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What
is Sukkot?
Sukkot
is a 7-day holiday.
We build a temporary booth called a "Sukkah" where we eat,
sleep and hang out for the entire week. Each day we also wave the Four
Species of plants, in celebration of God's gift of bounty.
During the first day (or first two days outside
of Israel) no creative activity is permitted. This is similar to Sabbath,
with the exception of cooking from an existing flame, which is permitted
on holidays. The remaining days of Sukkot are called Chol HaMoed, during
which creative work activities are permitted.
The last day of Sukkot is called Hoshana Raba.
Jewish tradition records that the heavenly decrees made on Rosh Hashanah
(and sealed on Yom Kippur) are actually sent out on Hoshana Raba. The
main book of Kabbalah, the Zohar, also says that the nations of the
world are judged on this day.
The day immediately following Sukkot is also a holiday,
called Shmini Atzeret "Eighth Day of Assembly". Outside of Israel,
this Yom Tov extends two days, with the second day designated as Simchat
Torah. This is when we finish reading the final portion of the Torah and
begin a new cycle. We dance around in the synagogue, holding the Torah
scrolls, expressing joy in our treasured Torah.
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Choosing
a site
Before you build a Sukkah, select a land
site that has nothing hanging above, i.e. a roof or branches from
trees. The Sukkah floor must be a minimum of 27 by 27 inches 967
cm - it's the bare minimum space for most of a person to sit with
a small table. Balconies are fine assuming it has no roof above.
The Sukkah Walls
For a Sukkah to
be valid, it must involve at least two complete walls and a small
part of a third wall (You can use the side of buildings, or an
area that is already enclosed by 2 + or 3 walls). The walls can
be of any type, as long as they are well-built to hold out a typical
wind. The walls should be at least 38 inches high (96 cm), but
not higher than 30 feet (9.6 m).
The Sukkah Roof
The roof requires material that were only grown from the ground
- i.e. branches or leaves
(not metal, or any food). If you're using unfinished boards, they
cannot be wider than 15 inches. The material must be detached
from the ground before placing on the roof - i.e. can't bend a
branch over the top of the Sukkah. The roof material can only
be added after the requisite numbers of walls are in place.
The Sukkah roof must
be sufficiently covered so that it gives more shade than sun during
the daytime. Yet it should be somewhat open so that the stars
are visible through the roof at night.
As
the Sukkah is called your "home" for the next week,
it is customary to hang pretty decoration. Many people hang posters
of Jewish themes.
When
it rains, you shall eat indoors, however the first night &
day is the most important time to eat in the Sukkah. Thus one
should try to hang around for some time for the rain to stop,
to be able to make the blessing and eat in the Sukkah.
Whenever
we sit in the Sukkah and eat food made of grain, besides the ordinary
blessings we say the following blessing:
| English: |
Blessed
are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who
sanctified us with His mitzvot, and instructed us
to sit in the Sukkah. |
| Phonetic
Hebrew: |
Baruch
ata Adonoy, Elo-heinu Melech ha'olam, asher kid'shanu
bi'mitzvo-sav, vi'tzivanu lay-shave ba-sukkah. |
| Hebrew: |
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On the first evening of Sukkot, we add the following blessing.
| English: |
Blessed
are You, the Lord our God, King of the universe,
Who has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought
us to this season. |
| Phonetic
Hebrew: |
Baruch
Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha-olam, she-he-cheyanu
v'kimanu v'higianu laz'man ha-zeh |
| Hebrew: |
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Basted on kabalistic teachings, when Jews spend time in the Sukkah,
Gods spending His time there. It is as if the Almighty has invited
us to enter His holy palace and to sit at His table and share
in His goodness. Perhaps this is why Sukkah is one of the few
good-deeds we perform with our entire body. We are literally immersed
and bathed in the spiritual energy. Look over your head and see
the sky allowing, as it were, heaven to descend through your ceiling
and infuse your Sukkah.
The Talmud says that in the days of the
Messiah, all Jews will dwell together in one gigantic Sukkah.
This underscores the need for Jewish unity. Perhaps this is
the reason why on Sukkot we take the four species -- Etrog,
Lulav, myrtle and willow -- bind them close together, and wave
them in all directions. We declare that all Jews are part of
the same unit. And we pledge to discover how all these parts
can work together to accomplish our lofty goals.
We
hope you enjoy your Sukkah. Have a few meals, shmuze, snooze
-- and learn a little Torah. Bring out your nice dishes and
relish in the splendor. Because for one entire week, this is
the house where you and your Creator will dwell together.
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The Bible says: "And ye shall
take you on the first day the fruit of goodly trees, branches
of palm-trees, and boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook,
and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days."
(Leviticus 23:40)
On Sukkot, we unite all the branches together
-- two willows on the left, one palm branch in the center, and
three myrtles on the right. We hold this bundle in our right hand,
and then lift them together with the Citron. We then shake them
all together, three times in each direction: front, right, back,
left, up and down. (Sephardic Jews and Hassidim have a different
custom for the order.) This good-deed should be performed during
the daytime, each of the seven days of Sukkot (except for the
Sabbath).
Before waving the
four species, we say the following blessing:
| English: |
Blessed
are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who sanctified
us with His mitzvot, and instructed us to raise up
the Lulav. |
| Phonetic
Hebrew: |
Baruch
ata Adonoy, Elo-heinu Melech ha'olam, asher kid'shanu
bi'mitzvo-sav, vi'tzivanu al ni-tilas lulav. |
| Hebrew: |
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On the first time, add the following blessing
| English: |
Blessed
are You, the Lord our God, King of the universe, Who
has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to
this season. |
| Phonetic
Hebrew: |
Baruch
Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha-olam, she-he-cheyanu
v'kimanu v'higianu laz'man ha-zeh |
| Hebrew: |
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In order to fulfill this special good-deed, the four species must
meet certain requirements. Since the details can get technical,
it is suggested to buy or have it checked by a Rabbi. (Particularly
the Etrog, which can easily be confused with a lemon.) A better
idea is to purchase a complete set from a reliable distributor --
like e-esrog.com. Your local Jewish bookstore may have a "Four
Species Set" with a rabbinical seal certifying their validity.
To be a well-versed consumer, here are some central requirements
to look for:
The
Citron
- Etrog
-
Should preferably be turning yellow rather than green.
- The peel cannot be punctured through in any spot, nor can
it lack any of its inner skin.
- The peel cannot be overly soft, cracked, dry or peeled.
- Even a small black dot on the upper part invalidates it.
- The shape should preferably be like a tower - wider at the
bottom and narrow at the top.
- If this particular Etrog grew with a protruding stem (called
a pitom), then that stem cannot
be broken off. (However, if the Etrog grew in the first place
without a pitom, it is still kosher.) |
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The
Myrtle - Haddas
-
You will need three myrtle branches.
- A kosher myrtle has a pattern of three leaves coming out
from the same point in the

branch. This three-leaf pattern must be repeated over at least
half the length of the branch.
- Each branch should be at least 11 inches (29 cm.) long.
- The branch cannot be dried out. |
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The
Willow - Arava
-
You
will need two willow branches.
- The stem should preferably be red.
- The stem should be at least 11 inches (29 cm.) long.
- The leaves should be oblong, not round in shape.
- The leaves should have a smooth edge, not serrated. |
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The
Date-Palm - Lulav
-
Look
at the very top of the branch and make sure that the center-most
leaf is not split, but
rather is closed (at least half-way down).
- The top cannot be cut off.
- The branch cannot be dried out.
- It should be at least 16 inches (39 cm.) long.
- The straighter the branch, the better. |
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The 4 species a reflection to oneself
Another way to
look at the Lulav is mentioned in "Sefer Bahir,"
a kabbalistic work almost 2,000 years old. It describes the four
species as four parts of a human being:
-
The Etrog (citron) represents the heart, the seat of our emotions.
- The Hadas (myrtle) has leaves shaped like an eye.
- The Lulav (date palm) represents the spine, from where our actions
emanate.
- The Aravah (willow) represents the lips, our speech. 
The
four species must be taken together as a unit. So too, to achieve
happiness, one must use all of his faculties in unison. You cannot
say one thing and feel another. We must unify our feelings, our
actions, our speech and our outlook. With all of these working
together, we are well on the path to self-esteem, tranquility
and joy.
Relationship With God
The four
species also represent the Name of God. Aravah (willow), Hadas
(myrtle), Lulav (date palm) and Etrog (citron) represent the Yud
and Heh and Vav and Heh of the four-letter Name of God.
Again,
the key here is unity. As we say everyday in the Shema prayer:
"God is One." Whether things may appear to us as good
or evil, we must realize that it all comes from God. One must
deal with various pleasant or unpleasant circumstances -- ultimately
for one's maximal growth, but at the root everything comes from
God.
Being
aware of this keeps our focus and helps us to deal with the issues
of life. When we relate to God's unity, we come closer to achieving
joy in the world.
Sukkot
is a one-week opportunity to build these relationships and incorporate
them into our lives.
| |
Willow
- Arava
|
Myrtle
- Haddas
|
Date
palm - Lulav
|
Citron
- Etrog
|
|
Number |
2 |
3
(Sefardim may add more) |
1 |
1 |
|
Minimum
Size |
30
cm,
11.8 inches |
30
cm,
11.8 inches |
40
cm (spine)
15.8 inches |
100
gram
3.5 oz |
|
If
Unavailable |
24.5
cm
9.7 inches |
24.5
cm
9.7 inches |
32.7
cm (spine)
12.9 inches |
57.6
gram
2.1 oz |
|
Characteristics |
Elongated,
smooth-edged leaves |
Leaves
cover branch. 3 leaves sprout from same place on branch. |
Long
double leaves, covering spine, extending beyond spine |
Elongated
shape, skin not smooth, indented stem |
|
Color |
Green
leaves, reddish stalk. O.K. if still green |
Green
leaves, green stalk |
Green
or greenish yellow |
Yellow
or light green |
|
General
Disqualifications |
Stolen.
Borrowed (on first day).
Dried out.
Prohibited - e.g., from temple of idol worship. |
Same
as previous column. |
Same
as previous column. Some lenient in times of great need.
|
Same
as previous column. Dried out. |
|
Specific
Disqualifications |
Top
cut off.
Majority of leaves missing.
Dried out. Leaves round, "serated" edges, stalk never
red - indicate wrong species. |
Top
cut off (if nothing else available, O.K.).
Leaves don't grow in groups of 3 (if nothing else available,
O.K.).
Dried out leaves. |
Split
top leaf.
Leaves spread out, hardened or hanging down.
Dried out leaves or spine.
Top cut off.
Curving to the side.
Top of spine, bent down. |
Missing
substance. Holes - where some of the peel is missing.
Split.
"Pitom" missing (except where it grew without).
Dark spots on upper sloping part of etrog.
Dry spots on upper slope.
Stem missing.
Spherical shape. |
|
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The
Special Holy Guest
Spending
time
in Sukkah generates enormous powerful spiritual energy. As it
says, the souls of the seven shepherds of Israel leave the Garden
of Eden to join in the divine light of the earthly Sukkah.
What
is the Garden of Eden? This is the place where worthy souls, having
passed from this world, enjoy the light of the divine presence as
they await entrance to the World to Come -- i.e. the post- Messianic
age (Talmud - Sabbath 152b; Derech Hashem 1:3:11).
The
Holy Zohar writes in his book of Jewish mysticism, that the Sukkah
generates such an intense concentration of spiritual energy, that
the divine presence actually manifests itself there in a similar
way to Eden. During Sukkoth the souls of the seven shepherds of
Israel -- Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joseph, and King
David actually leave the Garden of Eden to partake in the divine
light of the earthly Sukkot (Zohar - Emor 103a).
Each
day of Sukkot, all seven souls are present, but each takes his turn
to lead the other six. Collectively these transcendent guests are
known as Ushpizin, the Aramaic word meaning "guests."
To welcome these illustrious souls, many have the custom to recite
a lengthy mystical invitation upon entering the Sukkah for the first
time. Additionally, many invite the Ushpizin each time they
partake of a meal in the Sukkah. Some Sephardic Jews even have the
custom of setting aside an ornately-decorated chair covered with
fine cloth and holy books.
The Seven Holy Shepherds
Learning slightly deeper, we find that the
Ushpizin fit into a recurrent theme in Jewish philosophy -- that
time moves in set patterns and that history is moving toward an
ultimate goal (Derech Hashem 4:7:2).
King
David writes: "A thousand years in Your eyes are like a
day" (Psalms 90:4). Each day of Sukkot corresponds to one
of the days of the week, and to each of the seven millennia of human
history - starting with Adam and leading to the Messianic era (Talmud
- Sanhedrin 97a; Derech Hashem 1:3:9). Accompanied by the seven
shepherds, Sukkot is the holiday that represents the concept of
the Jewish people working together to bring about world peace and
perfection (Sfas Emes).
Further,
the Jewish mystical texts explain that each of the seven Ushpizin
correspond to a fundamental spiritual pathway (sefirah) through
which the world is metaphysically nourished and perfected (Derech
Hashem 3:2:5, Zohar Chadash, Toldot 26c; cf. Zohar 2:256a).
1.
Abraham represents love and kindness
2. Isaac represents restraint and personal strength 
3. Jacob represents beauty and truth 
4. Moses represents eternality and dominance through Torah 
5. Aaron represents empathy and receptivity to divine splendor 
6. Joseph represents holiness and the spiritual foundation 
7. David represents the establishment of the kingdom of heaven on
earth 
When
we follow in the footsteps of these spiritual attributes, the divine
light (as directed through that particular transcendental conduit)
shines down into the world and brings it closer to its completion
(Derech Hashem 4:2:2,5). As the Talmud says: "With the very
measuring cup that a person measures, are [the spiritual influences]
measured out for him" (Sotah 8b).
Feeding the Poor
Now aside
from these lofty spiritual matters, Judaism's prime emphasis remains
on human actions. The Zohar (Emor 103a), after explaining the Ushpizin
continues. "One must also gladden the poor, and the portion
[that would otherwise have been set aside for these Ushpizin] guests
should go to the poor. For if a person sits in the shadow of faith
and invites those guests and does not give their portion [to the
poor], they all remain distant from him...One should not say "I
will first satisfy myself with food and drink, and I shall give
the leftovers to the poor." Rather, the first of everything
must be for one's guests. If one gladdens his guests and satisfies
them, God rejoices over him. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the others
shower him..."
Similarly,
Maimonides brings this as a matter of religious obligation: "While
eating and drinking himself, one is obligated to feed the stranger,
orphan, and widow, along with the other unfortunate poor... [One
who does not] is not enjoying a mitzvah, but rather his stomach"
(Laws of Yom Tov 6:18).
May
the inspiration of the holy Ushpizin guests help us to fulfill the
potential of the Sukkot holiday -- enjoying and uplifting both ourselves
and the world around us!
2)
The Eigth Day of assembly
After all theses
spiritual moments, God adds a special day at the end of Sukkoth, a
day of great closeness with our Creator, as He asks His Jewish children
to remain with him for just extra personal time together.
Just
visualize yourself orchestrating a several day reunion for good
old times and you nearly invite everyone. But this is no "regular"
reunion: It's one solid week of food, music, dance and fun. Sooner
or later things are starting to wind down and people beginning to
leave. As you are the host, you quietly go over to a few of your
best friends and whisper: "Stick around after everyone else
leaves - that's when I'm breaking out the good stuff."
God
has a weeklong festival each year called "Sukkoth." In
ancient times in the holy city of Jerusalem, the service in the
Holy Temple during the week of Sukkoth featured a total of 70 bull
offerings. This, the Talmud explains, reflects to each of the 70
nations of the world. The Temple was not just for Jews. The prophet
Isaiah refers to the Temple as a "House for all nations"
(Isaiah 56:7).
The
Holy Temple was the universal core of spirituality, a concentrated
point where God-consciousness filtered down into the world. In fact,
the Talmud says that if the Romans had realized how much benefit
they themselves were getting from the Temple, they never would have
destroyed it!
So
at the end of Sukkoth, God added a special day called Shmini Atzeret,
literally the "Eighth Day of Assembly". On that great
day, only one bull was offered -- reflecting the Jewish people.
It is a day of great closeness with our Creator, as He asks His
Jewish children to remain with him for extra personal time together.
(Talmud - Sukkot 55b)
The
eight day called Shmini Atzeret is a full public holiday, as described
in Leviticus 23:36. Even though it immediately follows the seven-day
Sukkoth festival and is often considered part of Sukkoth, it is,
in fact somewhat a separate holiday. This means that the She'hechiyanu
blessing is recited, and the obligation to sit in the Sukkah does
not apply.
The nature of Seven
The famous
Nachmanides whom lived in the 12th century. Explains a striking
kabalistic concept: Seven is the number of nature. There are seven
days in the week, there are seven notes on the musical scale and
there are seven directions left, right, up, down, forward, back
and center. "Seven" -- represented by the seven days of
Sukkoth -- is the world of nature. "Eight" -- represented
by Shmini Atzeret -- is that we call beyond nature.
Speaking
about eight-days, Hanukkah an eight-day holiday, as well has beyond
nature miracle concepts.
The
Jewish people, says the Talmud, are beyond nature. We have survived
every imaginable persecution, exile, hardship and expulsion. And
still, we have achieved and thrived far beyond our numbers. As Mark
Twain wrote: "All things remain mortal but the Jew; all other
forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?"
The
"secret," as we know, is the special gift that God gave
to the Jewish people: The Torah. As Rabbi Emanuel Feldman writes:
"Torah
is the mysterious bridge which connects the Jew and God, across
which they interact and communicate, and by means of which God fulfills
His covenant with His people to sustain them and protect them."
Therefore
it is no coincidence that on Shmini Atzeret we also celebrate the
completion of the yearly cycle of Torah readings and the beginning
of a new cycle. This event is lovingly referred to as "Simchat
Torah," literally "Rejoicing of the Torah." (Outside
of Israel, Simchat Torah is celebrated the day after Shmini Atzeret.)
Why
are we accustomed to both finish and re-start the reading of the
Torah on the same day? The Sages explain: "To show that the
Torah is beloved to us like a new object and not like an old command
which a person no longer treasures. Since it is brand new to us,
we all run to greet it." We sing and dance around the bima
(the platform where the Torah is read), carry the Torah Scroll,
and express our joy at having the opportunity to come so close to
God.
At
this special day of Shmini Atzeret, as we complete this holiday season,
we offer a special prayer to God for rain. Rain represents the blessings
of growth and abundance. Through all the hard work of, Rosh Hashanah,
Yom Kippur and Sukkoth, we have come a long way. Our duty now is to
carry that energy throughout the upcoming year.
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Stuffed
Cabbage
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Squash,
Stuffed w/Cranberries
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INGREDIENTS:
4 lb. ground beef
4 eggs
1 cup filler (matzo meal or bread crumbs sprinkled with garlic powder,
onion powder, and pepper)
2 lb. stew beef, in cubes
1 large onion
2 garlic cloves
2 (29 oz.) cans tomato sauce
1 (12 oz.) can tomato paste
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
sprinkle of ginger
2-3 cabbagesInstructions
1. Sauté stew beef, onion and garlic in a small amount of
oil.
Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, honey, sugar, lemon juice and ginger.
Cook low.
2. Mix ground beef, filler, eggs, and spices.
3. Steam cabbage leaves until pliable.
4. Place generous amount of ground meat on each leaf, and roll up.
Place rolls in a lightly greased deep baking pan.
5. Pour sauce over cabbage rolls.
6. Bake tightly covered at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 hours.
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INGREDIENTS:
6 small size acorn squash
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup water
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
4 large apples, peeled and chopped fine
2 cups cooked basmati or brown rice
1 tablespoon brown rice syrup
Apple juice as needed Simmer raisins in water for 20 minutes.
Do not drain.
Mix together all remaining ingredients except squash.
If mixture is too dry, add apple juice to moisten.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut tops off squash and trim bottoms
so squash sits flat.
Scoop out seeds and strings, leaving an opening in the center to
be stuffed.
Fill squash as full as possible, packing tightly.
Arrange in shallow, oven-proof dish, and bake 1 hour, or until squash
is tender.
Bake any extra filling in a separate dish for 25 minutes.Serves:
6 |
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