1. The US covenant with the Jewish State dates back to Columbus Day, which is celebrated around Sukkot (October 8, 2011). According to "Columbus Then and Now" (Miles Davidson, 1997, p. 268), Columbus arrived to America on Friday afternoon, October 12, 1492, the 21st day of the Jewish month of Tishrei, the Jewish year 5235, the 7th day of Sukkot, Hoshaa'na' Rabah. Hoshaa'na' Rabah is considered a day of universal deliverance and miracles. Hosha' is the Hebrew word for deliverance, and "Na'" - the Hebrew word for "please" - is equivalent to 51 in Gimatriya. Thus, Hoshaa'na' Rabah is observed on the 51st day following Moses' ascension to Mt. Sinai.
2. Sukkot is a "practical" holiday, celebrated fifteen and four days following the spiritual Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, which highlight the moral foundation of Judaism and the Jewish People. The Book of Ecclesiastes - one of the greatest philosophical documents - is read during Sukkot, amplifying the practical philosophy of King Solomon on the supremacy of God, the pursuit of morality, wisdom and happiness, the centrality of the family, historical memory and patience. The Hebrew name of Ecclesiastes is Kohelet and the commandment to celebrate Sukkot is Hakhel - to assemble.
3. Sukkot is celebrated on the 15th day of the Jewish month of Tishrei, commemorating the launching the construction of the Holy Sanctuary in the Sinai Desert. The Sukkah was the dwelling of the Jewish People for 40 years. Sukkah and Sukkot are named after the first stop of The Exodus - Sukkota.
4. The Sukkah signifies the Chuppah - the Jewish wedding canopy - of the renewed wedding between God and the Jewish People. While Yom Kippur represents God's forgiveness of the Golden Calf Sin, Sukkot represents the reinstatement of the Divine Providence over the Jewish People. Hence, Sukkot mandates Jews to be happy. The three Pilgrimages to Jerusalem, the center location of Judaism and the Jewish State: Passover is the holiday of Liberty, Shavuot (Pentecost) is the holiday of the Torah and Sukkot is the holiday of Happiness
5. A synonym for the Sukkah - a temporary hut - is "The House of David", representing the return to - and the construction in - the Jewish Homeland, Zion. The construction of the Sukkah and Zion are two of the 248 Jewish Do's (next to the 365 Don'ts). Sukkot - just like Passover - commemorates Jewish Sovereignty and Liberty. Sukkot highlights the collective responsibility of the Jewish Nation, complementing Yom Kippur's and Rosh Hashanah's individual responsibility. Humility - as a national and personal prerequisite - is underlined by the humble Sukkah and by residing there during the relatively cold month of Tishrey.
6. The Hebrew spelling of Sukkah conveys its significance: wholesomeness and totality, shelter, to anoint, sizeable branch of tree, divine curtain/shelter and attentiveness to history/memory.
7. Sukkot honors the Torah, as The Foundation of Judaism and the Jewish People. Sukkot reflects the three inter-related and mutually-inclusive pillars of Judaism: The Torah of Israel, the People of Israel and the Land of Israel. The day following Sukkot (Simchat Torah) is dedicated to the conclusion of the annual Torah reading and to the beginning of next year's Torah reading. On Simchat Torah, the People of the Book are dancing with The Book, the Torah.
8. The Seven days duration of Sukkot (during the 7th month of Tishrei) symbolizes the seven days Jewish week (the Creation), the Seven Crops/Produce which bless the Promised Land (wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates), the 7 divine clouds which sheltered the Jewish People in the desert and it inspired the 7 blessings which are read during a Jewish wedding, the 7 rounds of dancing with the Torah during Simchat Torah and the 7 readings of the Torah on Sabbath.
9. The seven days of Sukkot are dedicated to the 7 Ushpizin, distinguished guests (origin of the words Hospes and hospitality): Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron and David, who had to endure immense odds in their determined pursuit of ground- breaking initatives. Thus, the Ushpizin should constitute a role model to contemporary leadership...
10. Sukkah owners are urged to invite (especially underprivileged) strangers in the best tradition of Abraham the Patriarch, who royally welcomed to his tent three miserably-looking strangers. Thus, the Sukkah must remain unlocked!
11. Sukkot provides the last opportunity for repentance.
12. Sukkot is the holiday of harvesting and national ingathering (in Hebrew means harvesting and also ingathering). The four sides of the Sukkah represent the global Jewish community (north, south, west and east), which ingathers under the same roof (the Land of Israel).
13. Sukkot is a universal holiday, inviting all peoples to come to Jerusalem on a pilgrimage (Zechariah 14: 16-19). The Sukkah of Shalom: Shalom is one of the names of God and Shalem - wholesome and complete in Hebrew - is one of the names of Jerusalem.
14. Sukkot's Four Species (citron, palm, myrtle and willow) - which are bonded together - represent four types of human-beings: Persons who possess positive odor and taste (values and action), positive taste but no odor (action but no values), positive odor but no taste (values but no action) and those who are devoid of taste and odor (no values and no action). However, all are bonded (and depend on each other) by shared roots/history. The Four Species reflect prerequisites for genuine leadership: the palm branch (Lulav in Hebrew) symbolizes the human backbone, the willow (Arava in Hebrew) reflects humility, the citron (Etrog in Hebrew) represents the heart and the myrtle (Hadas in Hebrew) stands for the eyes.
Happy Sukkot,
Ambassador (ret.) Yoram Ettinger
The Ettinger Report
"Second Thought: A US-Israel Initiative"
