Praying on Sukkot
(Feast of
Tabernacles) toward
the Temple Mount
where the Holy
Temple stood in
Yeshua's day in
Jerusalem.
Happy
Sukkot !
"On the
fifteenth day of
the seventh month
the
Lord’s Feast
of Tabernacles
begins, and it
lasts for seven
days. The first
day is a sacred
assembly; do no
regular work. For
seven days
present
offerings made
to the Lord by
fire,
and on the eighth
day hold a sacred
assembly and
present an
offering made to
the Lord by fire.
It is the closing
assembly; do no
regular work."
(Leviticus
23:34–36)
Today
is the first day
of the weeklong Festival
of Sukkot (Tabernacles).
Here in
Israel and around
the world, the
Jewish People are
spending time in
the sukkot (plural
of sukkah) that
they built when
Yom Kippur ended
just days ago.
This
holiday is a
pilgrimage
festival linked to
the harvest, so it
is also known as Chag
HaAsif (Festival
of Ingathering). In
ancient times,
every Israelite
went up to
Jerusalem to
celebrate Sukkot
at the Temple.
 
Sukkot are
everywhere in Israel
right now. It's
such a sight to see!
You find
them on balconies
and verandas, in
alleys, and even
beside pools. Many
families
eat their meals in
the sukkah. Some
also host a sukkah
party there during
the Feast.
Sukkot
is also a
commemoration of
the 40 years that
Israel wandered in
the wilderness and
lived in temporary
dwellings
following the
exodus from Egypt.
"Live in
booths
[sukkot] for
seven days: All
native-born
Israelites are to
live in booths so
your descendants
will know that I
had the Israelites
live in booths
when I brought
them out of
Egypt.'" (Leviticus
23:42–43)
This
holiday is a very
joyous one, so
much so that it is
also called Z'man
Simchateinu,
the Season of
Rejoicing!
"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." (Leviticus
23:40, see also
Nehemiah 8:15)
A Jewish
man faces east
toward Jerusalem and
prays while waving
the lulav
and the etrog in his
sukkah. The etrog
(in the left hand)
and
lulav (in
the right hand) are
held together in the
traditional fashion
and waved
or shook toward the
east, south, west
and north.
While
one of the main
observances of
this holiday is
spending time in
the sukkah, the lulav
(a bundle
of date palm fond,
myrtle, and
willow) and an
etrog
(a
deliciously
fragrant
lemon-like citrus) are
also waved before
the Lord.
When the
Temple stood, this
waving ceremony
was performed on
all seven days of
Sukkot at the Holy
Temple.
Sukkot,
which follows
right after Rosh
HaShanah
(Day of Judgment) and Yom
Kippur
(the day the
judgment is
sealed), represents
renewed
fellowship with
God.
Since the
etrog (citron) is
used in a religious
ceremony, it must be
absolutely
perfect. Great care
and delight is taken
in finding one
that is
perfectly formed,
beautiful, and
without blemish.
We all
look forward to
the future
fulfillment of
this Day
of Ingathering when
the Jewish People
are gathered and
Messiah will reign
on the earth (Isaiah
27:12–13;
Jeremiah 23:7–8).
At that
time, the Bible
says, the nations
will come before
the Lord during
the Feast of
Sukkot to worship
Him in Jerusalem.
"Then the
survivors from all
the nations that
have attacked
Jerusalem will go
up year after year
to worship the
King, the Lord
Almighty, and to
celebrate the
Feast of
Tabernacles." (Zechariah
14:16)
Chag
Sameach (Happy
Holiday)
from the entire
Bibles For
Israel staff...
We wish
you happiness and
joy
during
this Season of Our
Rejoicing !
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