Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles); Shmini Atzeret; and Simchat Torah

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The holiday of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) commemorates G-d's kindness to the Jewish people while in the desert at the time of the Exodus. We mark this kindness by eating in a Sukkah, a hut covered with branches, throughout the seven days of Sukkot as G-d commended in Leviticus 23:42 "You will dwell in booths for seven days; all natives of Israel shall dwell in booths."

On Sukkot we also have a special blessing of the "Four Kinds" (a citron, a palm branch, three myrtle twigs and two willow branches.) We hold them close together, we recite a blessing over them and, as is customary, wave them to all the four sides and upward and downward. Sukkot is also one of the three pilgrimage festivals.

Shmini Atzeret (Eighth Day of Assembly) immediately follows Sukkot, as written in Leviticus 23:34 "...the Festival of Sukkot, seven days for the L-RD... on the eighth day, there shall be a holy convocation for you."

Simchat Torah means "Rejoicing in the Torah." This holiday marks the completion of the annual cycle of weekly Torah readings. Each week in synagogue Jews publicly read a few chapters from the Torah, starting with Genesis Ch. 1 and working our way around to Deuteronomy 34. On Simchat Torah, we read the last Torah portion, then proceed immediately to the first chapter of Genesis, reminding us that the Torah is a circle, and never ends.

This completion of the readings is a time of great celebration. There are processions around the synagogue carrying Torah scrolls and plenty of high-spirited singing and dancing in the synagogue with the Torahs. As many people as possible are given the honor of an aliyah (reciting a blessing over the Torah reading); As many people as possible are given the honor of carrying a Torah scroll in these processions. Children do not carry the scrolls (they are much too heavy!), but often follow the procession around the synagogue, sometimes carrying small toy Torahs.



What gifts and items are symbolic for Sukkot, Shmini Atzeret, and Simchat Torah? (see our recommendations below):

- Building a Sukkah: How is a Sukkah built? A Sukkah should be build under the open sky. One first assembles three or four walls and then places sechach [a covering], taken from something that grows, as a roof. Any type of material may be used to build the walls of the sukkah, provided that they are strong enough to withstand a normal gust of wind.

It is common practice, and highly commendable, to decorate the sukkah. Many families hang artwork on the walls, biblical related artwork and also artwork drawn by the children.

Since the sukkah is a dwelling for the shechinah and the exalted guests, it is proper that one also invite guests of flesh and blood to share one's meals in the sukkah, to please his Heavenly guests.

- The Four Species: As written in Leviticus 23:40 "On the first day, you will take for yourselves a fruit of a beautiful tree, palm branches, twigs of a braided tree and brook willows, and you will rejoice before the L-RD your G-d for seven days." Another observance during Sukkot involves what are known as the Four Species (arba minim in Hebrew) or the lulav and etrog. We are commanded to take these four plants and use them to "rejoice before the L-rd." The four species in question are an etrog (a citrus fruit similar to a lemon native to Israel; in English it is called a citron), a palm branch (in Hebrew, lulav), two willow branches (aravot) and three myrtle branches (hadassim). The six branches are bound together and referred to collectively as the lulav, because the palm branch is by far the largest part. The etrog is held separately. With these four species in hand, one recites a blessing and waves the species in all six directions (east, south, west, north, up and down), symbolizing the fact that G-d is everywhere.

- Eat in the Sukkah: It is a Biblical commandment to eat in the Sukkah on Sukkot. On Shabbat and holidays, we sanctify the holy day with a festive meal including a Challah (a Challah is a special enriched bread, often braided and sweet, used for holy days and Shabbat).

- Candle Lighting: All women and girls light candles on each evening of Sukkot and recite the appropriate blessings.

- Rejoice! It is a mitzvah to rejoice on Sukkot in commemoration of the joyous "Water Drawing Celebrations" that were held in the Temple.

- Simchat Torah "hakafot" procession: in which Jews march, sing and dance with the Torah scrolls around the reading table in the synagogue.