Sukkot — Feast of Tabernacles (10/10)

The Jewish festival of tabernacles, Sukkot, falls on the 15th day of the new year (15 Tishrei) and lasts 7 days. But the celebrations begin on the eve of — evening 14 Tishrei. This is the time when farmers, having completed the harvest, can rest until the first rains.

The word «succa», which gives the name to the holiday, translates as «table», or «shalash», or «kush» and symbolizes the rejection of the generally dangerous illusion that the roof makes a house reliable. The safety and reliability of existence depends on completely different reasons.

Many explanations were given for commandments to remain in the sukkah in all generations, for example, that by installing a hut near the house, the Jews joined those who wandered in the desert for forty years and, then coming to Eretz Israel, cultivated this land and rejoiced at the fruits that it gave. According to another interpretation, the meaning of the commandment is that a person should remember poverty, even being rich, and not become proud.

A special ritual is performed in Sukkot — « ascension lulava». A lulav is called both a palm leaf included in a set of four plants, and all plants together. It is customary to raise and bless all four types of plants, each of which symbolizes a certain type of people. An etrog with both taste and smell, — are Jews who know the Torah and do good deeds. A leaf of date palm that produces sweet but odorless fruit, — these are Jews who have knowledge of the Torah, but do not do good deeds. Myrtle — plant is inedible, but smells pleasant — these are Jews, from whom, like a scent, good deeds come. An willow that has neither taste nor smell, — these are Jews who do not know the Torah and do not do good.

And yet, God united everyone into one bouquet — one people so that they could help each other, enlighten each other and be responsible for each other. According to another interpretation, each of the plants — is a specific part of the human body. Etrog — is the heart, thin and straight palm leaf — spine, myrtle with its oval leaves — eyes, and willow — mouth. Gathered together, they make up a person devoted with all his heart to his Creator.

It is customary to raise and bless all four species of plants, each of which symbolizes a certain type of people (Photo: blueeyes, licensed from Shutterstock.com)

On the eve of the holiday, special bazaars are set up where etrogs, lulavs, palm branches for the roof, devices for building and decorating sukkas are sold. All over the country you can see — huts in courtyards, front gardens, balconies and verandas, and car parks. No military base is complete without a holiday sukkah.

Today, few people actually live in a hut for the entire seven days of the holiday. Usually the family only dines in sukkah, only a few stay there overnight. Children who perceive this holiday as an interesting adventure are especially happy about Sukkot.

In Israel, Sukkot (as well as other pilgrimage holidays — Passover and Shavuot) is officially celebrated for one day. After the first holiday, so-called semi-holidays begin: schoolchildren and students do not study, and in enterprises and institutions it is customary to either take leave or work half a day.

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