Sukkot

Sukkot or Feast of Tabernacles, the name given in the Old Testament to a festival marking the close of the harvest in Palestine. As a harvest festival it is also known as the Feast of Ingathering (see Exodus 23:16, 34:22) and can be traced back to the Canaanites. It was given a historical aspect by adopting the Canaanite custom of dwelling in tabernacles, or booths, during the harvest and interpreting it as a reminder of the nomadic stage in the life of the Hebrew people, particularly of the 40 years' sojourn in the wilderness, when the tent was the only habitation—hence the festival's alternate name Feast of Tabernacles (see Deuteronomy 16:13-16, 31:10-13; Leviticus 23:34-36, 39-44; Numbers 29:12-40). See Tabernacle.

Sukkot is celebrated, beginning on the 15th day of the Jewish month of Tishri (in the fall), for eight days by Israeli Jews and Reform Jews and for nine days by Orthodox and Conservative Jews. During the festival many Jews eat (and the especially pious sleep, as well) in special booths or huts, which are built in the five days between Yom Kippur and the festival. Palm, myrtle, willow, and citron are brought to the synagogue (see Leviticus 23:40), and during the chanting of Hallel these are waved about as was done in the ancient Temple. The final day of the festival is called Simchat Torah (Hebrew, “rejoicing in the Law”); on that day the yearly cycle of reading the Torah is begun anew amid much dancing and singing.

See also Jews; Judaism.