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Main articles: Sukkot
The 'sukkah' is a temporary dwelling that Jews use during the holiday of Sukkot.
According to Halakha, a ''sukkah'' is a structure consisting of 2½, 3, or 4 walls with a roof made of an organic material which has been disconnected from the ground (the ''s'chach''). It should be at least three feet tall, and be positioned so that all or part of its roof is open to the sky (only the part which is under the sky is kosher.) A ''sukkah'' can be built on the ground or on an open porch or balcony. Indeed, many observant Jews who design their home's porch or deck will do so in a fashion that aligns with their Sukkah building needs. Portable ''sukkahs'' are available for those who have little space, or for those who are travelling (in order to have a place to eat one's meals).
In practice, the walls of a ''sukkah'' can be built from anything ranging from wood to canvas to aluminium, and the roof material can range from pine branches to palm fronds to bamboo. The walls may also be part of a house or fence. The specific details of what constitutes a wall, how short/tall a wall can be, whether there can be spaces between the walls and the roof, and the exact material required for the ''s'chach'' can be found in various exegetical texts.
''S'chach'' is the Hebrew name for the material used as a roof for a sukkah. ''S'chach'' has to have grown from the ground, but then must be disconnected from it. Palm leaves, bamboo sticks and pine branches and even wood as well as many other types of organic material could all be used for ''s'chach'' unless they were processed for a different use.
Many people hang decorations such as dried or plastic fruit, streamers, shiny ornaments, and pictures from the interior walls and ceiling beams of a ''sukkah''. Families may also line the interior walls with white sheeting, in order to recall the "Clouds of Glory" that surrounded the Jewish nation during their wanderings in the desert. The Chabad custom is not to decorate the sukkah, as the sukkah itself is considered to be an object of beauty.[1]
In Israel and in temperate climates, observant Jews will conduct all their eating, studying, and sleeping activities in the ''sukkah''. Many Jews will not eat anything except water or fruit outside the ''sukkah''. In Israel, it is common practice for hotels, restaurants, snack shops, and outdoor tourist attractions (such as the zoo) to provide an eating ''sukkah'' for their guests. Lubavitcher and Belzer[2] Hasidim differ from other Orthodox Jews in that they don't sleep in the ''sukkah'' due to its intrinsic holiness.[3]
In cold climates such as the Eastern United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, full observance of the mitzvah of sleeping in the ''sukkah'' is almost impossible. Some Jews in these locales will spend some time in the ''sukkah'' eating and relaxing but go indoors to sleep. Though one need not eat or sleep in the ''sukkah'' if it is raining, Lubavitcher Hasidim will still eat there.
Although the festival of Sukkot is a joyous occasion, and is referred to in Hebrew as ''Yom Simchateinu'' (the day of our rejoicing) or ''Z'man Simchateinu'', (the season of our rejoicing), the ''sukkah'' itself symbolises the frailty and transience of life. It also reminds its dwellers that true security comes from faith in God, rather than from money or possessions.
During the holiday, Jews invite seven spiritual "guests" (known as ''ushpizzin'' in Aramaic) to be with them in the ''sukkah''. These ''ushpizzin'' are the seven "shepherds" of Israel. They are:
★ Abraham
★ Isaac
★ Jacob
★ Joseph (the three Patriarchs and Jacob's most famous son)
★ Moses (the most influential of the Hebrew prophets)
★ Aaron (Moses's brother, the first Kohen Gadol, or High Priest)
★ David (a very significant king of Israel, the messiah is said to be a descendant of David)
In recent times, there are some Jews who also add seven spiritual women or ''ushpizzot'' to join in the sukkah. [1]
According to tradition, each night a different guest enters the ''sukkah'' first and the other six follow. The custom of inviting guests to the ''sukkah'' also includes living guests; many people invite family, friends, neighbours, or people who are alone to join them for a snack or a meal. Anyone, including gentiles, are more than welcome inside a Sukkah.
1. How To Build Your Sukkah
2. Nitei Gavriel, Hilchos Rosh Hashanah Ch. 29 note 9 (5754 Edition)
3. The Sukkah and Sleeplessness
The 'sukkah' is a temporary dwelling that Jews use during the holiday of Sukkot.
| Contents |
| Structure |
| S'chach |
| Decorations |
| What is done in the Sukkah? |
| Symbolism |
| ''Ushpizzin'' |
| References |
Structure
According to Halakha, a ''sukkah'' is a structure consisting of 2½, 3, or 4 walls with a roof made of an organic material which has been disconnected from the ground (the ''s'chach''). It should be at least three feet tall, and be positioned so that all or part of its roof is open to the sky (only the part which is under the sky is kosher.) A ''sukkah'' can be built on the ground or on an open porch or balcony. Indeed, many observant Jews who design their home's porch or deck will do so in a fashion that aligns with their Sukkah building needs. Portable ''sukkahs'' are available for those who have little space, or for those who are travelling (in order to have a place to eat one's meals).
A sukkah on an apartment balcony in Jerusalem
In practice, the walls of a ''sukkah'' can be built from anything ranging from wood to canvas to aluminium, and the roof material can range from pine branches to palm fronds to bamboo. The walls may also be part of a house or fence. The specific details of what constitutes a wall, how short/tall a wall can be, whether there can be spaces between the walls and the roof, and the exact material required for the ''s'chach'' can be found in various exegetical texts.
S'chach
''S'chach'' is the Hebrew name for the material used as a roof for a sukkah. ''S'chach'' has to have grown from the ground, but then must be disconnected from it. Palm leaves, bamboo sticks and pine branches and even wood as well as many other types of organic material could all be used for ''s'chach'' unless they were processed for a different use.
Decorations
Many people hang decorations such as dried or plastic fruit, streamers, shiny ornaments, and pictures from the interior walls and ceiling beams of a ''sukkah''. Families may also line the interior walls with white sheeting, in order to recall the "Clouds of Glory" that surrounded the Jewish nation during their wanderings in the desert. The Chabad custom is not to decorate the sukkah, as the sukkah itself is considered to be an object of beauty.[1]
What is done in the Sukkah?
In Israel and in temperate climates, observant Jews will conduct all their eating, studying, and sleeping activities in the ''sukkah''. Many Jews will not eat anything except water or fruit outside the ''sukkah''. In Israel, it is common practice for hotels, restaurants, snack shops, and outdoor tourist attractions (such as the zoo) to provide an eating ''sukkah'' for their guests. Lubavitcher and Belzer[2] Hasidim differ from other Orthodox Jews in that they don't sleep in the ''sukkah'' due to its intrinsic holiness.[3]
In cold climates such as the Eastern United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, full observance of the mitzvah of sleeping in the ''sukkah'' is almost impossible. Some Jews in these locales will spend some time in the ''sukkah'' eating and relaxing but go indoors to sleep. Though one need not eat or sleep in the ''sukkah'' if it is raining, Lubavitcher Hasidim will still eat there.
Symbolism
Although the festival of Sukkot is a joyous occasion, and is referred to in Hebrew as ''Yom Simchateinu'' (the day of our rejoicing) or ''Z'man Simchateinu'', (the season of our rejoicing), the ''sukkah'' itself symbolises the frailty and transience of life. It also reminds its dwellers that true security comes from faith in God, rather than from money or possessions.
''Ushpizzin''
During the holiday, Jews invite seven spiritual "guests" (known as ''ushpizzin'' in Aramaic) to be with them in the ''sukkah''. These ''ushpizzin'' are the seven "shepherds" of Israel. They are:
★ Abraham
★ Isaac
★ Jacob
★ Joseph (the three Patriarchs and Jacob's most famous son)
★ Moses (the most influential of the Hebrew prophets)
★ Aaron (Moses's brother, the first Kohen Gadol, or High Priest)
★ David (a very significant king of Israel, the messiah is said to be a descendant of David)
In recent times, there are some Jews who also add seven spiritual women or ''ushpizzot'' to join in the sukkah. [1]
According to tradition, each night a different guest enters the ''sukkah'' first and the other six follow. The custom of inviting guests to the ''sukkah'' also includes living guests; many people invite family, friends, neighbours, or people who are alone to join them for a snack or a meal. Anyone, including gentiles, are more than welcome inside a Sukkah.
References
1. How To Build Your Sukkah
2. Nitei Gavriel, Hilchos Rosh Hashanah Ch. 29 note 9 (5754 Edition)
3. The Sukkah and Sleeplessness
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