Question re: Sukkot

[Sarahphim]

:wave: Hello everyone; after an attempt to search for this on the internet and in the forum, I couldn't find the answer to this question. With Sukkot coming up next week, do you have any advice on how to partake of the feast when I can't build a sukkot (at least not this year). I live in an apartment with no balcony or yard and do not attend a congregation, so how would a Christian celebrate this feast prayerfully? While I am learning about each feast as they come up, I would like to at least in some small way celebrate spiritually in my home and learn how this feast connects me to Yeshua. I know that Sukkot is understood to be the true birthday of Yeshua so that this in itself is something to celebrate.

Any ideas would be appreciated! Thanks again!

I wish you blessings and a meaningful fast during your Yom Kippur celebration.

Sarahphim

[Rabbi Klein]

There are always camping grounds :)

Aside from that, outside of Israel one is only required to stay in a Sukkah on one particular night. However, when inside of ISrael one is to stay in their sukkah for a week.

R. Klein

[Sarahphim]

There are always camping grounds :)

Aside from that, outside of Israel one is only required to stay in a Sukkah on one particular night. However, when inside of ISrael one is to stay in their sukkah for a week.

R. Klein
:wave: Thank you Rabbi Klein! That is very helpful to know. This is so new to me. I appreciate your quick response!

Shalom,
Sarahphim

[debi b]

There are always camping grounds :)

Good suggestion!

Spending alot of time in a Sukkah in Montana can be rough sometimes (not quite Alaska but darn close) - great place - but alas not the promise land ;)

[ShirChadash]

^_^

Oh Debi, how right you are! LOL

I still don't know what we'll do for a sukkah here, but surely Dh and my boys can come up with something. =/

[Rabbi Klein]

Here is a helpful little FAQ:
http://www.aish.com/holidays/sukkot/default.asp

[Sarahphim]

:thumbsup: Thank you very much Rabbi Klein for the site link. I went to look at it and it has the best information I have seen so far on the internet. This is very helpful!

Shalom,

Saraphim:pray:

[By Grace]

There are always camping grounds :)

Aside from that, outside of Israel one is only required to stay in a Sukkah on one particular night. However, when inside of ISrael one is to stay in their sukkah for a week.

R. Klein
Which night?

[Henaynei]

Sukkot starts next Wednesday evening at sunset and extends 7 days, then is Shemni Atzaret followed by Simchat Torah - the festival, not the fellow ;)

[Henaynei]

From the site Rabbi Klein posted above
http://www.aish.com/graphics/holidays/sukkot/sukkot_banner.gif (http://www.aish.com/holidays/sukkot/default.asp)

Sukkot 2004 begins Wednesday Evening, September 29,
and continues until Friday, October 8.
(In Israel, ends Thursday night, October 7.)
http://www.aish.com/graphics/holidays/sukkot/S.gifukkot is a 7-day holiday. We build a temporary booth called a "Sukkah" where we eat, sleep and shmuze for the entire week. Each day we also wave the Four Species of plants, in celebration of God's gift of bounty.

During the first day (or first two days outside of Israel) no creative activity is permitted. This is similar to Shabbat, with the exception of cooking from an existing flame, which is permitted on Yom Tov.

The remaining days of Sukkot are called Chol HaMoed, during which creative work activities are permitted. However, in keeping with the spirit of the holiday, we try to avoid any work that could just as well be delayed until after the week of Sukkot.

The last day of Sukkot is called Hoshana Raba. Jewish tradition records that the heavenly decrees made on Rosh Hashana (and sealed on Yom Kippur) are actually sent out on Hoshana Raba. The main book of Kabbalah, the Zohar, also says that the nations of the world are judged on this day.

The day immediately following Sukkot is also a Yom Tov, called Shmini Atzeret ("Eighth Day of Assembly"). Outside of Israel, this Yom Tov extends two days, with the second day designated as Simchat Torah. This is when we finish reading the final portion of the Torah and begin a new cycle. We dance around the synagogue, holding the Torah scrolls, expressing joy in our treasured Torah.

[Henaynei]

Not all of these are "kosher" but this gives you the idea in case you have never seen a sukkah- it can be almost anything and anywhere you want - within the few gudielines the aish.com site lays out :)

http://freepages.religions.rootsweb.com/~jimmylewis/sukkah.jpg
http://www.hebrewday.org/sukkot/make%20a%20sukkah%202.gifhttp://www.hebrewday.org/sukkot/make%20a%20sukkah.gif
http://www.care1.org/manna/images/sukkot_cjc_small.jpg (http://www.care1.org/manna/images/sukkot_cjc.jpg)http://images-partners.google.com/images?q=tbn:BtCk3aWyoZ4J:http%3A//www.care1.org/manna/images/sukkah.jpg (http://www.care1.org/manna/images/sukkah.jpg)
http://216.119.96.212/gallery/shiurim/sukkah.jpg
http://www.uahcweb.org/congs/ca/ca039/5761-sukkah-stiebel2.jpg
http://www.velocipede.net/gazebos/photoSukkah1998exterior.jpg
http://www.velocipede.net/gazebos/photoSukkah1998interior.jpg
http://www.sukkahs.com/pusukk.jpg
http://www.myjewishlearning.com/homepage_images/Sukkah20031006.gif
http://www.centre-church.org/News/Craig/RandD.jpg
http://www.uscj.org/glr/erie/sukkah.jpg
http://www.nvrc.net/images/sukkah.jpg
http://www.sukkahkits.com/itempics/VinylWall.gif
http://www.dickinson.edu/students/sukkot/tsb5.jpg (http://www.dickinson.edu/students/sukkot/sb5.jpg)

[Sarahphim]

Hello Henaynei,:wave:

:clap: Thanks very much for posting those pictures and the related information; I have never seen a sukkot before and these photos show a lot of creativity and variety. I especially liked the ones with the hay stacks; that seems like something I could do.

Being new to MJ I think this season will become my favorite time of year. I can't believe I have gone most of my adult life and missed out on the richness and treasures of Messianic Judaism. You all are such a blessing to me too to be able to ask questions and I have found so much information already in one week to study. I have much to learn from you and appreciate your help! I hope you had a meaningful and blessed Yom Kippur!


Blessings,
Sarahphim

[Sephania]

Just remember that you need to make your roof so that it isn't completely covered so that you can see the stars through it.

Do you have any friends or relatives that would allow you to set up that one with the hay bales? It looks most like they might use for a Fall decoration and you could have a Sukkot party there to help share the meaning with others while obeying the mitzvah! :)

[Sephania]

Oh, and you will need a lulav too. Palm, myrtle and willow and citron. It is too late now to order from Israel so you would have to make do. See if you can't find one branch each of the Palm ( even a potted one) myrtle ( may have these trees) and willow ( look in parks, you can usualy find branches that have fallen so as not to get into trouble "pruning" public property ;) and a large lemon will do for the citron. This is a big part of the celebration and the waving of palm branches should seem familiar to you. ;)

[visionary]

Sukkot or Feast of Tabernacles is the festival of fellowship and union with God, with a God with us understanding. As was illustrated in the forty years in the wilderness, with God dwelling with his people in the tabernacle and latter in the temple at Jerusalem, it is the ultimate goal of God to be with us. In the great ingathering at the end of time, where the believers are raptured as the wife of the Lamb. It is forever that God wishes to have this union with man.

[visionary]

For those that are lurking and wanting to understand more.

The Feast of Tabernacles (Booths / Sukkot/ Ingathering) began on the 15th day of the 7th month, and, therefore, began 5 days after the Day of Atonement. During those intervening 5 days, the Israelites worked in their fields, harvesting the final crop of the year. At the conclusion of that harvest, and with many of the harvested (in gathered) fruits and crops actually hanging on the walls of their booths (tabernacles / tents), the Feast of Tabernacles began, a feast which lasted 8 days (7 days of the Feast plus the Sacred Assembly which was held on the 8th day, so it is part of the Feast also). It was also called Booths. The Feast of Tabernacles occurred at the end of the fall harvest which concluded ALL of the harvests

[visionary]

On the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, we are not to know the day or the hour but we can know the season. We do have a promise found in the Feast of Tabernacles which is a promise of His return. This Feast is also called the “Feast of In-gathering” in Exodus 23:16. It is blessed picture of the Scriptural Harvest! Succoth is the third pilgrim Feast, when Israel was to come before God in Jerusalem. It is important in the last days to keep the Feast of Tabernacles for we know not when the Lord will return but we have His promise to keep His Word. In the Words of the Feast of Tabernacle are found the promises of His return.

Zechariah 14:16-19, "And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left . . . shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. . . . This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles."

[Sarahphim]

Just remember that you need to make your roof so that it isn't completely covered so that you can see the stars through it.

Do you have any friends or relatives that would allow you to set up that one with the hay bales? It looks most like they might use for a Fall decoration and you could have a Sukkot party there to help share the meaning with others while obeying the mitzvah! :)
Hello Zayit;

I could set up the hay bales at my in-laws' house in their yard which has a perfect set up for this. My husband is also interested in the idea and we have a farm near us that probably has everything needed. The only problem is that we are watching the Hurricane Jeanne to see if we are going to get heavy wind and rain by Tuesday or Wednesday in the northeast which is where I am. Thank you for the party idea. I could do that with my family.

Blessings,

Sarahphim

[Sephania]

Wonderful! sounds like a plan! you could even use the bales for seating many.

Praying for everyone to have a dry first night in the Sukkah! :pray:

[visionary]

On the first day of the feast, each participant had to collect twigs of myrtle, willow, and palm in the area of Jerusalem for construction of their booth. These "huts" or "booths" were constructed from bulrushes as joyful reminders of the temporary housing erected by their forefathers during the Exodus wanderings

Leviticus 23:40 On the first day you are to take choice fruit from the trees, and palm fronds, leafy branches and poplars, and rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days. 41 Celebrate this as a festival to the LORD for seven days each year. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate it in the seventh month. 42 Live in booths for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in booths 43 so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in booths when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the LORD your God. 44 So Moses announced to the Israelites the appointed feasts of the LORD .

Deuteronomy 16:14 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.

The "booth" in Scripture is a symbol of protection, preservation, and will be where the saints will be when they are fleeing from the wrath of the devil into the wilderness.

Psalm 27:5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

Psalm 31:20 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.
Isaiah 4:6 And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.

The rejoicing community included family, servants, orphans, widows, Levites, and sojourners

Deuteronomy 16:13 Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine: 14 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. 15 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.

Isaiah 27:12-13 Yet the time will come when the Lord will gather them together one by one like handpicked grain. He will bring them to his great threshing floor—from the Euphrates River in the east to the brook of Egypt in the west. In that day the great trumpet will sound. Many who were dying in exile in Assyria and Egypt will return to Jerusalem to worship the Lord on his holy mountain.

Zechariah 12:10 “Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on all the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died.

Besides the construction of the booths, other festivities included the ingathering of the labor of the field , the ingathering of the threshing floor and winepress, and the ingathering of the fruit of the earth

Exodus 23:16 And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.

Leviticus 23:39 Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.

[visionary]

These four species to make up the temporary tabernacle represent the unity, the victory, the sorrow over loss, and the love of God. Holding these four species symbolizes the need for the faithful in Almighty to utilize all their faculties in His service.

With the palm we have finally the fortitude to go and sin no more. We have the victory that crowns Jesus as our Lord of Lords, King of Kings.

With the willow, we weep for those whom we have witnessed to and witnessed their decisions and we still confessed the Jesus is our Christ and followed him.

The citron is symbolic of our repentance and love for Jesus. Our own life is now full with the flavor of Christ like characteristics.

The mirtle is the symbolic of our faith and patient waiting for the Great and Terrible Day when Jesus returns.

[visionary]

Is this true??
Reading on the web and I came across this statement...


Depending where you live determines the length and celebration of Sukkot. Most the of world observes the festival for 9 days. The first two and the last two days being the most important. In Israel the festival is only celebrated for 8 days and the first and last days being the most important. NINE DAYS?????

[ShirChadash]

Well -- 8 days (with the eighth being Shemini Atzeret) and then the ninth day is Simchat Torah, so in total, nine days. Or do I have that confused/wrong?

[Talmidah]

Actually Shemini Atzeret is a separate holiday as is Simchat Torah. They are not part of Sukkot.

[Sephania]

I think what you are reading is the Diapora dates. Because they want to be sure it starts on the correct time, it is a two day holiday outside the land. Because in Ancient times the day was declaired in Jerusalem by the moon. It was then "telegraphed" throughout the Diaspora.Because this in itself was delayed , those in the Diapora celebrated two days to make certain to get it right. It is continued today as a tradition of our ancestors, even though we have acurate means to tell time and immediate means to send this information. :)


The day immediately following Sukkot is also a Yom Tov, called Shmini Atzeret ("Eighth Day of Assembly"). Outside of Israel, this Yom Tov extends two days, with the second day designated as Simchat Torah. This is when we finish reading the final portion of the Torah and begin a new cycle. We dance around the synagogue, holding the Torah scrolls, expressing joy in our treasured Torah. http://www.aish.com/holidays/sukkot/default.asp

[ShirChadash]

Actually Shemini Atzeret is a separate holiday as is Simchat Torah. They are not part of Sukkot. Yeah -- I know. I thought perhaps people tend to mention them (Sukkot and then the eighth day and S T.) all in the same breath, as often are the way with the Yomim Noraim... I've read that "Rosh HaShanah-Yom Kippur" are often referred to in just that way as I just wrote that... all in one breath and connecting them. *shrug* I Dunno. Was just trying to be helpful ;)