Sukkot “Tabernacles, Booths”
Vayikra
(Leviticus) 22:26-23:44
Prophetically
speaking, Sukkot is more significant than then the other feasts. In the future,
it will be mandatory for all the nations that war against Yerushalayim
to go to Yerushalayim during the festival of Sukkot to worship the King.
All nations that warred against Yerushalayim and refuse to go to
Yerushalayim during Sukkot will be punished. Z'kharyah
14:16-19 in The Complete Jewish Bible states
“Finally, everyone remaining from all the nations that came to attack
Yerushalayim will go up every year to worship the king, ADONAI-Tzva'ot,
and to keep the festival of Sukkot. If any of the families of the earth does
not go up to Yerushalayim to worship the king, ADONAI-Tzva'ot, no rain
will fall on them. If the family of Egypt doesn't go up, if they refuse to
come, they will have no [annual] overflow [from the Nile]; moreover, there will
be the plague with which ADONAI will strike the nations that don't go up to
keep the festival of Sukkot. This will be Egypt's punishment and the punishment
of all the nations that don't go up to keep the festival of Sukkot.” No
other festival specifically requires nations other than the nation Yisrael, to
go up to Yerushalayim. However, Sukkot is not like any other
festival. Sukkot represents HaShem dwelling in the midst of His people.
Unlike the other feasts, Sukkot does not represent one specific time
that HaShem provided for Yisrael. Sukkot is a representation of all the
miracles HaShem has provided for His people. Therefore, the festival of Sukkot,
reminds us that in the past, present, and future HaShem miraculously provides
for His people.
One
of the past miracles that Sukkot reminds us of is Noah's deliverance
from the flood. B'reisheet 8:3-4 states “the waters returned from off
the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the
waters were abated. The ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day
of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.” The ark came to rest on the
third day of Sukkot since the first day of Sukkot is the fifteenth day as Vayikra
23:34 states “Speak unto the children
of Israel, saying, the fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast
of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD.” Therefore, Sukkot is a
reminder of the deliverance HaShem provided for Noach and his family. Sukkot
also reminds us of HaShem's deliverance from Egyptian bondage. Vayikra 23:42-43
states “You shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born,
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 the LORD your God.” When the Children of Yisrael left Egypt, the
first place they were led is Sukkot. Shemot 12:37 states “the
children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred
thousand on foot that were men, beside children.” It is also at Sukkot
that the Children of Yisrael made their first encampment as free individuals. Bamidbar
33:5 states “the children of Israel removed from Rameses, and pitched in
Succoth.” Sukkot is the first place that the Children of Yisrael
dwelled, as free individuals. Therefore, dwelling in temporary structures
during Sukkot reminds us of the miracle HaShem wrought for our freedom
from bondage.
Sukkot is also a reminder of
the miracles HaShem provides daily. During the festival of Sukkot, we
are to be thankful for the Land HaShem promised the descendants of Avraham.
To display our gratitude we are commanded to collect four native species of
flora and use the four species to rejoice before the presence of HaShem. Vayikra
23:40 states “you shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly
trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of
the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.” The
use of native vegetation reminds us that daily HaShem provides miracles
for the survival and sustenance of the Land of Yisrael. During Sukkot, we are also reminded
that HaShem provides the daily needs of individuals. Devarim 16:13-15
states “Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that
thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine: And thou shalt rejoice in thy
feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy
maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow,
that are within thy gates. Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the
LORD thy God in the place which the LORD shall choose: because the LORD thy God
shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands,
therefore thou shalt surely rejoice.”
Rejoicing in the presence of HaShem with our increase, reminds us that
HaShem is our sustenance and provider. Sukkot also reminds us that
HaShem provides for our spiritual needs as well. At the end of the seventh year
and the beginning of the eighth year during the feast of Sukkot the
Torah is publicly read. Devarim 31:10-11
“Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in
the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, When all
Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall
choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing.” The
public reading of the Torah reminds us that HaShem blessed the Nation of
Yisrael with the Torah, so that we would not become like the other nations. The
festival of Sukkot reaffirms the daily miracles HaShem is providing for
the welfare of the land, our physical needs, and our spiritual growth.
Vayikra 23:41-43 states “you
shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. It shall be a
statute forever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh
month. You shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born 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
the LORD your God.” Keeping the feast of Sukkot perpetually through out all
our generations reminds us that as HaShem provided protection for our ancestors
and will provide protection for our descendants. As a result, we can be assured
that HaShem will hold the enemies of His people accountable. Z'kharyah
14:16 of The Complete Jewish Bible states
“Finally, everyone remaining from all the nations that came to attack
Yerushalayim will go up every year to worship the king, ADONAI-Tzva'ot,
and to keep the festival of Sukkot. The
feast of Sukkot gives Yisrael the hope that HaShem will continue to provide
miraculously for His people in the future.
Sukkot
is the one feast that exemplifies the past, present, and future miracles of
HaShem. As we celebrate this festival
let us, rejoice in the Knowledge that HaShem never slumbers nor sleeps and His
miracles are present whenever the need arises.
By Rabbi Yaakov benYosef – ABOUT-Torah.org