Sukkot: The Festival of Tabernacles

Five days after Yom Kippur — five days after the most intense, soul-searching experience of the year — we do something that might seem a little unexpected. We walk outside, build a flimsy hut, hang some decorations, and eat dinner under the stars.

That is Sukkot. And the transition from Yom Kippur's intensity to Sukkot's joy is one of the most beautiful rhythms in Jewish life.

What Is a Sukkah?

A sukkah is a temporary structure with at least three walls and a roof made of organic material — branches, bamboo mats, wooden slats, or corn stalks. The key rule is that the roof (schach) must provide more shade than sun, but you must be able to see the stars through it at night.

That last detail matters. The sukkah is supposed to feel temporary. It is supposed to remind you that your real home, your real security, does not come from brick walls and a solid roof. It comes from G-d.

For seven days, we eat all our meals in the sukkah. Many men sleep in it too, weather permitting. In my family, the kids fight over who gets to sleep in the sukkah — they think it is camping. They are not entirely wrong.

Building the Sukkah

The construction usually starts right after Yom Kippur — sometimes that very night. In Orthodox neighborhoods, the scene is remarkable. Every porch, every backyard, every available space sprouts a sukkah. In apartment buildings in Jerusalem and Brooklyn, sukkot hang off balconies on every floor.

The sukkah must meet specific halachic requirements:

• At least three walls (two full walls and a partial third wall is the minimum)
• The schach must be made from something that grew from the ground and is now detached (no metal roofing, no plastic)
• It must be large enough to fit at least your head, most of your body, and a table
• The schach must provide majority shade

Beyond the minimum requirements, families go all out with decorations. Kids bring home art projects from school. Some people hang fruits, paper chains, and pictures. Others keep it simple. The most elaborate sukkot I have seen have chandeliers, wallpaper, and full dining sets.

The Four Species (Arba Minim)

Each morning of Sukkot (except Shabbat), we perform the mitzvah of waving the four species:

Lulav — a closed palm branch Etrog — a citron fruit (looks like a large, bumpy lemon) Hadas — three myrtle branches Aravah — two willow branches

The lulav, hadas, and aravah are bound together and held in the right hand. The etrog is held in the left. You bring them together and wave them in all six directions — north, south, east, west, up, and down — signifying that G-d is everywhere.

Buying an etrog before Sukkot is an experience unto itself. Men will spend serious time (and sometimes serious money) examining etrogim under magnifying glasses, checking for blemishes, comparing shapes. A beautiful etrog can cost anywhere from $30 to several hundred dollars. The Talmud calls the etrog a "fruit of beauty," and people take that literally.

The Joy of Sukkot

The Torah calls Sukkot "z'man simchateinu" — the time of our joy. And it really is. After the heaviness of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Sukkot is a release. You have done the hard spiritual work. You have been forgiven. Now it is time to celebrate.

The meals in the sukkah are festive — good food, good company, singing, and guests. There is a beautiful tradition of Ushpizin — inviting the spiritual "guests" of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joseph, and David to join you in the sukkah each night.

Chol HaMoed: The Intermediate Days

The first two days and last two days of Sukkot are full Yom Tov (holiday), with the same restrictions as Shabbat. The middle days — Chol HaMoed — are semi-festive. Many people take off from work, go on family outings, and visit other people's sukkot. In Israel, Chol HaMoed is the biggest family vacation season of the year.

Hoshana Rabbah

The seventh day of Sukkot is called Hoshana Rabbah — the Great Hoshana. It is considered the final sealing of the judgment that began on Rosh Hashanah. During the morning service, we circle the bimah (podium) seven times carrying the four species, and then we take a bundle of five willow branches and beat them on the ground. This is one of those customs that feels ancient in a way that connects you to something very deep.

Why It Matters

Sukkot teaches something that is easy to forget in our comfortable lives: everything we have is temporary. Our homes, our possessions, our health — all of it can change in a moment. The sukkah, with its flimsy walls and leafy roof, is a physical reminder that our true protection comes from Above.

But it is not a depressing message. The opposite, actually. When you let go of the illusion that you are in control, there is a strange freedom in it. You sit in your little hut, rain might drip through the roof, the walls might sway in the wind — and you are happy. Because you know Who is really taking care of you.