How to Celebrate Sukkot

Video: How to Celebrate Sukkot / the Feast of Tabernacles - David Wilber

Content

Steps
Part 1 of 3: Following the traditions of Sukkot
Part 2 of 3: Building the Sukkah
Part 3 of 3: Understanding the Meaning of Sukkot
Tips
Warnings
What do you need

Sukkot is a Jewish holiday that falls on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei, five days after Yom Kippur. Sukkot was originally an agricultural festival celebrated to express gratitude to God for a good harvest, but over time, Sukkot has become a fun holiday that lasts seven to eight days with the observance of numerous rules and customs. The most notable of these is the construction of a "sukkah" - a small house or tent that symbolizes the home of the ancient farmers in which they lived during the harvest, and at the same time symbolizes the dwelling place of Moses and the Israelites as they wandered in the desert for 40 years.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Following the traditions of Sukkot

1 Tune in for Sukkot. Sukkot is a joyful and important holiday for all Jews! In fact, Sukkot is so closely associated with positive emotions that traditional sources often refer to it as Z'man Simhateinu, which translates from Hebrew as "The season of our joy". During the seven days of Sukkot, Jews should celebrate the role of God in their lives and rejoice in the fortunes of the past year. Sukkot should be a happy time with friends and family, so as you prepare for the holiday, be prepared to let go of all negative thoughts and feelings. Strive to be optimistic, positive, and (most importantly) grateful to God for an entire week.
2 Build a Sukkah. As noted above, one of the most memorable and vibrant traditions of Sukkot is the construction of a "sukkah" - a special hut or tent.This tent can be built from a wide variety of materials (even tarpaulin or other fabric) as long as it “can withstand the wind”. The roof of the Sukkah is traditionally made from leaves, twigs and other plants. The inside of the Sukkah is usually decorated with drawings and religious symbols. For more information on building the Sukkah, see the relevant section below.
- The Book of Leviticus says that Jews must "live" in Sukkah for all seven days of Sukkot. In the modern context, this means that the family should hold all the ceremonies associated with Sukkot in Sukkah and have meals there, although some devout Jews even sleep in a hut.
3 Work should be avoided during the first two days of Sukkot. Although the Sukkot festival lasts for about 7 days, the first two days of the festival are especially blessed. On these days, just like on Saturday, most types of work should be avoided, thereby showing reverence for God. In particular, all types of work prohibited on Shabbat are also prohibited on the first two days of Sukkot, with the exception of cooking, baking, passing fire and carrying things. During this time, holiday observers are encouraged to spend time in prayer and celebration with their families.
- The next five days are called "Hol Hamoed" or "intermediate days" during which work is permitted. However, it should be noted that if Saturday falls on one of the intermediate days, it should be celebrated as usual.
- Shabbat is considered to be work and a lot is traditionally prohibited, such as writing, sewing, cooking, braiding hair, and even watering plants. A complete list of prohibited activities can be found on Jewish online resources.
4 Hallel prayers should be said every day during Sukkot. During the holiday of Sukkot, special parts in honor of the holiday are added to the usual morning, evening and afternoon prayers. What exactly needs to be said during prayer depends on what day it is; the first two special days and the next five intermediate days have their own prayers. However, traditional prayer at everyday during Sukkot, recited after the morning prayer, is the complete text of the Hallel prayer. This prayer is essentially the literal text of Psalms 113-118.
- On the first two days of the holiday of Sukkot, special changes are made to the usual text of the prayer of Amida, which are used only during the holidays.
- During the next five intermediate days, the Amida prayer is recited as usual, with the exception of the special insertion "Ya'aleh v'avo."
5 In Sukkot, it is customary to shake and wave the lulav and etrog. Apart from building a hut, this is the most important holiday tradition in Sukkot. On the first day of Sukkot, the Jews who observe the holiday, as a ritual, shake branches (the so-called "lulav") and fruits (the so-called "etrog") in different directions. Lulav is made from whole palm leaves, two willow branches and three myrtle branches held together by intertwined leaves. Etrog is citron, a lemon fruit grown in Israel. To perform the ritual, you need to take the lulav in your right hand, and the etrog in your left, say the blessing "Brah" over them, and then wave them in six directions: north, south, east, west, up and down, which symbolizes God's presence everywhere ...
- Note that commentators on religious laws give different directions for the direction in which the lulav and etrog should be shaken. For most, the exact order is not important.
6 Enjoy the many other Sukkot traditions. Building the Sukkah and swinging the branches as a ritual are undoubtedly two of the most important and famous traditions of Sukkot, but they are far from the only ones. Sukkot is a holiday with many traditions. There are actually too many to list here.Often, specific traditions depend on the specific family and place of residence, so feel free to explore how Sukkot is celebrated in other parts of the world if you are going on vacation during the holiday. Below are just a few ideas you can consider for celebrating Sukkot:
- Eat and sleep outdoors in Sukkah.
- Tell stories from Scripture, especially the 40 years that the Israelites spent in the wilderness.
- Dance and Sing in Sukkah: Many religious songs are made for Sukkot only.
- Invite your entire family to join in the Sukkot celebration.

Part 2 of 3: Building the Sukkah

1 Use walls that can withstand the wind. Building the Sukkah, which is an important tradition of the Sukkot festival, is quite simple. A four-sided tent must have at least three walls (the fourth wall can be a wall of an existing building). One of the walls can be low or removable, which allows you to enter and exit the Sukkah. The material used to build the Sukkah varies, but since the Sukkah will only stand for about seven days, it is probably best to use a light material. The only requirement for the walls is that they must withstand gusts of wind. With this in mind, even a tarp stretched over a rigid frame will do.
- In terms of size, you want your family to have a place to eat in Sukkah. Since families are large and small, the size of the Sukkah, respectively, also varies greatly.
2 The roof must be made of plant material. Traditionally, the roofs of huts for the Sukkot holiday are made of plant material, for example, from branches, leaves, and so on. These materials can be purchased or collected by yourself. According to the rules, the roof of the Sukkah must be thick enough to provide shade and shelter during the day, but stars must be visible through the roof at night.
- Building a roof of plant material is a way to pay tribute to the memory of the sons of Israel, who roamed the desert for 40 years after leaving Egypt. During this journey, they were to live in temporary dwellings similar to the Sukkah, using available materials for construction.
3 Decorate the Sukkah. Sukkah decoration (even modest) is a tradition of the Sukkot festival. Traditional decorations include vegetables (such as corn, pumpkin, and squash) that hang from ceilings and beams, or are placed in the corners of the Sukkah. Other decorations may include paper chains, religious paintings or designs, waxed paper stained glass windows, and other decorative items you or your children may want to create.
- Children usually love to help decorate the Sukkah. Let the children paint on the walls of the Sukkah and collect vegetables for decoration. This is a great way to involve them in keeping the traditions from an early age.
4 You can also buy a ready-made Sukkah construction kit. If you're short on time or don't have the materials you need, don't worry! Religious shops or synagogue shops offer ready-made kits for building the Sukkah. These kits will allow you to build your own hut without preparing the necessary materials and will save you a lot of time. As an added bonus, these kits are usually easy to disassemble and you can use them next year.
- Sukkah building kits are usually not very expensive. Depending on the size of the finished Sukkah and the materials used, the kit usually costs between $ 50- $ 120 or so.
5 The Sukkah should stand until the end of Simchat Torah. According to tradition, the Sukkah is placed on the entire Sukkot holiday and serves as a gathering place for the whole family to eat and pray for all seven days. Immediately after Sukkot, there are two holy days, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah.Although they are not part of the Sukkot holiday, they are closely related to it, as traditionally the Sukkah is not dismantled until the end of Simchat Torah.

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- It is quite normal (and it is actually a common practice) to save the disassembled materials so that they can be used for the construction of the Sukkah next year.

Part 3 of 3: Understanding the Meaning of Sukkot

1 Read the Torah to understand the meaning of the Sukkot traditions. Although Sukkot began as an agricultural harvest festival, the modern religious version of the festival derives from the Hebrew scriptures. According to the Torah and the biblical Old Testament, God spoke to Moses as he led the Israelites through the wilderness and told him how to observe the holiday of Sukkot. Reading the Torah, which explains the origins of Sukkot, can help fill the holiday with divine meaning, especially for those who have recently begun to observe traditions.
- Most of the description of Sukkot is found in the book of Leviticus. In particular, Leviticus 23: 33-43 tells about the meeting of God and Moses when there was a discussion of the holiday of Sukkot.
2 Visit a synagogue service Sukkot is best known for traditions such as building the Sukkah with the family. However, for the celebration of Sukkot, it is also recommended that the entire Jewish community unite at the synagogue service. Traditionally, in the morning on Sukkot, community members join the Amida prayer, which is usually followed by Hallel on Sukkot. After that, the community reads special psalms of Hoshanot, asking for God's forgiveness. Biblical readings during the holiday of Sukkot are traditionally taken from the book of Ecclesiastes.
3 Talk to the rabbi about Sukkot. If you have questions about Sukkot or any of the traditions associated with this holiday, try talking to a rabbi or other experienced Jewish religious leader. They will be happy to discuss with you the religious and cultural sources of Sukkot traditions and explain how to observe this holiday.
- Be aware that Sukkot traditions may vary from community to community. For example, non-religious Jews may not be aware of the existence of this holiday, and for Orthodox Jews who moderately or seriously observe all religious precepts, the holiday can be the main annual event.
4 Read modern commentaries on Sukkot. Not everything that has been written about Sukkot comes from ancient scriptures or religious texts. Over the years, rabbis, religious leaders and even lay people have written about Sukkot. Even in the modern era, many essays and author's essays have been written on Sukkot. Most of the modern commentaries on Sukkot are relatively easy to read and, compared to the older writings, are much more accessible, so do not be lazy to search the search engine for "an essay on Sukkot" or something similar.
- The themes of contemporary writings on Sukkot are very diverse. Some offer a new interpretation of old traditions, others contain the personal experiences of the authors, and still others give their advice on how to make the holiday unforgettable. There is a lot of information on this topic. Do not be lazy to find and study this information!

Tips

Traditionally, in Sukkah you need to sleep and eat. However, if it rains, which may fall into the soup, this commandment is canceled.
The outside of the Sukkah can be wrapped with a plastic tarp to help keep out the wind and cold, but it cannot be used for a roof.
If you prune tree branches in the fall, they can be used to build the Sukkah.
Let the little children make decorations for the Sukkah, and let the adults build the Sukkah. This way everyone will be happy!
Remember that the commandments tell you to be joyful, so have fun!
Don't forget to sniff the etrog for the sweet scent of the holiday.

Warnings

Since the Sukkah and everything in it is in the open air, do not decorate it with anything that you are afraid to spoil.
If a small, bumpy portion at the tip of the fruit falls off the etrog, it can no longer be used. Be careful not to rip it off.
When shaking the lulav and etrog around you, be careful not to punch anyone in the eye.
To avoid accidents, adults must build the Sukkah.