Translation:Sukkot

by Cemach Feldstein

When the yellow leaves fall from the trees and the ripe fruit is brought into the barn and cellar, at this time of the golden sweet-sad autumn, we celebrate the Sukkot holiday.

In ancient times, Sukkot was the holiday of abundance, of the gathering of the grain into granaries. It was a holiday of plenty and of filled storage rooms. At the same time, Sukkot is a holiday of serious memories and of even more somber warnings.

For forty years, the Jewish people had strayed in the desert after leaving Egypt and dwelling in tents. They led the life of nomads. They had only just set up their tents, rested a bit and then had to uproot their tents and set out again on further wandering.

This was a serious historical memory. When one is living independently on one's own property, with one's own established livelihood, it is still necessary to be cautioned to be prepared for difficult days to come.

Leave your sturdy well-built home and enter into the Sukka [booth] with its weak wooden walls which any wind can break apart at any moment.

We no longer need such reminders and warnings. For us, in these present stormy war-torn days, the Sukka has become our ordinary dwelling.

According to Jewish law, the roof of the Sukka should be covered with branches, but not too thickly, as one should be able to see the stars through these branches.

However crowded our Sukka, no matter how weak and shaky, or how difficult the possibilities may be, we must never stop lifting up our glance to heaven. While contemplating the twinkling ever-lasting stars, we must be mindful of the eternal radiant human ideals which they symbolize.