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הידע של אלוהים לא יכול להיות מושגת על ידי המבקשים אותו, אבל רק אלה המבקשים יכול למצוא אותו

Sunday 12 May 2019

THE JEWISH HOLIDAY CYCLE - 3

"Sukkot", painting by Arthur Szyk (1948)
Sukkot
HAVEN OF PEACE

Sukkot, also known as the Fall harvest holiday - hag-ha-asif, or "festival of in-gathering" - occupies the seven days from Tishri 15 to 21. It is a holiday of joy after Yom Kippur, when we all enter into the spirit of Sukkot.

Sukkot continues the story of the Israelites, which began with the Exodus from Egypt (Passover) and the giving of the Torah at Sinai (Shavuot). Traditionally there were three pilgrimage festivals - Sukkot, Pesach, and Shavuot. For each one, a different phase of an agricultural cycle is celebrated, and on this holiday we build huts in the practice of the workers during harvest when they lived in temporary huts in the fields. The tradition also reminds us of when we lived as desert people.

Sukkot is called zeman simhateinu - the season to rejoice. We are commanded to be happy, and the holiday is a meditation of focusing on joy, and putting aside our worries.

Originally pilgrims came from all over Israel to Jerusalem to take part in the temple rites of Sukkot, perhaps their most important festival of all the biblical and Temple periods. Sukkot is also a festival of the future, for, according to tradition, in the messianic period all the nations of the world will assemble in Jerusalem and celebrate together.

Traditions and Customs
Israel David Luzzatto (1746 - 1806): Book of Ecclesiastes as Sukkah Decoration
THE SUKKAH
You shall live in huts seven days; all citizens of Israel shall live in huts, in order that future generations may know that I made the Israelite people live in huts when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I the Lord your God.
~LEV. 23:42, 4JL
For most people, Sukkot is about building a sukkah. The sukkah is a temporary tent-like dwelling usually made with a roof of branches. It must be finished in the four days before the holiday, and we use it for the first time on the evening of Sukkot. Sukkot is profoundly about beauty, and the sukkah that we build should reflect our best nature, so that it is in this spirit that we decorate it, as though it were the Jewish child's answer to the Christmas tree. It is also true to say that the sukkah represents the very transience of all endeavour. Sukkot teaches us that although we may live in a mansion, we might easily have to live in a hut the next day. We should rejoice in both these possibilities. The sukkah is also great fun for the children to sleep in, as a kind of joyful game and adventure.

Usually, people use the sukkah only as a place to eat. It is good to eat there at night, and recite kiddush over wine and the blessing of motsi for bread.

We need to rejoice in the sukkah, not suffer in it, there is therefore no need to sleep there in inclement weather.

MAKING YOUR OWN SUKKAH

External aerial view of Sukkah booths where Jewish families eat their meals and sleep throughout the Sukkot holiday
Sukkot is my family's favourite holiday. We have a semi-permanent frame in our back garden with hooks built in for the walls of cloth. This makes constructing the sukkah very easy and allows us to dedicate most of our attention to the decoration. Our frame is made of wood, though PVC or metal pipes are an easy alternative. We hang painters' drop-cloths, made of canvas, on the inside, and blue plastic tarpaulins on the outside to protect the sukkah from wind and rain and keep it snug on chilly nights. We also hang all kinds of beautiful woven cloths, embroidered tablecloths, pretty bedsheets, and even some real tapestries. Sequined fabric for the interior walls is also wonderful, as it catches the sunlight. We place rugs bought secondhand on the ground and many pillows, cushions, and blankets. Some years we place a big tin pan on the floor - which becomes our hearth - and burn a log at night to keep us warm. The roof is made of branches festooned with all sorts of sparkling things from the party shop and with paper flower garlands. We also hang tiny holiday lights that provide the illumination we need at night. It is magical.

During the evenings we always have friends over for potluck dinners. During the day we read and play in the sukkah, and even teach our students there. We always hate to see the holiday end so that when we stop spending time in the garden, we move our activities back into the house. It is wonderful to have a protected room in the garden, but often the rain s come during Sukkot. Traditionally, if it rains while you are in the sukkah, you are to return to the house and are not enjoined to return to the sukkah when the rain stops; we are supposed to rejoice in the sukkah and not endure discomfort there. In ancient times, Sukkot was called Ha Hag, "The Festival" on which ushpizin - honorary guests - were invited each night from the host of our holy ancestors. The ushpizin are Abraham, Isaac, Miriam, Abigail, Moses, Aaron, David, Sarah, Rachel, Rebecca, Leah, Esther, and so on, and we invite two or three each evening to join us for dinner.

On the first night of Sukkot, we light candles in the sukkah and recite:
Blessed are you, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, who has sanctified us through His commandments, commanding us to kindle the festival lights.
Then we recite the She-he-heyanu blessing:
Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, for keeping us in life, for sustaining us, and for helping us reach this moment.
If the candles look as though they will blow out, then someone other than the person who lit them should carry them into the house. Unlike the practice for Shabbat candlelighting, we first say the Berakhah and then light the candles.

After evening services, or in general when you are ready to eat, the festival kiddush is recited over wine. The the blessing for the sukkah is recited:
Praised are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, who has sanctified us through His commandments, commanding us to live in the sukkah.
Traditionally we then wash our hands and follow this by Morzi over bread. By custom we should have two loaves.

THE FOUR SPECIES

Arbah Minim, the Four Species: etrog (אתרוג) – lulav (לולב) – hadass (הדס) – aravah (ערבה)
The Arbah Minim is another important mitzvah of Sukkot. It is also called the Four Species.

These Four Species are meant to show our connection with the land. The fours species are:

etrog (אתרוג) – the fruit of a citron tree
lulav (לולב) – a ripe, green, closed frond from a date palm tree
hadass (הדס) – boughs with leaves from the myrtle tree
aravah (ערבה) – branches with leaves from the willow tree

The choice of these has innumerable interpretations. Some teachers tell us they represent fire, air, water, and earth, others that they are four levels of reality. Another interpretation of the ritual that seems especially attractive sees the four species as symbolic of four types of Jews. The etrog has taste and fragrance and so represents Jews who have learning and good nature. The palm tree has taste but not fragrance, like Jews who posses erudition but not good nature. The myrtle has fragrance and not taste, like Jews who possess a sweet nature but not erudition. The willow has neither. There are people who are neither good nor clever.

Each day of Sukkot there are special songs and chants, traditionally beginning with the words Hosha na (save us), reminding us of the symbolism of this holiday as a time of transience, as an understanding of the temporary nature of life, and the need to enjoy it.

The two most important of the rituals are the circling of the synagogue seven times instead of once while carrying the four species and reciting the hosha na prayers, and the beating of the willows.

HOSPITALITY

Sukkot is a time for hospitality. In some communities people go from sukkah to sukkah "making kiddush" - that is, having at least wine and cake. Instead of a formal lunch at any one place, during the course of the afternoon they visit many sukkot in their neighbourhoods.

Recipe for Sukkot

As Sukkot is a harvest holiday, it is in keeping to look for a recipe that uses an abundance of vegetables and offers an overflowing platter. This recipe can be made as is, or modified for vegetarian palates. You can change the vegetables to suit your tastes. Do not be afraid of this dish. It takes a lot more time to gather the ingredients than to prepare. It is worth the effort. I was introduced to couscous when I had the good fortune to visit kosher restaurants in Tverya.

COUSCOUS
SERVES 10-12

11/2 cups couscous, prepared by instructions of box
          (Prepare when ready to serve meal, so couscous remains hot)
1 cup chickpeas, drained
0.450 kg. carrots, peeled and halved, or use the same quantity of baby carrots
1 small cabbage, cored and sliced
1 tomato, cut up
1 turnip, sliced
2 sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
0.450 kg. leeks, cleaned and sliced into 3 cm. portions.
          (Use white part only and save the greens for soup.)
2 large onions, quartered
2 zucchini, sliced in chunks
1 small squash, of any variety, sliced
1.400 kg. chuck, flanken, or any appropriate cut
11/2 chicken, in preferred cut
0.450 kg. Polish hot dogs
raisins, almonds or pine nuts (optional)
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon dill
1 teaspoon parsley
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tablespoon each tumeric and ginger (optional)
1/2 tablespoon saffron
         (Soak in boiling water for 5 minutes before using, add total liquid mix.)
4 quarts boiling water, or to cover.

In a soup pot, put in all the vegetables, the spices and herbs, salt and pepper, plus the meat and chicken. Reserve the hot dogs until later, along with the tomato, zucchini, and squash. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, and cook until done, approximately 2 hours, or until meat is tender. Remove all vegetables and meat from pot and add the ingredients that have been reserved. Cook until tender.

To serve, use a large platter. Spoon the couscous onto the platter. Top with the sliced or chunked meat and chicken. Add sliced hot dogs. Surround with the vegetables. Sprinkle lightly the stock, and serve the rest of the stock as a gravy. Sprinkle with raisins and nuts, if desired.

This dish is often served with harissa, or hot sauce, and spicy salads. The cucumber salad for Shabbat would be good with this meal.

Glossary of Terms and Traditions of Interest

  • Aravah - The willow tree, used in the Four Species ritual of the Sukkot. Its presence arises from the belief that it is shaped like the mouth and that because it has no taste and no smell, it represents those Jews who fail to do good deeds and who pay no attention to the Torah.
  • Chol Hamo'ed - Intermediate Days of a festival. Days in the middle of a festival on which most ritual strictness is relaxed.
  • Etrog - A citrus fruit of the hadar tree and one of the four species used in the Sukkot ritual. It is said to be shaped like the heart and therefore symbolizes Jews who have knowledge of the Torah and do good deeds.
  • Hadas - The myrtle, another of the four species used in the Sukkot ritual. It symbolizes the eye and represents Jews who do good deeds but do not read the Torah.
  • Hoshana Raba - 7th day of Sukkot Shalosh Regalim - 3 Pilgrimage Festivals. On Sukkot, Passover and Shavuot, Israelites journeyed to the Temple in Jerusalem.
  • Kohelet - Book of Ecclesiastes read on the 8th day of Sukkot. "There is nothing new under the sun."
  • Lulav - The palm, another of the four species items used in the Sukkot ritual, symbolizes the spine and represents those Jews who read the Torah but do not do good deeds.
  • S'chach - The evergreen twigs used to make the roof of the sukkah. The important aspect of these twigs is that they enable the occupier to the hut to see the stars through the roof.
  • Z'man Simchataynu - Another name for the holiday, "Season of Our Joy."

A 19th century painted Sukkah from Austria or South Germany, Painted pine, 220 × 285.5 cm, Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme

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