Sukkot

From Food & Medicine Encyclopedia

Sukkot (also known as Feast of Booths or Tabernacles) is a significant, week-long Jewish holiday that occurs five days after Yom Kippur. It is one of the three biblically mandated festivals on which Hebrews were commanded to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem.

Etymology[edit]

The Hebrew word "Sukkot" refers to the temporary dwellings that farmers would live in during harvesting, a direct reference to the temporary dwellings in which the Israelites stayed during their 40 years of travel in the desert after the Exodus from slavery in Egypt.

Historical Origin[edit]

According to the Torah, Sukkot commemorates the forty-year period during which the children of Israel were wandering in the desert, living in temporary shelters. Sukkot is therefore a commemoration of the fight for survival in the desert and the final emergence into the Land of Israel.

Observance[edit]

Sukkot is celebrated by a number of activities. The most well-known is the building of the Sukkah, a temporary dwelling in which meals are eaten throughout the festival. Other observances include the waving of the Four Species, as well as additional prayers and meals.

Significance[edit]

Sukkot is considered a joyous festival and is often referred to as Z'man Simchateinu, the Season of our Rejoicing. It is a time to remember the wandering in the desert, but also a time to celebrate the gathering of the harvest and express thanks for the bounty of the earth.

See Also[edit]




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