Sukkot
(Feast of Tabernacles) 2010 - Guide for the Perplexed
Yoram Ettinger,
"Second Thought"
Based on various
Jewish Sages
1. A synonym for the Sukkah – a temporary hut – is "The
House of David", representing Zion: Jews are mandated to
construct the Sukkah and to construct in Zion; to enter the Sukkah and to enter
Zion. The construction of the Sukkah and the construction in Zion are two
of the 248 Jewish Do's (next to the 365 Don'ts). Both are pro-active
commandments. The annual construction of the Sukkah constitutes a reminder
to sustain construction in Zion. Sukkot – just like Passover –
commemorates Jewish Sovereignty and Jewish Liberty. Construction
constitutes a symbol of sovereignty, while refraining from construction
represents eroded sovereignty: subordination to a foreign will. Sukkot highlights the collective responsibility of the
Jewish Nation (national wholesomeness, unity, sovereignty),
complementing Yom Kippur's and Rosh Hashanah's individual responsibility.
Humility – as a national and personal prerequisite - is underlined
by the humble Sukkah and by residing there during the relatively cold month of
Tishrey.
2. While Yom
Kippur represents God's forgiveness of the Golden Calf Sin, Sukkot
represents the reinstatement of the Divine Providence over the Jewish
People. The Sukkah signifies the Chuppah – the Jewish
wedding canopy – of the renewed wedding between God and the Jewish
People. Hence, Sukkot mandates Jews to be happy (????? ?? ???"").
The three Pilgrimages: Passover is the holiday of Liberty, Shavuot (Pentecost)
is the holiday of the Torah and Sukkot is the holiday of Happiness. The
Pilgrimages to Jerusalem underline the centrality of Jerusalem in Judaism.
3. Sukkot is celebrated on the 15th day of the Jewish month of
Tishrei, commemorating the day
of launching the construction of the Holy
Sanctuary in the Sinai Desert. The Sukkah was the dwelling of the Jewish People
during the 40 year wandering in the desert. Sukkah and Sukkot are named after
the first stop of The Exodus –
Sukkota.
4. The Hebrew spelling of Sukkah (???) conveys its significance:
wholesomeness and totality (??), shelter (???), to anoint (???), sizeable
branch of tree (????), divine curtain/shelter (???) and attentiveness to history/memory (???).
5. The US covenant with the Jewish State transcends
contemporary policy. It precedes the establishment of Israel and the USA.
Columbus Day is celebrated around
Sukkot. According to "Columbus Then and Now" (Miles Davidson, 1997, p.
268), Columbus arrived to America on Friday
afternoon, October 12, 1492, the 21st day of the Jewish month of
Tishrei, the Jewish year 5235, the 7th day of Sukkot, Hoshaa'na'
Rabah. Hoshaa'na' Rabah is considered a day of universal
deliverance and miracles. Hosha' ????)) is the Hebrew word for rescue/deliverance,
and "Na'" (??) – the Hebrew word for "please" – is equivalent to 51 in
Gimatriya. Thus, Hoshaa'na' Rabah is observed on the 51st day
following Moses' ascension to Mt. Sinai.
6. Sukkot honors the Torah, as the religious,
historical and cultural foundation of the Jewish People. Sukkot reflects the
three inter-related and
mutually-inclusive pillars of Judaism: The Torah of Israel, the People of Israel
and the Land of Israel. The day
following Sukkot (Simchat
Torah) is dedicated to the conclusion
of the annual Torah reading by the "Torah Groom" and to the beginning of next
year's Torah reading
by the "Genesis Groom." On
Simchat Torah, the People of the Book are dancing with its most significant
book, the Torah.
7. The Seven days duration of Sukkot
symbolizes the seven days Jewish week (the
Creation), the Seven Crops/Produce which bless the Promised Land
(wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates), the 7th Jewish month of Tishrei,
whose zodiac is the Scale (the 7th
zodiac), the 7 divine
clouds which sheltered the Jewish People in the desert and it
inspired the 7 blessings which are read during a Jewish wedding, the 7 rounds (?????) of dancing with the Torah
upon the conclusion of Sukkot, and the 7
readings (?????) of the Torah on the Sabbath Day.
8.
The seven days of Sukkot are dedicated to the 7
Ushpizin,
distinguished
guests
(origin
of the words
Hospes
and hospitality):
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron and David, who had to
endure
immense odds in
their determined pursuit of ground- breaking ideas. Thus, the Ushpizin
constitute a role model to contemporary
leadership…
9.
Sukkah owners are mandated to invite (especially
underprivileged) strangers in the
best tradition of Abraham the Patriarch, who royally welcomed to his tent three
miserably-looking strangers. Thus, the Sukkah must remain unlocked!
10.
Sukkot provides "over-time" for genuine repentance,
which
ends on the day following Sukkot (Shmini
Atzeret/Simchat
Torah).
11.
Sukkot is the holiday of harvesting
and national ingathering
(???? in
Hebrew means harvesting and also ingathering). The four sides of the Sukkah
represent the global Jewish community (north, south, west and east), which
ingathers under the same roof (the Land of Israel).
12.
Sukkot is a universal
holiday,
inviting all peoples to come to Jerusalem on a pilgrimage (Zechariah 14:
16-19). The
Sukkah
of Shalom
(Shalom means wholesomeness as well as peace) represents the centrality of
wholesomeness and principle-driven peace in Judaism.
13.
Sukkot's Four
Species
(citron, palm, myrtle and willow) – which are bonded
together –
represent four types of human-beings: Persons who possess positive odor and
taste (values and action), positive taste but no odor (action but no values),
positive odor but no taste (values but no action) and those who are devoid of
taste and odor (no values and no action). However, all are
bonded (and depend on each other) by shared
roots/history. The
Four Species reflect prerequisites
for genuine leadership: the
palm branch (Lulav in Hebrew) symbolizes the human backbone, the
willow (Arava in Hebrew) reflects humility, the
citron (Etrog in Hebrew) represents the
heart and
the myrtle (Hadas in Hebrew) stands for the eyes.