Ohad Essays Succot

Sukkot,also known as Succoth,Sukkos,Feast of Booths or Feast of Tabernacles,is a Jewish holiday that occurs in autumn on the 15th day of the month of Tishri (late September to late October),The holiday lasts 7 days. Outside the land of Israel,many people continue to sit in the Sukkah on the following day,Shemini Atzeret. In Judaism it is one of the three major holidays known collectively as the Shalosh Regalim(three pilgrim festivals),when historically the Jewish populace traveled to the Temple in Jerusalem. During this holiday, Jews are instructed to build a temporary structure in which to eat their meals, entertain guests, relax, and even sleep at. The sukkah is reminiscent of the type of huts in which the ancient Israelites dwelt during their 40 years of wandering in the desert after the Exodus from Egypt,and is intended to reflect God's benevolence in providing for all the Jews' needs in the desert. Sukkahs with different types of walls and roofing(s'chach): woven bamboo mats(far left and right),palm leaves(center). The sukkah is a temporary structure used for meals throughout the holiday. Its walls can be made from any material,including wood,canvas,plaster or regular walls of glass or metal,but its roof must be of organic material that is detached from the ground. The decor of the interior of the sukkah may range from totally unornamented to lavishly decorated... In the modern Jewish people,Sukkot is a 7-day holiday,with the first day celebrated as a full festival with special prayer services and holiday meals. Outside the land of Israel,the first two days are celebrated as full festivals. The remaining days are known as Chol HaMoed("festival weekdays"). The seventh day of Sukkot is called Hoshanah Rabbah and has a special observance of its own.