The holiday of Sukkot
Today evening begins the holiday of Sukkot or “Feast of Booths”. It falls in mid-autumn, starting on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei and lasts for seven days – this year from October 16 to October 23. This is the time when the harvest has been gathered, and fresh olive oil is already stored in the cellars. Traditionally, it is one of the most joyful Jewish holidays, but this time it is overshadowed by troubling events. Especially symbolic is that in 2023, Sukkot ended on October 6, on the eve of the HAMAS attack.
Sukkot is rich in commandments, and the main one is the injunction to live in a sukkah (“booth”) throughout the holiday in memory of the wanderings in the Sinai Desert when the Jewish people left Egypt. In the “sukkah”, people eat, host guests, and even sleep. This recalls the booths in which Jews lived in the desert, and the difficult journey to liberation and finding their own country. The essence of Sukkot is to temporarily abandon the usual way of life, reminding of the times when Jews only dreamed of freedom. Even in days of joy, one must not forget the hard times.
Sukkot is not only a remembrance of the past but also a symbol of faith in the future prosperity of the Jewish people!
