Sukkotסֻכּוֹת

The Torah establishes Sukkot as a seven-day festival from the 15th day of the seventh month: dwelling in booths and taking the four species.^1,2

As an agricultural festival it is called the “festival of ingathering” (chag ha-asif); Deuteronomy commands rejoicing on it.^3,4

In the Temple a festive water-drawing ceremony was held (simchat beit ha-sho’evah); the Mishnah says that whoever has not seen it has never seen joy in his life.⁵

After the return from the Babylonian exile, according to the Book of Nehemiah, the people again built booths on the roofs and in the courtyards of Jerusalem.⁶

The Torah explains the sukkah by saying that God made the Israelites dwell in booths when He brought them out of Egypt. The Talmud gives two interpretations: these were actual tents, or the “clouds of glory” that protected the people.^7,8

The sukkah recalls the fragility of human existence: after the solemn days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, a person moves from a solid house to a temporary roof and learns joy and trust.

The prophet Zechariah sees Sukkot as the festival when all nations will go up to Jerusalem; tradition therefore also views Sukkot in universal terms.⁹

Building the sukkah often begins right after Yom Kippur ends. Children decorate the sukkah with fruit, paper chains and pictures.

Every seven years the hakhel assembly with a Torah reading was held in the Temple; in Israel today it is commemorated symbolically.¹¹

A sukkah must have at least three walls and a roof (sekhakh) of plant material that grew from the ground and has been detached from it; the roof gives more shade than sun. Its height must not exceed 20 cubits.^12,13

Meals (especially bread) are eaten in the sukkah, and where possible people live in it. On the first evening eating bread in the sukkah is an obligation; at other times, if it rains hard enough to spoil the food, one may eat at home.^14,15

Every day except Shabbat the four species are held and waved toward the directions of the world.^16,17,18

When eating in the sukkah the blessing leishev ba-sukkah is said; over the four species, the blessing over the lulav, the first time with Shehecheyanu.¹⁹

The full Hallel is recited every day, and the bimah is circled with the lulav during the Hoshanot prayers; on the seventh day, Hoshana Rabbah, it is circled seven times and willow branches (aravot) are beaten on the ground.²⁰

Sukkah – a booth with a permeable roof of branches.

Etrog and lulav – a citron (etrog), a palm branch (lulav), three myrtles (hadassim) and two willows (aravot). The Midrash compares them to four types of people according to fragrance (deeds) and taste (learning).²¹

As a harvest festival, Sukkot has dishes of fresh vegetables and fruit, especially stuffed dishes (stuffed peppers, cabbage, squash) – a symbol of abundance.²²

On Sukkot people build a booth, a sukkah. Its roof is made of branches, so you can see the stars through it at night. All week long people eat in it, and whoever wants to can sleep in it too.

Children decorate the sukkah with paper chains, fruit and pictures and learn to wave the lulav in all directions.