Tonight begins the holiday of Sukot (the Festival of Booths). It is a 7 day holiday, immediately followed by yet another holiday, Shmini Atzeret (the Eighth Day of Assembly). Some folks are confused and think all 8 days constitute Sukot- but they are wrong.
Whether we truly believe that our sukot (the plural of suka) are to remind us that we traveled for 40 years in the desert living in such structures- or we needed to preempt the pagan harvest festival that occurred this time of year three millennia ago- in the greater scheme of things is truly immaterial. Because we Jews have found meaning in the suka- to remind us that our lives are transient, our lives are fragile, and our lives require our efforts along with Hashem’s help.
Like the proverbial three pigs, we find that our house of straw, our house of wood- even our house of bricks- doesn’t really protect us. Just look at all those homes wiped away by recent hurricanes and tornadoes.
With its flimsy roof, the portion of the suka always erected last on our suka, we recognize the structure of the suka as a shelter for our faith. Each new day, our souls and our brains are restored to us by Hashem. By sitting in this suka, this flimsy structure, we are acknowledging our faith in Hashem, who affords us the ability to enjoy our meal with the stars and the sun up above.
That’s amplified with another of our mitzvot- hachnasat orchim- the welcoming of guests. Not just the metaphysical guests we invite each night (Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Moshe, Aharon, Yosef, and David), but our friends and relatives with whom we share our meals. That’s another shelter of Sukot. That of family and friends, our being part of something more than ourselves.
I am thrilled to be spending the fist days of Sukot with my children and grandchild!
And, by saying Kiddush, Birkat HaMazon, and Havdala (some of us daven shacharit, mincha, and/or ma’ariv- the daily prayers for morning, afternoon, and evening) in our suka, we are reminded that t’fila (prayer) is yet another connection. Our means to maintain a conversation with Hashem.
Of course, if you have neighbors like we used to have, there’s also the shelter of authenticity. (This neighbor called the police several times reporting that we built a structure without a permit.) The suka reminds us that this tradition, this tenet of our faith, dates back at least to the time that we entered the holy land of Israel. As an agricultural people, our connection with the land, with the food and animals we raised, with the offerings of food to Hashem, this is the last connection to those first Jewish citizens of Israel. And, maybe back to our 40 years of traveling in the desert.
Sukot is also one of the full moon festivals (Pesach/Passover is the other one), we are often mesmerized by the beauty it represents. (By the way tonight is the last supermoon o f the secular year.) Not that we forget that the the stars, the sun, and the clouds all reverberate the awe afforded us by the the creator of this world. To remind us that this world was created- not finished- leaving us as the stewards, the effectors of the perfection of the world.
May you truly feel enveloped by the love of your family, friends, and Hashem this Sukot.
I thought about all the observant New Yorkers who had that terrible rainstorm yesterday and how they are coping with also trying to observe the holiday. I’m happy you are able to be with your family this year.
Yes, it is difficult to celebrate when there are floods and inundations. My son and daughter-in-law’s trip to Philly was delayed due to those conditons, as well.