sukkot

Sukkot comes at a difficult time for us, our communities, and the world. It is unimaginable that anyone could be happy all the time with what is going on around us, let alone be joyous “on command”. Sukkot, with its encouragement to do what brings joy — even if the harvest is not as full as we would wish, even if life is not as abundant as we would want – brings the message we need. — Rabbi Jack A. Luxemburg

In 2022, Sukkot begins at sundown on Sunday, Oct. 9 and ends at sundown on Sunday, Oct. 16. The conclusion of Sukkot marks the beginning of the separate holidays of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah.

What is Sukkot? Sukkot is known as the “Festival of Tabernacles” and the “Feast of Booths.” It is one of Judaism’s three central pilgrimage festivals, along with Passover and Shavuot. In the times of the Temple, Sukkot was also the time of a water-drawing ceremony, a wonderfully joyous and upbeat celebration.— myjewishlearning.org

SONGS about FRESH WATER & WATER POURING OUT:

• Down in the River to Pray performed by Alison Krauss (Christian/country/gospel):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSif77IVQdY
• Wade in the Water by Sweet Honey in the Rock (gospel): https://youtu.be/RRpzEnq14Hs
• Have You Ever Seen the Rain? by Creedence Clearwater Revival (folk/rock): https://youtu.be/u1V8YRJnr4Q
• Singin’ in the Rain by Gene Kelly (movie/Hollywood): https://youtu.be/J1pGcXi3k9o
• Water by Brad Paisley (country): https://youtu.be/1AHnQtY1bg4
• Water Song by Sesame Street (kids’ music): https://youtu.be/CwpHMPH-WbM
• Something in the Water by Carrie Underwood (country/Christian): https://youtu.be/mH9kYn4L8TI
• I Am a River by The Foo Fighters (rock): https://youtu.be/9cqHAgnub_M
• River of Dreams by Billy Joel/John Elton (pop/blues): https://youtu.be/_quugetWlvo
• Take Me Down to the River by Al Green (blues/rock): https://youtu.be/vGD8aQ2GKr0
• Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding (blues): https://youtu.be/rTVjnBo96Ug
• The River by Bruce Springsteen (rock): https://youtu.be/lc6F47Z6PI4
• Water Get No Enemy by Fela Kuti (jazz/reggae): https://youtu.be/IQBC5URoF0s
• Purple Rain by Prince (rock): https://youtu.be/TvnYmWpD_T8
• Rain by The Beatles (rock): https://youtu.be/cK5G8fPmWeA
• Water Runs Dry by Boyz II Men (gospel/rap): https://youtu.be/9N9opF-PK5k
• Black Water by The Doobie Brothers (country): https://youtu.be/4ZLY2ht9iBM
• Lke a Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel (folk): https://youtu.be/4G-YQA_bsOU
• Hold Back the River by James Bay (folk/rock): https://youtu.be/mqiH0ZSkM9I
• Set Fire to the Rain by Adele (pop): https://youtu.be/Ri7-vnrJD3k
• Down by the River by Neil Young (pop/soft rock): https://youtu.be/KflCXmEX6BY
• Tske Me to the River cover by Steve Winwood/Eric Clapton (rock): https://youtu.be/BzjV7vGhgE4
• Yes, the River Knows by The Doors (rock): https://youtu.be/VFCCvaghUnU
• Drink the Water by Jack Johnson (pop): https://youtu.be/RVnSycTou3s
• Umbrella by Rihanna ft Jay-Z (rap): https://youtu.be/CvBfHwUxHIk
• Cry Me a River by Justin Timberlake (rap/pop): https://youtu.be/DksSPZTZES0
• Come In with the Rain by Taylor Swift (pop): https://youtu.be/ePjcjLRHPOo
• Following the Rain by The  Rolling Stones (rock): https://youtu.be/TZg4Ai3Mq1o
• Head Above Water by Avril Lavigne (pop): https://youtu.be/EKF6ghfcQic
• The Water Song by the Incredible String Band (celtic): https://youtu.be/8ZG5is9QqrE
• Water by The Who (rock): https://youtu.be/NR5Sr_li7qo

How is sukkot connected to Christian traditions?
full artiicle:https://hebrewrootsmom.com/an-attitude-of-gratitude-sukkot-for-christians/

Water Ceremony
— hebrewrootsmom

In Jesus’s time, there were two practices performed annually at the Temple during Sukkot. 

One was a water ceremony, in which the priest would lead everyone to the pool of Siloam, fill a golden pitcher and pour it out as a type of sacrifice, in the courtyard of the Temple.  People would then wave their palm branches (lulavot – more on this below) and shout “Save now, I pray, oh LORD; oh LORD, I pray, send now prosperity”.  Jesus was in Jerusalem on Sukkot, fulfilling the command to celebrate this feast there (John 7:2).  To an audience very familiar with this ceremony, Jesus chose Sukkot to foretell the pouring out of the water – the Spirit – on those who follow!

Palm Branches – Hoshanah – Save Us
— hebrewrootsmom
In the other ceremony at the Temple during Sukkot, the people would wave the lulav (palm branch) and have a procession around the temple, shouting “Hosannah” or “Please save us”.  Sound familiar?  We’ve all heard of when Jesus was on his way into Jerusalem before Passover during the week of his crucifixion and the people did this. 

The Season of Building — Alden Solovy

This is the season of building:
Of building tents of holiness,
Shelters of peace
In our land and in our hearts.

This is the season of rejoicing:
Of rejoicing in God’s bounty and grace,
In the radiance and splendor
In heaven and on earth.

This is the season of thanksgiving:
Of giving thanks for the gifts of the land,
For gifts yet to come
As we delight in the wonders of creation.

This is the season of building …

PRAYER for RAIN
— prayer for rain in the Ashkenasic rite by Eleazar Kallir, translated by Ismar Schorsch

Remember Abraham drawn to You like water.
You blessed him like a tree by streams of water.
You sheltered and saved him from fire and water.
You loved him for his children who would drink of righteousness like water.
      For his sake do not deny us water.

Remember Isaac whose birth was announced over a bit of water.
You instructed his father to spill his blood like water.
He too instructed him to pour out his heart like water.
Later he dug for and found wells of water.
      For his righteousness, grace us with ample water.

Remember Jacob with staff in hand crossing Jordan’s water.
Alone he rolled the stone from the well of water.
When he wrestled with an angel of fire and water, 
You promised to be with him in fire and water.
      For his sake, do not deny us water.

Remember Moses in his caulked wicker basket drawn from the water.
The daughters of Jethro reported: he provided our sheep with water.
When your treasured people thirsted for water, 
He struck the rock to produce water.
      For his righteousness, grace us with ample water.

Remember the High Priest who on Yom Kippur immersed five times in water.
Who purified his hands and feet with holy water,
Reading from Scripture cleansed by water,
At a remove from the masses unstable like water.
      For his sake, do not deny me water.

Remember the twelve tribes You brought through the split water.
You sweetened for them in the wilderness bitter water.
For You, the blood of their descendants has flowed like water.
Turn to us because we are about to go under in water.
      For their righteousness, grace us with ample water.

SUKKOT Commentary (Info & Reflections)

A careful reading of the Torah portion reveals that what is asked for is not to constantly feel joy, but to regularly do joy. To do what brings joy to us and others – gathering with family and friends; celebrating with community, and sharing with those who are vulnerable or in need – will bring feelings of joy as a result. While we can’t reasonably be commanded to feel joyous under all circumstances, we can be commanded to do what brings joy, just as we are commanded to do what brings on holiness, honesty, justice, mercy, or any other quality of being that our Judaism values. — Rabbi Jack A. Luxemburg, full article:https://wupj.org/library/uncategorized/44656/to-feel-joy-do-joy-commentary-on-sukkot/

The joy of Sukkot is offset by a pervasive concern about water. As we give thanks for the harvest just completed, we begin to worry about the bounty of the next one… Despite two millennia of exile, the Jewish calendar is still inextricably linked to the seasons of the year in the ancient homeland. If the historical justifications of the three pilgrimage festivals all relate to the exodus and wilderness experience, their agricultural basis continues to reflect the climatic conditions of Israel itself.— Ismar Schorsch, fulll article: https://www.jtsa.edu/torah/sukkot-a-festival-of-water/

Sukkot, a harvest holiday, is deeply connected to the earth and heaven … It has always bewildered me that it had no mark on Christianity because, especially today with rising awareness to the environment, it has so much [spiritual] potential].— Piet van Veldhuizen

Sukkot is a joyful holiday and justifiably referred to as zeman simchateynu, the “season of our joy.” — myjewishlearning.org

On the Shabbat during Sukkot, we are reminded of the age-old desire to know God. Moses implores God to let him see God. While God will not allow Moses to see God’s face, God tells Moses, “I will make My goodness pass before you…” Perhaps we experience the divine presence through the goodness we create in the world. The Torah then sets forth the thirteen attributes of God, among them that God is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger and abounding in kindness. By emulating these very attributes, we create the goodness which allows us to know God. — reformjudaism.org

… This harvest festival is named for the temporary dwellings, called Sukkot, decorated with fruit and vegetables, set up to recall the booths in which the Jews lived during their journey from Egypt. The holiday is marked by processions with the lulav (palm branch with myrtle and willow) and etrog (citron). — jfedstl.org

Sukkot is the last feast listed in Leviticus 23.  Just 5 days after the very somber Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, it’s the most joyful of the biblical Holy Days. Part of its biblical command is that we’re supposed to “rejoice before the LORD”.  … The 15th day of the month of Tishrei on the Jewish calendar is when Sukkot starts, and it continues until Tisrei 22.  On our Gregorian calendar, this is in September or October.  Here’s a calendar of the dates of the Holy Days for reference.— hebrewrootsmom

SUKKOT WORDS & PHRASES
(full article from myjewishlearning.org::https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/sukkot-vocabulary/)

Arava — Literally “willow,” one of the four species.

Arba minim — Literally “four species,” a quartet of plants used in Sukkot rituals: lulav,, hadas, and aravah. They symbolize joy for life and dedication to God. The four species are held and shaken during the Hallel service.

Etrog — Literally “citron,” one of the four species.

Geshem — Literally “rain,” additional prayer for rain read on Shemini Atzeret in the fall, introduced in the poetic form of an alphabetic acrostic.Hadas —Literally “myrtle,” one of the four species.

Hakafah — Literally “circuit,” a celebratory processional  around the room done on Sukkot and Simchat . On Sukkot hakafot (the Hebrew plural of hakafah) are done holding the four species, except on

. On Shemini Atzeret the hakafot are done while singing, dancing, and carrying Torahs.

Hallel — Literally “praise” this short service is a collection of Psalms and blessings recited on festivals and Rosh Hodesh (the new moon) as a display of joy and gratitude.

Hatan/Kallat Bereishit — Literally “Groom/Bride of Genesis,” this is a designation of honor for the person who is called up to the very first aliyah of the Book of Genesis on the morning of Simchat Torah.

Hatan/Kallat Torah — Literally “Groom/Bride of the Torah” this is a designation of honor for the person who is called up to the very last

of the Book of Deuteronomy on the morning of Simchat Torah.

Hol Hamoed — Literally “the mundane of the festival,” the intermediary days falling between the most sacred days of the festivals of Sukkot and Passover. These days have fewer prohibitions and commandments associated with them than the first and last days of the festivals.

Hoshanah Rabbah — Literally, “the Great Call for Help,” the seventh day of Sukkot during which hakafot are made and Hoshanot are recited. According to one tradition, it is the very last day for God to seal a judgment.

Hoshanot — Prayers of salvation that are chanted on Hoshanah Rabbah while holding the four species. At the end of the hakafot, each person takes a bundle of willow twigs and strikes it on the ground for symbolic purposes. Each prayer begins with the word hoshanah, which means, “Save, I pray.”

Kohelet —The Book of Ecclesiastes, a collection of wisdom, traditionally attributed to King Solomon. It is one of the five books from the part of the Bible called the Writings (Ketuvim) and is read on the intermediary Shabbat of Sukkot.

Lulav — Literally “palm branch,” one of the four species. It is also the name given to the general bundle of willow, myrtle, and palm branches.

Pitom — Literally “protuberance,” the bulging tip at the blossom end of the etrog. If it falls off naturally, the etrog is considered to be kosher. If it has been knocked off, the fruit is considered to have a blemish and thus be unfit for ritual use as one of the four species.

Shalosh Regalim — Literally “three legs,” the three major festivals of Passover, and Sukkot. On these occasions during biblical times Jews went on pilgrimages to Jerusalem to make special offerings at the Temple.

Shemini Atzeret — Literally “the Eighth Day of Gathering,” the eighth day of Sukkot, which holds special significance as its own holiday. Jews thank God for the harvest and ask for winter rain to prepare the ground for spring planting.

Simchat Torah — Literally “rejoicing in the Torah,” the holiday that celebrates both the end and renewal of the annual cycle of reading the Torah. Typically, the congregation takes the Torah scrolls from the

and parades with them in circles (hakafot) around the perimeter of the sanctuary.

Skhakh — Literally “covering,” the roofing of the

, which is made from natural materials such as bamboo or palm branches.

Sukkah — Literally “hut” or “booth,” a temporary structure that is built in order to be dwelt in for the duration of the holiday of Sukkot. Its purpose is to commemorate the Israelites’ Exodus from Egypt and to make a symbolic gesture that acknowledges humankind’s reliance upon God. The construction of a sukkah follows a set of specific regulations.

Ushpizin — Literally “guests,” the biblical guests that the Zohar teaches are to be invited into the sukkah (along with the poor) during each night of Sukkot. Traditionally these seven guests are Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, and David. Today many people add the names of women to the list.

Zman Simchateinu — Literally “the time of our rejoicing,” an expression often used when referring to the days of Sukkot.

SUKKOT HAFTORAH in a Nutshell
— chabad.org / full article:  https://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/742779/jewish/First-Days-of-Sukkot-Haftorahs-in-a-Nutshell.htm

• Full list of sukkot readings: https://www.chabad.org/parshah/torahreading.asp?aid=1019608&p=complete&jewish=Text-of-Torah-Readings-for-Sukkot.htm
• More info: https://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/3830989/jewish/Shabbat-Chol-Hamoed-Sukkot-Haftarah-Companion.htm

DAY ONE

Zachariah 14:1-21.

The prophet Zachariah prophesies about the world transformation that will occur in the end of days, when “the L-rd shall become King over all the earth; on that day shall the L-rd be one, and His name one.”

But first he describes a great war that will center around Jerusalem immediately before the ultimate Redemption. G‑d will gather the nations for war, and He will do battle with them, by visiting various diseases and ailments upon them. Zachariah then notes that those of the nations who will survive this cataclysmic war will be required to go to Jerusalem every year on the holiday of Sukkot to pay homage to G‑d.DAY TWO

I Kings 8:2-21.

Today’s haftorah describes the dedication of Solomon’s Temple, which occurred during the holiday of Sukkot. (The celebration of the completion of the Holy Temple began a few days earlier, on the 8th of Tishrei.)

The construction of the Holy Temple was completed. King Solomon assembled the leaders and elders of the tribes to Jerusalem, and amidst great fanfare the Levites transported the Ark from its temporary location in the City of David and installed it in the Holy of Holies chamber in the Holy Temple. Immediately, G‑d’s presence appeared in the Temple, in the form of a smoky cloud.

King Solomon then blessed G‑d. He recalled the history of the sanctuary, how his father, King David, had wanted to build it—but was told by G‑d that it would be his son who would accomplish this feat. “And the L-rd has established His word that He spoke, and I have risen up in the place of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the L-rd spoke, and have built a house for the name of the L-rd, the G‑d of Israel. And I have set there a place for the ark, wherein (is) the covenant of the Lord, which He made with our fathers, when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.”

CHOL HAMOED (in between days) – Readings in a Nutshell:
full article:https://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/745175/jewish/Chol-Hamoed-Sukkot-Torah-Readings-In-a-Nutshell.htm

On the five intermediate days of Sukkot we read Numbers 29:17-34, a portion which describes the communal offerings brought on each day of the holiday. Thirteen bullocks are brought on the first day, twelve on the second, eleven on the third, and so on in descending order until the seventh day, when seven bullocks are offered, bringing the total of bullocks over the seven days of the festival to seventy. Two rams and fourteen goats were also offered each day.

Additional offerings of the prescribed meal, wine and oil supplements were brought as well: three tenths of an efah of fine flour, and half a hin each of wine and oil, per bullock; two tenths of flour and a third of a hin of each of the liquids for each ram; and one tenth and one quarter respectively for each lamb.On the first day of Chol Hamoed (the third day of the holiday) we read:

• First Aliyah—”The Second Day” section.
• Second Aliyah—”The Third Day” section.
• Third Aliyah—”The Fourth Day: section.
• Fourth Aliyah—(we repeat) “The Second Day” and “The Third Day” section.

On the second day of Chol Hamoed (the fourth day of the holiday) we read:

• First Aliyah—”The Third Day” section.
• Second Aliyah—”The Fourth Day” section.
• Third Aliyah—”The Fifth Day: section.
• Fourth Aliyah—(we repeat) “The Third Day” and “The Fourth Day” section.

On the third day of Chol Hamoed (the fifth day of the holiday) we read:

• First Aliyah—”The Fourth Day” section.
• Second Aliyah—”The Fifth Day” section.
• Third Aliyah—”The Sixth Day: section.
• Fourth Aliyah—(we repeat) “The Fourth Day” and “The Fifth Day” section.

On the fourth day of Chol Hamoed (the sixth day of the holiday) we read:

• First Aliyah—”The Fifth Day” section.
• Second Aliyah—”The Sixth Day” section.
• Third Aliyah—”The Seventh Day: section.
• Fourth Aliyah—(we repeat) “The Fifth Day” and “The Sixth Day” section.

On the fifth day of Chol Hamoed (Hoshana Rabbah) we read:

• First Aliyah—”The Fifth Day” section.
• Second Aliyah—”The Sixth Day” section.
• Third Aliyah—”The Seventh Day: section.
• Fourth Aliyah—(we repeat) “The Sixth Day” and “The Seventh Day” section.