ABOUT THE HOLIDAY


"You shall hold the Feast of Huts…You shall rejoice in your festival… for seven days…for the Lord your God will bless you in all your income and all your handiwork, and you shall be fully joyful." (Deuteronomy 16:13-17)
With the fullness of the moon in the month of Tishrei, exactly six months from the holiday of Pesach and following the solemnity of Yom Kippur, we joyfully celebrate the holiday of Sukkot, one of three pilgrimage festivals mentioned in the Torah.
Sukkot reminds us of the time our ancestors traveled in the wilderness (Leviticus 23:42-43). They made camp in fragile, temporary huts, with the sturdy walls and familiar settings of home left far behind. They had only the protection of God to surround them. These dwellings also were used as transitory housing during ancient journeys to Jerusalem.
A second name for the holiday is Chag HaAsif (Harvest Holiday). The holiday’s agricultural aspect is mentioned in Leviticus, 23:39. We celebrate the harvest, particularly in Israel, delighting in the ripened fruits of the land.
A third name for the holiday is Z’man Simchatenu (season of our joy), for at this time we begin the New Year with faith and optimism in the judgments that have been determined for us for the coming year. Additionally, King Solomon chose this time to dedicate the Temple in Jerusalem. During the time of the Temple, Sukkot included a ritual of water-pouring, which was a time of intense, wide-spread celebration.