Sukkot (סוכות or סֻכּוֹת – Feast of Booths, Feast of Tabernacles) is a Biblically mandated Jewish festival celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei. In it, the Hebrews were commanded to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem. It follows the solemn holiday of Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement.
לד דַּבֵּר אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֵאמֹר: בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם, לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי הַזֶּה, חַג הַסֻּכּוֹת שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, לַיהוָה.
לה בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן, מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ; כָּל-מְלֶאכֶת עֲבֹדָה, לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ.
לו שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, תַּקְרִיבוּ אִשֶּׁה לַיהוָה; בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ יִהְיֶה לָכֶם וְהִקְרַבְתֶּם אִשֶּׁה לַיהוָה, עֲצֶרֶת הִוא–כָּל-מְלֶאכֶת עֲבֹדָה, לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ.
Leviticus 23:33-36
The holiday lasts seven days (eight in the diaspora). The first day is a יוֹם טוֹב (holiday) when work is forbidden. The Hebrew word סֻכּוֹת (sukot) is the plural of סֻכָּה (sukkah), “booth or tabernacle”, which is a walled structure covered with סְכָךְ (plant material such as leafy tree overgrowth or palm leaves).
The סֻכָּה is the type of dwelling in which the Israelites dwelt during their 40 years of travel in the desert after the Exodus from slavery in Egypt. Meals are eaten inside the סֻכָּה and some people sleep there as well. On each day, members of the household recite a blessing over the לוּלָב (lulav – a closed frond of the date palm tree, bound with boughs and branches of the willow and myrtle trees) and אֶתְרוֹג (etrog – a yellow citron).
Laws and customs
The first day of סֻכּוֹת is celebrated as a full festival with special prayer services and holiday meals. The remaining days are known as חֹל הַמּוֹעֵד (Chol HaMoed – “festival weekdays”). The seventh day of סֻכּוֹת is called הוֹשַׁעְנָא רַבָּא (Hoshana Rabbah – the tradition that worshippers in the synagogue walk around the perimeter of the sanctuary during morning services). Observance of סֻכּוֹת is detailed in the Book of Nehemiah and Leviticus 23:34-44 in the Bible, the Mishnah (Sukkah 1:1–5:8); the Tosefta (Sukkah 1:1–4:28); and the Jerusalem Talmud (Sukkah 1a–) and Babylonian Talmud (Sukkah 2a–56b).
The days of חֹל הַמּוֹעֵד (Chol HaMoed) are considered to be more than regular weekdays but less than festival days. This means that all activities that are needed for the holiday are permitted by Jewish law. Activities that will interfere with relaxation and enjoyment of the holiday—such as laundering, mending clothes, engaging in labor-intensive activities—are not permitted. Observant Jews typically treat חֹל הַמּוֹעֵד as a vacation period, eating nicer than usual meals, entertaining guests, visiting other families in their סֻכּוֹת, and taking family outings.
Building a סֻכָּה
The סֻכָּה walls can be constructed of any material (wood, canvas, aluminum siding, sheets). The walls can be free-standing or include the sides of a building or porch. The roof must be of organic material such as leafy tree overgrowth or palm fronds. It is customary to decorate the interior of the sukkah with hanging decorations, the Seven Species.
