Festivals | Tishrei
Sukkot through the Ages
AND YOU SHALL REJOICE BEFORE THE LORD YOUR GOD SEVEN DAYS.
AND YOU SHALL KEEP IT A FEAST UNTO THE LORD SEVEN DAYS IN
THE YEAR; IT SHALL BE A STATUTE FOREVER IN YOUR GENERATIONS:
YOU SHALL CELEBRATE IT IN THE SEVENTH MONTH.
Ancient Origins
A. Abraham
The Book of Jubilees, composed about 130 B.C.E., claims that Sukkkot
was celebrated long before the granting of the Law and that Abraham
was the founder of the custom of the Festival of Sukkot:
When he came to live in Beersheba he set up his tents and instituted
a ceremony which centred round these tents; he erected an Altar
and made circuits around it accompanied by prayer:
'And Abraham built Sukkot for himself and his servants
in the seventh month, and he was the first to celebrate the festival
of Sukkot in the Holy Land.'
(Book of Jubilees 16.26)
It maintains that this celebration was the inspiration for the
law of Sukkot found in our Torah.
B. Jacob
There is also an ancient legend based on Genesis xxxiii.17,
'And Esau went to Seir (lit: goat) - and Jacob came to
Sukkot.'
In this legend Esau represents sin and temptation and Seir stands
for the Day of Atonement. (Leviticus xvi. gives the law of Seir
[Heb.: goat] on the Day of Atonement.)
When Seir, i.e. the Day of Atonement, departed, Jacob came to the
Sukkah. This is the origin of the custom of beginning the building
of the Sukkah soon after the termination of Kippur.
There is also a Midrash which tells us that Jacob not only observed
Sukkot but also added Shemini Atzereth.
In the Days of the First Temple
In the days of the First Temple Sukkot was considered the culminating
Festival and because of its importance became known as HAHAG,
"The Festival." King Solomon chose this Festival as the occasion
for the celebration of the dedication of the Temple. (I Kings,
Ch. vii, 2) - see also: Hakhel (Communal Customs file).
Ezra and Nehemiah instructed those who had returned to Zion to
build Sukkot. Apart from the Mitzvah of the Sukkah which was taught
in the Torah (they wished to establish the new State on the basis
of the Torah), they were also anxious to recapture some of the
splendour of former times, and Sukkot with its rich ceremonial
could provide this atmosphere.
The Bible tells us that those who returned co-operated with enthusiasm
in the observance of the Festival and celebrated it so that the
glory of former days returned.
The Water Libation Ceremony
"He who has not witnessed the rejoicing at the water-drawing
huts has, throughout the whole of his life, witnessed no real
rejoicing."
(Sukkah 53b)
A. Ceremony
This passage refers to a ceremony for the blessing of abundant
rainfall that the Jews had when they dwelled in the land of Israel.
In addition to the colourful procession in the Temple in which
the Lulav and the Etrog were carried by the worshippers whilst
the Hallel (Psalms 113-118) was recited there was the libation
of water in the Temple on each of the seven days at the morning
Service.
According to the Mishnah, a young Cohen took a golden pitcher to
the spring of Shilo (Siloam) where he filled it with water and
carried it up to the Water Gate, where the procession was greeted
by three calls on the ram's horn by the priests.
The officiating priest then led a large torch-lit procession to
the Bet Hamikdash (The Temple), ascended the ramp on the south
side of the great Altar, and turned to the left (west), where
there were two silver basins, one for the pouring of the wine,
the other for the water was poured. At this point, the people
broke out in jubilant singing and dance, and wished one another:
"May G-d bless you out of Zion so that you see the goodness
of Jerusalem all the days of your life."
In later days, at the moment when the priest was about to pour
the water into the basin, the people shouted to him "Raise your
hand!" because once, Alexander Jannaeus (103-76 B.C.E.), king
and high- priest, showed contempt for the rite by spilling the
water at his feet and was pelted with etrogim by the worshippers
standing around.
B. Origins
The pouring out of water had no Biblical support.
According to R. Nehunya it was a law given by God to Moses at Sinai,
but was not recorded in the Scriptures.
Scholars maintain that there was a belief current amongst many
nations that the pouring out of water at the time when the first
autumnal rains were due would magically induce rain to fall.
Judaism would not tolerate this superstition and so it took an
ancient custom of the nations and incorporated it in the Temple
service, and the libation of water became a symbol of rain.
The prayer of rain began to be recited in the Tefillah in the days
of the Second Temple.
Temple Celebrations
"The Light was so Brilliant it seemed more like Day than
Night"
The Talmud gives a vivid description of the festivities on the
termination of the first day of the festival.
Tall candelabra were erected in the "Court of the Women." Each
candelabrum bore four bowls, which held seven and a half gallons
of oil; the cast off branches and girdles of the priests were
used as wicks. Young priests ascended ladders and poured their
jars of oil into the basins. The light was so brilliant that it
seemed more like day than night.
Two galleries were built around three sides of the court for the
spectators; in the upper one sat the women; in the lower the men,
because of the "levity" of the occasion.
Men distinguished in the Community by their purity and character
danced, with flaring torches in their hands, reciting appropriate
verses in which God was praised. In the TRACTATE SUKKAH we are
told Rabban Simeon ben Gamaliel was so adept that, with eight
torches going, not one of them touched the ground when he prostrated
himself, touched his fingers to the pavement, bent down, kissed
it, and at once sprang up (Sukkah 53a).
There was an orchestra consisting of many instruments played by
the Levites, who stood on the fifteen steps that led down from
the court of Israel to the court of the women. These fifteen steps
corresponded to the fifteen "Songs of the Degrees/Steps," SHIR
HAMA'ALOT, found in the Book of Psalms (120-134).
There was a march through the court of the women, beginning at
a signal on trumpets played by two priests, and moving to the
sound of continuous trumpeting to the gate opening to the East.
There they turned about facing west and said:
"Our fathers who were in this place stood with their
backs to the Temple and their faces eastward, and worshipped the
sun toward the east but our eyes are unto the Lord."
(Ezekiel viii.16)
The joy at this ceremony gave rise to the Talmudic quotation about
the rejoicing.
In the Middle Ages
A. Significance
In Medieval Times,the Sukkah brought the atmosphere of the countryside
to the squalid quarters of the ghetto. The green leaves represented
the fields and orchards of the Holy Land for which they yearned
and prayed.
The Rabbi delivered a discourse on the laws of Sukkot some time
before the Festival and he appointed certain learned individuals
to tour the Jewish quarters between Yom Kippur and Sukkot to supervise
the building of sukkot. The bond of fellowship was fostered by
families uniting to share one Sukkah.
B. Special Customs
The medieval Sukkah was bedecked with the fruits which the Bible
mentions grow in the Holy Land, to bring the Holy Land to the
Sukkah.
In the Middle Ages it was often difficult to acquire an Etrog to
comply with all the requirements. It was to be a "goodly" fruit.
The distance from the countries which grew the Etrog to the ghetto
areas of Europe was considerable, and travelling was not easy.
Yet men went on long journeys to obtain the fruit.
John Buxtorf (17th c.), a Christian Hebraist, recorded the fact
that he saw a Sukkah which was decorated with eggs upon which
were inscribed verses relating to Sukkot. He wondered as to what
was the origin of the custom.
In some communities it was the custom to kindle a light each night
of the Festival, in honour of the Ushpizin (one of our heavenly
guests or spirits of our ancestors) for that day and in other
communities seven lights each night for the seven heavenly guests.
In some communities it has been the custom to distribute charity
throughout the town so that the poor might not find the task of
building a Sukkah and adorning it beyond their means.
A Hassidic Rabbi, known as the Tzanzer (d. 1876), when asked why
he insisted upon special charity for Sukkot replied, "We are commanded
to adorn the Sukkah. And what better ornament can there be than
the distribution of charity among those who lack the means wherewith
to be glad in the 'season of rejoicing'?"
In Modern Times
In Western countries, the Sukkah has become an important adjunct
to the Synagogue, today. The Synagogue Sukkah draws large congregations
for Kiddush after service and it has become a centre for the gathering
of people - congenial because of its pleasant surroundings and
distinctive atmosphere.
The Sukkah of the home is making way for the Communal Sukkah, bringing
people together, but removing the custom from the family milieu.
On the one hand, it affords people in apartments - or those who
have never built a sukkah at home - the opportunity to experience
the mitzvah (precept) of "sitting" and eating in the sukkah; on
the other hand, many may no longer feel the need to build their
own sukkah nad take their meals within its walls...
In Israel, today, the situation is different. Whether the season
is mild or hot, sukkot sprout up on balconies, open spaces and
even in parking lots. Easy-to-build sukkot make it more convenient;
weather- proofing is unecessary and Sukkot takes to the streets
of every town as the "s'hah" (leafy roofing) is brought round
on trucks from seasonal tree-trimming.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
The materials in this file have been adapted and extended from
the "SUCCOT" folder written and produced by the former Publications
Division of the Youth and Hechalutz Department, WZO
.
[Tishrei Holidays] [Top
Homepage]