Sukkot

SUKKOT
A sukkah. What is this?
It has walls but it is not a real house? It has a roof made of branches. Apples and pears are hanging from the ceiling? Jewish people build a sukkah for the holiday Sukkoth.

When do we celebrate Sukkot? It is celebrated 5 days after Yom Kippour. Yom Kippour is a solemn holiday but Sukkot is the opposite, it is joyous and fun !

But what is sukkot?
Sukkot is a bit like jewish camping? How is that you say? Well you build a booth and you eat in it, and even sleep in it.

STORY OF SUKKOT :
Three thouseand years ago, the Jews were slaves in Egypt. God instructed Moses to lead the Jews out of Egypt and during 40 difficult years they wandered in the wilderness without trees to protect them. During this time they built temporary booths to live in when they need to stop to rest. After these years in the desert they finally reached the land God Promised them. They became farmers.When it was time for the harvest in the early autumn, the farmers needed to be near the crops to pick them quickly in case of a storm. They built wooden booths in the fields and lived in them until they had finished harvesting. At sukkot we celebrate both the forty year wondering in the desert and the harvest.

We remember when Moses and the Jews left Egypt they spent 40 years in the desert before entering the Promise the Land (Israel), to protect themselves from the heat and rain they would build booths and sleep in it. We celebrate the time that the Jewish people became the nation of Israel when they entered the Promise Land

We remember that many years ago there was a special place the Jewish people prayed. IT was the Temple – three times a year (Sukkot, passover and shavuot – they would make a special journey to Jerusalem to the temple; Thy would offer gifts of food to God. During their pilgramage (the long journey to Jerusalem) and in Jerusalem they would sleep in huts.

We remember and are thankful for the harvest season that is when we collect all the fruit that has grown on the trees or cut the wheat. We pray for rain. Well farmers build booths during this period so they would stay in the fields and save them the long walk home each night. We celebrate the season by eating the fruit and veg that comes at that time.

So their are several things we have to remember at sukkoth. Today we build a sukkah and it is a mitzvah to eat in a Sukkah, to spend time in the Sukkah and waving the Etrog and Lulav

MITZVAH – good action

When do we celebrate Sukkot? It is celebrated 5 days after Yom Kippour. Yom Kippour is a solemn holiday but Sukkot is the opposite, it is joyous and fun !
when Moses and the Jews left Egypt they spent 40 years in the desert before entering the Promise the Land (Israel), to protect themselves from the heat and rain they would build booths and sleep in it.
Later during the times of the Temple Jews who lived in Israel would go up to Jerusalem to offer gifts of food to God. During their pilgramage (the long journey to Jerusalem) they would sleep in huts.
Sukkot is central activity of the harvest festival. During harvest time, that is when we collect all the fruit that has grown on the trees or cut the wheat. Well farmers build booths during this period so they would stay in the fields and save them the long walk home each night.

So their are several things we have to remember at sukkoth. Today we build a sukkah and it is a mitzvah to eat in a Sukkah, to spend time in the Sukkah and waving the Etrog and Lulav

Four special plants are as important to Sukkot as the sukkah.

These plants are known as the 4 species. Each is different and has a special meaning;

The lulav a tall green palm branch – it also symbolises Israel. Its upright shape symbolises righteousness.
The lulav has no fragrance, but because it is from the palm tree that bears fruit (dates) it has taste. Like aperson who is learned but doesn’t do any good deeds.
Three sprigs of myrtle leaves are tied to the right of the lulav and two sprigs of willow to the left. The myrtle branches has no taste but a wonderful fragrance. It is like a person who is neither learned nor does good deeds.
The willow grows by streams and is a reminder of life-giving water. The willow has neither fruit nor fragrance. It is like a person who is neither learned nor does good deeds.
The etrog or citron, looks like a large lumpy lemon. The etrog is like the person who is both learned and kind.

The four belong together because the world needs all kinds of people and as Rabbi says, we all have a bit of all four in us!

We say a special blessing over them in the sukkah or in the synagogue.
We wave them in four corners N, S, W and E the behind us and in front of us.