Sukkot

According to Leviticus 23 we are to celebrate Sukkot, also known as the Feast of Tabernacles, on the 15th day of Tishri of the Jewish calendar. It is to be an 7-day celebration of great rejoicing, remembering the use of the huts that our ancestors might have lived in while in the wilderness for 40 years. Of course the huts we see today are flimsy and nowhere as sturdy as those back then. The roofs may be constructed from either bamboo sticks or palm branches, loosely arranged so that the sky can be seen through them. It must have at least three walls large enough for a small family. This way Jewish people today can truly get a feel for how our ancestors felt when they would sit down to eat. You may also see fruit hanging from them. This is because it commemorates the harvest season in Israel and as such, this festival is also known as the Holiday of Ingathering. Jewish people all over the world will either spend the week in these huts eating and sleeping, just enjoying a meal or two, or have it as a reminder to them of our ancestors.

In Nehemiah 8:17 it states that from the time of Joshua, the son of Nun, until after their release in captivity from Babylon they did not sit under their huts. This was about a period of 800-900 years.

Water Libation
Every morning during the Feast of Tabernacles, the priest, along with the rest of the congregation would go down to the Pool of Siloam and draw water into a golden basin. Then they would enter through the Water gate (which is where it got its name) as they would walk back to the temple when they heard three blasts of the silver trumpets played. Now at the same time as the priests were going to get the water, another procession went to a place in the Kidron Valley close by called Motza.  Where the people gathered willow branches, and stuck them on either side of the altar of burnt offering, bending them over towards it, so as to form a kind of leafy canopy.

Then the priests, who gathered the water, would go up to the altar to where 2 silver basins with narrow holes in them were located. The basin on the eastern side had a little wider opening for the wine, and the one on the western side had a smaller opening for the water. The wine of the drink offering was poured at the same time the water from Siloam was poured into the basins. The wine and the water came together under the altar and flowed together back to the pool of Siloam. Here we remember what is written in John 19:34, “…but one of the soldiers pierced [Jesus’] side and immediately blood and water came out.”

With the drawing of the water, there was much rejoicing and celebration going on in the temple.  In fact, this joy was so immense and the celebrations so uplifting that the sages of Israel emphatically stated in the Mishna (Sukkot 5:1) that, “He who has not seen the celebration of the Festival of the Water Libation has never experienced true joy in his life”. Let us remember that Jesus is our Living Water as described by the prophet in Jeremiah 2:13, "For my people have committed two evils: they have abandoned me, the fountain of living water, and dug themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water!”

After the water libation ended then all the worshipers would sing the Hallel (Psalms113-118).  This was generally sung while a choir of flutes was playing, unless it was on the Sabbath.  At the end of Psalms 118 everyone with their lulavs would shake them towards the altar.

Lulav and Etrog

In Leviticus 23:40 and Nehemiah 8:14-18 the rabbi’s had determined that “…the fruit of the goodly trees” was referring to the etrog, and the “…the boughs of thick trees” refers to be the myrtle.  The “…branches of palms” meant the lulav, and the “…willows of the brook” referred to the willow trees.

The etrog looks like a slightly larger lemon only harder, and has a slight lemony fragrance since it is in the same family. It is to be without spot or blemish, and is considered the most important symbol of the four items.  The palm branches must be strong enough and high enough to be shaken.  The myrtle is believed to be a small leafy tree.

 It is believed the waving of the lulav is not based on the wave offering as described in Leviticus 7:34 or 14:12, but instead according to the Talmud it is done to keep off evil spirits.  

Waving the Lulav and Etrog
The following should be done slowly and deliberately concentrating on the symbolism’s and intentions of the act.

• Stand facing east.
• Hold the lulav out to the east (in front of you) and shake it three times. Each time the motion of shaking should be a drawing in to you -- i.e., reach out and draw in, reach out and draw in, reach out and draw in.
• Repeat the same motion three times to your right (south), behind and over your shoulder (west), to your feet (north), raising it up above you, and lowering it down below you.
• The lulav is also waved during Hallel while saying:  "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His lovingkindness endures forever."  This verse occurs twice during Hallel.
• The lulav is again waved while saying:  "Let Israel say that His lovingkindness endures forever"
• Again it is waived while saying:  "We implore You, Lord, save us."  For those of us already saved, then we could say something like: "We love you Lord, thank you for saving us."

Simchat Torah
The day after the end of Sukkot, making it seem like there are 8 days total, is another celebration called Simchat Torah. Which means “Rejoicing with the Law” or “Rejoicing with the Torah”.  This is the end of a year long cycle when the reading of the entire Torah has ended. The Torah Scroll has the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy which are read throughout the course of the year. It is believed that this custom was developed during the exile in Babylon. In this tradition, there would be much celebration with singing, hand clapping and dancing. 

In the same way when we as believers in Yeshua haMashiach, Jesus the Messiah, get to the end of a full year of reading, why could we not have a little Simcha, or rejoicing as well. I think Yeshua would really love it, and probably would be celebrating right along with us. 

Until next time - Shalom!