Sukkot-a-Important-Feast
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Re Tanakh versions:
Throughout
this site I may use any of three versions of the Tanakh: 1. “Jewish Publication Society” (JPS-1917), 2. “Mechon-Mamre.org” (MEC), and 3. “Sefaria.org” (SEF), three brilliant versions, However, the
JPS-1917 is my preferred version!
Colour coded
details of our beloved TaNaKh:
1. Torah =
History & Law, 2. Nevi’im = The Prophets. 3. *Ketuvim = all other Writings.
*The Ketuvim - Includes, Poetical
books - Psalms, Proverbs, Job, the Megillot, or
Scrolls - Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations of
Jeremiah, Ecclesiastes, and Esther, prophecy of Daniel, and history
of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles I & II.
Please Note: Some alterations
or (additions) have been made relating to ‘Names’ and ‘Attributes’ of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim (God), having been corrected like it once was pre
the “Masoretic Text”.
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Remember the following truth from our beloved Torah!
“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which
I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM
IT, that ye may keep the commandments of אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה - the LORD your Eloleichem,
which I command you”. Davarim - Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).
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With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
The emotional high of the Days of Awe is still an uplifting memory as ‘Sukkot’ arrives. We have attempted to cleanse our souls, and if we are really honest with ourselves, we might admit that we are feeling pretty good about the experience. Ironically, perhaps we might even be feeling a bit smug. However, ‘Sukkot’ is an important feast as it will help us to overcome this tendency.
Our Torah portion for the first day of ‘Sukkot’ begins with the reminder not to profane אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s blessed Name.
We are called upon to live our days through actions that sanctify our
existence. The concepts of ‘profaning אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s Name’, ‘יְהוָה -
the LORD, and ‘sanctifying אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s Sacred Name’.
The separation between these two concepts is often a fine line. Our High Holy
Days experience has hopefully helped us gain insights that will inspire us in
so many ways, thereby elevating our sense of humanity. Our tradition says that
the righteous praise אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s glory. This
is the nature of ‘Kiddush יְהוָה - the LORD’ - meaning ‘sanctification
of the Name’.
This study moves from the ethical principles
just mentioned to a comprehensive description of the sacred festivals and holy
days of our Hebrew year. This juxtaposition is important because it offers us a
clear and practical way that we can sanctify our lives and, by so doing,
sanctify יְהוָה - the LORD blessed Name. Each of these
holidays should be acknowledged as a ‘Holy convocation’: a time for us to
gather together, put aside our daily tasks and routines, and affirm our commitment
to the uniqueness of the Covenant of us Israelites. Each sacred occasion comes
with its obligations, and the fulfilment of these rituals strengthens our
resolve to live lives hallowed by ‘the faith of
There are two distinct tasks of the weeklong celebration of ‘Sukkot’ and that are the selection of four specific species of vegetation as is stated in Leviticus 23:40.
“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 יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloheichem seven days”.
And also the building of the ‘sukkah’ as stated in Leviticus 23:42-43:
“Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are home-born in Israel shall dwell in booths; that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloheichem”.
What a fine balance we struggle with each day! We know that the heart can be the seat of understanding, but it can also become hardened and leave us compassionless. We know that when we perform deeds of loving-kindness we walk upright, but there are moments, too, when we act spinelessly. We are aware that with our eyes we can see visions of how to make the world a better place, but we also know, as our siddur states, that we often walk sightless among miracles. The symbols of our ‘Sukkot harvest’ remind us that the choice is ours. We will with much love sanctify יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloheichem, בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם קָדוֹשׁוֹ - ‘Baruch Shem Kadosho’ - ‘Blessed be His Holy Name!’
Perhaps it is the symbol of the ‘sukkah’ that reminds us of the urgency of the choice. The frail, impermanent booth that provides some shade but hardly offers any protection from the elements is, ironically, our symbol of faith. It serves as the counterbalance to our self-righteousness, our post-High Holy Days smugness. Lest we too quickly forget the message of the ‘Un’taneh Tokef’, (let us speak of the awesomeness of the day) the ‘sukkah’ reminds us of life’s fragility. We do not know the length of our days, but we do have the ability with the time afforded us to make each and every day have meaning. As we grow older, the sukkah’s fragility is a reminder of our own mortality.
As we begin Sukkot, we also read the Book of Ecclesiastes. Its message reflects the uncertainties of life. Ecclesiastes Chapter 11 opens with the verse …
“Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days”.
We understand that this verse to mean that in the face of life’s challenges, the practice of goodness and caring will offer its own reward. In our cynical moments, we are prone to say, ‘No good deed goes unpunished’, indicating that the kindness we offer may not always be acknowledged as we hoped that it would. Yet, it is the author of Ecclesiastes who admonishes …
“In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy
hand; … Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the
days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine
eyes; but know thou, that for all these things אֱלֹהִים - Elohim will bring
thee into judgment Walk
in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that in all
of these things אֱלֹהִים - Elohim will bring you judgment”. Ecclesiastes
11:6 & 9.
Life’s vulnerability can seem very frightening. What is even scarier is the self-delusion that leads us to believe that we are invincible. Our High Holy Days offers this passage before the reading of Torah:
We build our ‘sukkot’
knowing that in a week’s time we will take it down. We live our lives knowing
that our days are finite and that we will return to the dust from which we
came. But in the meantime we have a choice. May we choose wisely so that our
days will have meaning and our acts will exemplify ‘Kiddush יְהוָה - the LORD’.
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Please Note: “hebraicstudies” links are located
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This site was originally created, for those who desired to return to our blessed and wonderful faith. Thus be wise and work on your faith and pray at least two or three times a day (if possible) and always seek our beloved אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s guidance, for His love is always with us, especially when we seek Him, blessed be He! However this site has become very much a teaching site with hundreds of studies!
Remember what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be He, said the following through a number of
our prophets...
“The More Torah,
the More Life”,
For Elohim is the One who gave us our ... “Life!”
May the שָׁלוֹם - Shalom =
Peace of צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה= the LORD
of hosts, be with you, and please always uphold our blessed שַׁבָּת - Shabbat,
as well as the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim - Feasts, and
continue saying your daily תְּפִלָּה - Tefeelah’s - Prayers and
regular בְּרָכָה - Be’ra’chah’s - blessings before
food and drinks, etc!
שָׁלוֹם
עֲלֵיכֶם - Shalom Aleichem - Peace be with you!
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