Festival of the Booths

After the miraculous exodus from Egypt the Jewish people wandered in the desert for a period of forty years, during which they lived in temporary booths that provided shelter. It is for this reason that every year, beginning on the fifteenth of the month of Tishrei, we commemorate and relive this experience with a festival named “Sukkot”.

The word “Sukkot” means “booths.” The commandment to “dwell” in a Sukkah can be fulfilled by simply eating all of one’s meals there. Many people even study and sleep in the Sukkah booth.

On this festive holiday we are also commanded to acquire the four species, referred to in Hebrew as “arbat haminim”. The four species are a citrus fruit (etrog), palm branch (lulav), myrtle branch (hadas), and willow branch (arava).

Although this festival consists of the various different commandments cited above, the name of the holiday (Sukkot) comes from the commandment of the Sukkah booths alone, indicating that this commandment is the central theme of the holiday.

Why so? What is the advantage of the sukkah over all of the other commandments related to this festival that make it the title of the holiday?

The commandment to dwell in a Sukkah has a four advantages over the other commandments:

First: This commandment begins at the very onset of the festival and continues throughout every moment of the seven day holiday. The commandment of the four species, however, only begins with sunrise on the first morning.

Second: Once you have finished with the four species, you may then place them aside, for there is no further use of them for the remaining duration of the holiday. The Sukkah, however, cannot be placed aside; its usage duration is from beginning of the holiday through its conclusion.

Third: While the four species and other commandments as well, require the attention and application of only a select few of our body parts, the Sukkah however, encompasses and surrounds ones entire being and activities. Eating, drinking, chatting, studying or even sleeping, although they are our personal needs and things we do all year round and every day, when one does these in the Sukkah, it is in the form of the fulfillment of a G-dly commandment and therefore connects you with G-d in a most intimate way.

Fourth: The Sukkah retains a connection to its inhabitants even while they are away from it. Our sages taught “Anyone who does not have a home – is not a man”. The culmination of ones complete character, to be seen as a respectable, honorable, settled and established man, is only if he has a place to call home. For then, even when the inhabitants of the household go shopping at the market, they still retain a connection to the home, being as it is their own and reflects on their establishment in a society, completing their social status.

The same holds true of the Sukkah, unlike the four species and other commandments, the Sukkah is connected to us even while we are away from it. By proclaiming and establishing the Sukkah as our home for the next seven days, we are in affect connected to the Sukkah, even while we are praying in the synagogue or pursuing entertainment at the local amusement park, because it gives us our status as a respectable and complete people with a home to return to.

The Sukkah’s message

The month of Tishrei, in general, is the lead month for all of the coming months in the year and reflects their outcome. It is therefore understood that all of the commandments in this month contain practical lessons and the necessary ground work for the entire upcoming year. The commandment of Sukkah as well, contains a message to be carried into and throughout the year.

As Jews, we are required to bring G-d into all that we do, that all of our actions be for His sake and in His accordance. Not only when we are doing holy things, such as studying the Torah, praying or fulfilling commandments, but also to incorporate G-d and holiness into our daily and mundane work.

The message of the Sukkah gives us the strength to carry that lifestyle into and throughout the year ahead.

The fulfillment of the commandment to dwell in a Sukkah is connected to its inhabitants at all times, whatever one may be occupied with and wherever one may be. The Sukkah encompasses and surrounds ones entire being, just as G-d should in all of our activities, even when they are mundane. Our thought speech and actions should always be encompassed by G-d. Just as the Sukkah shields and defends us from the outside by surrounding us within its holy walls, so too will G-d protect, defend and shield us from the dangers beyond the walls of our homes, if we incorporate Him as well into our daily and mundane lives.

The Talmud[1] refers to the commandment of Sukkah as an easy one to fulfill. This is because once the Jew realizes that he is a prince, the son of G-d, King of Kings, he will recognize that he has the power and ability, given to him by his father, the king, to attain any heights he desires to reach. The Sukkah is attempting to lighten our burdens in life with a message of encouragement and support. We are the princes and we have the power of the Almighty King of all Kings, and bearing that in mind, it will be easier to fulfill the Kings mission that he gave us, to spread and enlighten the world with holiness and incorporate Him into all of our physical and mundane activities, like the Sukkah. In return, G-d will grant all of us with success in all of our physical needs, to help us attain the status as a complete people with no need to come onto others for any reason. He will surround us and embrace us within His holiness and bless every one of with a year filled with joy, happiness, health and wealth.

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[1] Avodah Zora, 3a.