The Meaning of Sukkot and How to Celebrate the Jewish Holiday
Introduction
Around September or October, you will probably see little huts or booths being built and placed close to Jewish homes under the open sky. These structures are called sukkot, to commemorate one of the most important Jewish holidays, Sukkot! So, what is Sukkot exactly, and how is it celebrated?
In this blog, we will cover some important facts about the Jewish holiday Sukkot and answer common questions.
When is Sukkot in 2022?
Sukkot 2022 will be celebrated from the evening of October 9th, 2022 until the evening of October 16th, 2022.
Sukkot lasts for seven days from the 15th day to the 21st day of the Jewish month Tishrei, which is the first month of the Jewish calendar year. You may have heard of the High Holidays, which is around the time of year when several important Jewish holidays are observed, including Rosh Hashanah, 10 Days of Repentance, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Simchat Torah. Sukkot is five days after Yom Kippur.
What does Sukkot mean?
Sukkot, which translates to “huts”, is one of the three major festivals of Judaism: Passover, shavuot, and of course, Sukkot. According to the Torah, Sukkot is referred to as the Harvest Festival and the Festival of Booths.
What is the history of Sukkot?
The celebration of Sukkot is considered a Mitzvah, a good religious deed, to commemorate the years that the Jews spent in the desert on their perilous journey to reach the Promised Land, Israel. Under the harsh conditions of the desert, the Jews survived thanks to God’s protection. As described in the Torah:
“You are to dwell in booths for seven days. All the native-born of Israel must dwell in booths, so that your descendants may know that I made the Israelites dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.” — Leviticus 23:42
What do Jewish people usually do on Sukkot to celebrate?
Sukkot is considered a joyous and happy celebration in Judaism. As we already mentioned, people often build huts for the holiday. They will eat and sometimes even sleep in the Sukkah for seven days. Sukkot are built with light natural materials such as brush or bamboo for the roof, and sturdier materials for the walls so that the wind doesn’t knock them down. The Sukkah must be placed outdoors under an open sky, and should have at least two walls.
If you’re looking for Judaica based products to help in your celebrations, visit us today at 3 Arches USA, your supplier for high quality religious products from the Holy Land.
Sources Cited:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sukkoth-Judaism
https://biblehub.com/leviticus/23-42.htm
https://www.ajc.org/news/what-is-sukkot-and-why-is-it-celebrated
https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/984606/jewish/Sukkot-Simchat-Torah.htm
Recent Comments