The Festival of Tabernacles (Sukkot)

Next observance: sunset of Monday, the 13th of October. 2008

(Sue-KOAT) n. The seventh (and final) feast given to Israel is called Sukkot, or the “Feast of Tabernacles.” It is also the third and final pilgrimage festival where all of Israel was commanded to ascend to Jerusalem . Sukkot is observed in the fall, from the 15th to the 22nd of Tishrei (Lev. 23:39 -43; Num. 29:12-38). During this time many Jewish families construct a sukkah, a booth or temporary shelter. Meals are eaten in the sukkah throughout the festival, and some families sleep in their sukkahs (Lev. 23:42 -43). Certain customs are observed during Sukkot, including decorating the sukkah, performing special “wave” ceremonies of the “Four Species” (Lev. 23:40 ), circling the synagogue in a processional while singing Psalms, and reciting Hebrew blessings to sanctify the festival. During the first and last day of Sukkot no normal “work” is permitted (Lev. 23:39 ).

The sukkah is used to remember the booths Israel lived in during their 40 year sojourn in the wilderness after the exodus from Egypt (Lev. 23:33 -43). Later, after Israel entered the land of promise, Sukkot was associated with the fall harvest and came to be known as the Festival of Ingathering. It was a time of thanksgiving for the harvest.

We believe Sukkot is the Festival when Yeshua was born. Since this festival is the Feast of Tabernacles when the Lord is dwelling with us, and Yeshua is Emmanuel, God with us (Mt. 1:23 ; John 1:14 ). It is this type of temporary dwelling (sukkah) that our Messiah was born in (Luke 2:1-20).

This holiday celebrates the fresh fruit and vegetables of the season. Since Sukkot falls during the harvest, it is traditional to eat stuffed vegetables and fruit dishes. When the first pilgrims arrived in America and gathered to give thanks to God for their first Fall Harvest, back in 1621, they celebrated Sukkot - and that eventually became the holiday of Thanksgiving in 1863.