Sukkot, Feast of Tabernacles – a reflection on life's frailty during wartime in Israel

The biblical holiday of Sukkot, which means “booths” or “shelters” is an 8-day-long Jewish feast. Also known as the Feast of Tabernacles, Sukkot was first mentioned by God when establishing His covenant with Israel on Mount Sinai. The passage from the Book of Leviticus reads:

“On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the produce of the land, you shall celebrate the feast of the Lord seven days. On the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest. And you shall take on the first day the fruit of splendid trees, branches of palm trees and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days. You shall celebrate it as a feast to the Lord for seven days in the year. It is a statute forever throughout your generations; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month. You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 23:39-43)

According to the Hebrew calendar, Sukkot in 2024 begins on the 15th day of the 7th month, or the eve of Wednesday, Oct. 16. Beginning at sundown, the people of Israel (and Jews who celebrate the holiday worldwide) will "dwell" in booths for seven days.

Sukkot also involves the use of four items, or species that, when assembled, make a "lulav." The fruit of the splendid (or citrus) trees is traditionally an etrog, a large lemon-type citrus fruit and held together with a palm frond, willow and myrtle branches, which collectively form what is known as the “lulav.” Throughout Jerusalem in the days leading up to Sukkot, one will find people selling and purchasing this collection of foliage and etrogs. One will also see the Sukkot "booths" being assembled throughout the city.

And this is not just happening in Jerusalem. All over Israel and in Jewish communities worldwide, families will be preparing their "tabernacles" in preparation for the feast. You’ll notice God refers to it simply as “The Feast” as it is seen as the pinnacle of the Jewish calendar. The crescendo.

Sukkot is typically a time of great rejoicing and, indeed, God commands it.

Notably, this year it will be difficult to rejoice. The very sights of the Sukkot preparations, for many, brings back visceral memories of last year's Sukkot. The last (8th) day is supposed to be the most joyful, however, this year it will mark the anniversary of the darkest day in the history of the Jewish state, the Hamas invasion and brutal terror attack on Oct. 7 – the final day of Sukkot last year.

According to the Bible passage from Leviticus, the primary purpose of the Feast of Tabernacles is to remind the Jewish people of how the Israelites lived in booths (tents) for the 40 years they were wandering in the desert without a homeland. However, they were not wandering aimlessly but followed the Almighty God. He led them to the Promised Land after a series of highs and lows, miracles and disasters.

The activity of building a sukkah today also helps those who observe the holiday to connect to that experience in a practical way, with the sukkah providing a tangible symbol of the frailty of our life on earth. 

The tents of the Israelites were temporary and transient. Tradition holds that the roof of a sukkah must be made of a covering through which you can see the stars, which is to say, not the best protection against the elements. Palm leaves or cane will be used for the roof, allowing one to view the sky (day or night) through the roof, providing yet another reminder of life's fragility.

The metaphor has been compounded recently as a Hezbollah drone caused scores of serious injuries and several deaths on Sunday. The drone was designed to fire missiles and then crash, wreaking destruction on the flimsy roof of the army cafeteria where the soldiers were eating. Such a horrific tragedy has led to cries throughout Israel, asking why so many soldiers were allowed to be in one place at the same time. Some have demanded reinforced roofs for the common or shared spaces on military bases.

Israel is working diligently to protect all of its citizens, including its brave soldiers, however, there is still a lot of suffering and death. Wartime always causes people to consider how short our lives are, and how vulnerable we are. For many, it is a time to reflect upon and consider spiritual matters that go beyond the grave.

We all long for security, for peace, for permanence, and the promise of life. It’s a very basic human longing.

The message of Sukkot is a reminder that we are on our way to that destination, but we haven’t reached the Land of Promise yet. This life has many troubles, highs and lows, joys and tragedies, but it is temporary.

The Feast of Tabernacles carries the truth that we are on our way to an eternal life of peace, joy and wonder, secure in the presence of God forever.

One day, He will wipe away every tear from our eyes.