the patriarchs, then the leaders/prophets (Moses and Aaron), then royalty (Joseph and David). They often send provisions to the poor along with a note saying, “This is the share of the ushpizin.” Recently, it has become popular in some circles to invite matriarchs and other important women of Israel — Sarah, Rachel, Rebecca, Leah, Miriam, Abigail, and Esther — either paired with the men or on their own.

In addition to serving as a reminder of our duty to the poor (it is said that the ushpizin would refuse to enter a sukkah where the poor are not welcome), each of these exalted personages represents uprootedness. (Abraham left his father’s home for the land God promised to show him [Genesis 12:1], Isaac went to Gerar during a famine [Genesis 26:1], Jacob fled from his brother Esau to the habitat of Laban [Genesis 28:2], Joseph was sold to merchants and taken to Egypt [Genesis 37:23-36], Moses fled to Midian after inadvertently killing an Egyptian [Exodus 2:11-15] and he and Aaron wandered the Sinai for forty years [beginning with Exodus 13], and David hid from Saul in the wilderness [ISamuel 20, 21].)

Excerpted  from  Celebrate!: The Complete Jewish Holidays Handbook. Reprinted with permission of the publisher. Copyright 1994 by Jason Aronson Inc.

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