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This article treats Jewish festival where temporary huts are built; those are the subject of a detailed entered ; for the treaty talmudic dealing with this festival, to see Soukka (Talmud); for the place Soukkot says, to see Soukkot (place).
Hag haSoukkot (Hebrew חגהסוכות, " celebrates of Cabanes" or of the Gate vaults), more simply Soukkot or Souccot, is one of the Three festivals Judaïsme. During this festival, the Torah prescribes with the Jews to reside, take their meals, to even sleep in a soukka , that they will have built themselves, and this as of the end of Yom Kippour. All the family will begin in a spirit of rejoicing the construction of the soukka , in the garden, on the balcony or in any other decent place with open sky. Soukka must be built according to precise rules and proportions, and the roof is the most important element. Failing this, a caravan will be used. It is of habit to decorate it by hanging fruits there, for example, and by arranging it so as to regard it as a place of dwelling.
In Israel (and among the reformed Jewish ), Soukkot lasts seven days, the first day being fully celebrated, with an office of prayers special and festive meals. Elsewhere, Souccot lasts 8 days, and the festival lasts two days. The other days are known like Hol HaMoëd (“semi-non-working” days). The seventh day of Soukkot is called Hoshanna Rabba and has its own observance.
The day following Soukkot immediately is a celebration with share, called Shemini Atzeret, " the Eighth (Day) of Assemblée" In Israel, the celebration of Shemini Atzeret is " interchangeable" with that of Sim' hat Torah, in the sense that the two celebrations fall the same day. Apart from Israel, on the other hand, Shemini Atzeret is celebrated the day after Soukkot, and Sim' hat Torah is celebrated the next day, which increases the period of festivities to eight days to Israel, nine as a Diaspora.
Soukkot in the Bible
- This milked section of the festival in the Bible; for the named places Soukkot, to see Soukkot (place)
- " The Festival of the Gate vaults (or the Huts) " (Lev. 23:34; Deut. 16:13, 16; 31:10; Zach. 14:16, 18,19; Ezra 3:4; 2 Chron. 8:13)
- " The Festival of Moisson" (e.g. 23:16, 34:22)
- " Fête" or " Festival" (1 Kings 8:2, 65; 12:32; 2 Chron. 5:3; 7:8; it is also as it is known in the later Hebraic literature, and in the Évangile according to Jean (7: 10, 11,14,37)
- " The festival in Éternel" (Lev. 23:39; Judges 21:19)
- " The festival of the seventh mois" (Ezech. 45:25; Neh. 8:14)
- " A holy convocation” or “a crowned occasion” (Numbers 29:12)
Soukkot is an agricultural festival in the beginning, this aspect being rather obvious because of its name of " Celebrates of Moisson" , of the ceremonies which accompany it, and the season of its celebration: " and harvest celebrates it, with the end of the year, when you collect fields the fruit of tone travail." (E.g. 23:16); " when you collect the product of your surface and your press. " (Deut. 16:13). It was a festival of thanksgivings for the harvest of the fruits (to compare Judges 9:27). And, in what could explain the name of the festival, one can inférer of Isaïe 1:8 which the vine growers maintained the huts in their Vignoble S. These sources suggest that the festival of Soukkot was a general thanksgiving for the benefits of nature (lavished, according to the Torah, by God) during the past year.
Soukkot became one of most important the Célébrations in the Judaism, as its designation of " indicates it; Celebrates in Éternel" (Lev. 23:39; Judges 21:19), and simply " the Fête" (1 Kings 8:2, 65; 12:32; 2 Chron. 5:3; 7:8). Perhaps because of presence of many people during this festival, Soukkot became the suitable time for the most important ceremonies of the state. Moïse informed the children of Israel to gather for the reading of the Law during Soukkot once every seven years (the Haqhel , Deut. 31:10 - 11). The King Solomon inaugurated the Temple of Jerusalem in Soukkot (1 Kings 8; 2 Chron. 7), and Soukkot was the first crowned celebration observed after the rebuilding of the Second Temple of Jerusalem (Ezra 3:2 - 4). Later, the festival of Hanoukka, which will reconsacra the Temple, followed the ritual observed in the Temple in Soukkot.
At the time of Néhémie, after the Captivité of Babylon, the Jews celebrated Soukkot by manufacturing huts and while residing there, a practice that, according to Néhémie, " the Jews had not made any more thus since the time of Josué " (Neh. 8:13 - 17). In a practice seeming related with that of the Four species , Néhémie also reports that the Jews found in the Law the command d'" to seek with the mountain of the olive branches, of the olive branches wild, the branches of myrtle, the branches of palm tree, and the branches of bulky trees, to make tents, as it is écrit." (Neh. 8:14 - 15). In the Lévitique, God called to Moïse to inform the people: " You will take, the first day, of the fruit of the tree of hadar (or " beautiful arbre"), of the branches of palm trees, the branches of bulky trees and the Willow S of rivière" (Lev. 23:40), and " You will remain during seven days under tents; all the natives in Israel will remain under tents, so that your descendants know that I made live under tents the children of Israel, after having made them leave the country of Egypt. I am the Eternal, your Dieu." (Lev. 23:42 - 43). The Livre of the Numbers states however that in the desert, the Jews resided in tents (Name. 11:10; 16:27). Certain critical biblists consider the passage of Lévitique (23: 39-43) relating to the huts and the four species is a late addition of the Rédacteur of the Torah. (EP, Richard Elliott Friedman, The Bible with Sources Revealed , 228-29. New York: HarperSanFrancisco, 2003.)
Jéroboam wire of Nebat, sovereign of the Royaume of Israel that the Livres of the Kings describe as making what displeases with YHWH, celebrated a festival at the fifteenth day of the eighth month, that is to say one month later that Soukkot, " in imitation of the festival of Juda " (1 Kings 12:32 - 33). However, " a man of God arrived of Juda at Béthel, by the word of the Eternal, while Jéroboam was held with the furnace bridge to burn perfumes. He shouted against the furnace bridge, by the word of Éternel" (1 Kings 13:1 - 2).
According to Zacharie (Zach. 14:16 - 19), Soukkot will become with the Messianic Temps a universal festival, and all the nations around will annually pélerineront in Jerusalem in order to celebrate there the festival (a modern interpretation of these verses led to the recent introduction of a festival celebrated in Jerusalem by not-Jews, called " Fëte of Tabernacles".) Soukkot is associated in this book with the divine gift of the rain, an idea developed in the later Jewish literature.
The observance of Soukkot is detailed in the Mishna and the Talmud S (Traité Soukka, which belongs to the Seder Moed -- Order of the Festivals).
Laws and habits of Soukkot
To reside in the soukka
See also: Soukka
Central symbol of Soukkot , the soukka (or soucca ) is a temporary place of residence, built for the festival, of which the roof must be built in an organic material, the khakh , resulting from the ground, but disconnected from him. The Torah prescribes to reside at it, i.e. there to eat, drink, sit down, and to even sleep during the seven or eight feastdays, in remembering the temporary dwellings in which resided the children of Israel during the crossing of the desert after to be left Egypt.
La soukka is regarded as a holy place, which feels in many halakhot (laws).
The soukka must be built for the needs for the festival, and must be dismounted then. One generally begins construction with leaving Yom Kippour , so that the atonement of the faults is immediately followed realization of a mitzvah .
Une soukka old, or whose skhakh existed before the festival (like a soukka under a tree, or a soukka in a house) is not in conformity with prescripions religious.
Il thus exists precise rules as for the process of construction, to the size of the house, etc Certains décisionnaires explain why the principal goal of the Mitzvah is that the roof, fact of khakh resulting from plants, separates the man from the skies and protects some.
It is of habit to decorate the soukka with fruits, but such serpentine, photographs, called in the language of Wise the nivouï soukka (נוייסוכה).
Many Jews have habit to invite seven " invités" ( Oushpizzin ) spiritual in their soukka , one per evening. It is about Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moïse, Aaron and David). The Jews Ashkénaze S observe also the habit to add seven guest E S (the oushpizziyot )
Selon the tradition, each night, a different guest penetrates the first in the soukka , and the six others follow it. The habit to invite hosts in his soukka includes also the family, the friends, the neighbors, isolated,… for a in-case even a meal. Each and everyone, including the Nice , are welcome in the soukka .
Symbolism
The soukka is a reminiscence of the tents in which old the Israélite S resided during their peregrinations in the desert after the Exodus of Egypt, and reflects the benevolence of God, Who provided during all this time for their needs.
Throughout their peregrinations, the Jews were protected permanently by God in the form from columns from fire the night and clouds the day. They could and were rely entirely on him in a way sincere and trustful, which was in fact the condition so that God provides them this protection while they were vulnerable.
La festival of Soukkot is thus, in addition to a merry occasion, as the liturgy ( Yom Sim' hateinou indicates it -- day of our joy or Z' man Sim' hateinou -- season of our rejoicing), an occasion to remind the proclamation of the abandonment of oneself God, and the recognition that the terrestrial life is only one episode of the heart, which the tangible properties are granted only by the Creator.
Does one have to do everything in the soukka?
In Israel and in the moderated climates, the Jews practitioners can easily carry out all their activities in the soukka like eating, to study, to even sleep. Many Jews will abstain from consuming anything apart from the soukka , except for water and of fruits. In Israel, it is of current practice to find in the hotels, restaurants, snack bars, and even tourist attractions (like the zoological garden) of the soukkot pleasantly provided to the customers.Sur the directive of their Rebbe , the Hassidim Loubavitch differ from the other orthodoxe Jews, in what they do not sleep in the soukka , in order not to soil its intrinsic holiness.
In the cold climates, the absolute observance of the regulations, as to sleep in the soukka is practically impossible. Although the Torah prescribes to live in built huts of foliages and wood, as a sign of indifference and confidence as a God to material comfort, the Halakha recommends to take the meals in Soukka, but not to spend there more time but if the climate allows it, in order to not carry reached neither to the health of the others or oneself, nor with the spirit of joy and festival which must chair during this week. The Jews thus turn over on their premises to sleep.
Although it is not obligatory to eat in a soukka when it rains, the Hassidim Loubavitch will take their meals by any time there.
Four Species
See also: Four species
In each of the seven days of Soukkot, the Torah prescribes to take Four species plants and to shake them according to a well defined reason. These species are:
- the Etrog (Citron), fruit close to the Lemon-yellow,
- the Loulav (Dattier connects),
- the Hadass (Myrte connects),
- the aravah (Saule connects)
Dans certain communities reformed, one replaces one or more species by Roseau X when they are not available.
The ceremony of swinging is carried out as follows: one takes the loulav (with the collective direction of the term) of the right hand, the etrog of the left hand, and one maintains them separate, time to say the blessing on the loulav : " Blessed would be you, Éternel, our God, Maître of the world, Which sanctified us by Its commands, and ordered us to carry the loulav" .
On joint then its hands, so that the etrog touches the loulav (with the collective direction of the term), one points the Four species, and one agitates them gently three times in the four directions, horizontally and vertically, in direction of each corner of the Soukka in order to circumscribe the perimeter symbolically of it.
This ceremony is, from the point of view symbolic system, a prayer for adequate annual precipitations for all the terrestrial vegetation during the following year.
In the orthodoxe circles , the Mitzvah to balance the loulav and the etrog is obligatory in each day of Soukkot (Shabbat except) for any old man of more than 13 years. The women should not make it, but can it if they express the wish of it. Among members of the Judaism traditionalist and Judaism reformed, any person Jewish having reached her religious majority can carry out the ceremony.
The ceremony can be done in the Soukka , but it is more often carried out with the Synagog during the daily offices of prayer. At the time of the first six days of Soukkot, all the faithful ones rise of their seat and carry out a complete circuit around the sanctuary in a procession with their loulavs . The lulav and the etrog are shaken during the prayer of the Hallel.
Au seventh feastday, called Hoshanna Rabba , the faithful ones make seven circuits around the sanctuary.
The function of the fruits
The Mitzvah of the Four species derives from Lev. 23:40 (cf supra). The use of these fruits not being explicitly mentioned, it was the object of divergent interpretations. The currents scripturalists (the Sadducéens and the Karaïte S) estimated that these plants were to be used to build the Soukka , as that seemed to them to come out from Néhémie. 8:14 - 18, while the followers of the oral Torah (Pharisee S and rabbanites) maintained that they were to be carried at the time of the procession to the Temple then with the synagog.
Hol HaMo' ED
See also: Hol hamoëd
The second day until the seventh day of Soukkot (the third until the seventh out of the ground of Israel) are called Hol HaMo' ED (חולהמועד - litt. " profane days of the festival"). These days have according to the Halakha a statute " semi-férié" , intermediary enters the day of week but lower than the days of the festival itself. In practice, all activities necessary to the achievement of the festival — to buy food, to prepare it, clean the house in the honor of the festival, to travel to visit the soukka other people, etc.— are authorized by the Jewish Law, but the activities which would interfere with relieving and the rejoicing — like cleaning, the repair of clothes, intensives&mdash activities; are not allowed. The Jews practitioners regard Hol HaMo' ED as one holiday period, allowing better meals than usually in their soukkot , diverting their guests, visiting their families in their soukkot , and accommodating their isolated close relations.
Reading of Ecclésiaste
At the time of the Shabbat which falls during the week from Soukkot, the Livre of Ecclésiaste ('' Qohelet '') is read at the time of the office synagogal morning.Lorsque Soukkot even falls in Shabbat, one the very same day reads the ground Book of Israel, following Shabbat, i.e. with Shemini Atzeret (will cf.infra) as a Diaspora.
The topic of this book, on the ephemerity of the life and works (" Vanity of vanities, all is vanity… ") fact perfectly echo with the topic of the soukka , while its emphase on death makes mirror at the period during which fall Soukkot (the autumn and l'" automne" life). The last but one verse reinforces the message that adherence with God and His Torah are the only continuation not to be vanity, therefore to have a direction.
Hosha'anot
With the synagog, each day of Soukkot, the faithful ones carry out a procession around the synagog with their loulavim and etroguim and recite the Psalm 118:25 ( Anna HaShem, Hoshi' has Na… , " Please, Lord, saves to us… ") follow-up of special prayers, the unit being called Hosha' anot .This ceremony commemorates the ceremony of the 'Aravot (branches of willow) at times of the Temple of Jerusalem, during which branches of Saule were piled up behind the furnace bridge, their ends pointed towards this one, while the faithful ones proceeded around the furnace bridge, reciting the same verse.
Soukkot at biblical times: Sim' hat Study Bureau HaShoëva
See also: Sim' hat Study Bureau HaShoëva
At times of the Temple of Jerusalem, one celebrated each morning during the week of Soukkot a single ceremony in his kind, the Nissoukh HaMayim (נסוךהמים — litt. " payment of the eau") or Ceremony of the Water Drinking. This act calling upon the divine grace as for annual precipitations, like that of the Four species, was pretext with quasi-legendary rejoicings, since according to the Mishna of the treaty Soukka, " That which did not see the rejoicing instead of the water drinking forever not seen rejoicings of its vie."
Nowadays, this event is reminded via a gathering where one sings, dance and drinks in a Synagog, a Yeshiva, or another central place of the Jewish life. Coolings are been useful in an adjacent Soukka . Orchestras are often invited. The festivities start at one hour late and can last until advanced hours of the small hour.
Hoshanna Rabba
See also: Hoshanna Rabba
The seventh day of Soukkot is more known under the name of Hoshanna Rabba (הושענארבא, Grand " Save to us "). This day is marked by an office particular to the Synagog, the Hoshanna Rabba (Large Hosha' ana) strictly speaking, during which seven circuits are carried out by the faithful ones with their loulav and etrog , while the congregation recites the Psalm 118:25 ( Anna Hashem Hosha' ana Anna Hashem Hatsli' hana -- O Eternal, safe! O Eternal, make succeed!) and other prayers. He is of habit in certain communities to withdraw all the Sifrei Torah of the arch to lead this procession.
De more, one beams of five branches of aravah is beaten against the ground, accompanied by a series by liturgical verses ending in " Kol mevasser, mevasser ve-omer " (A voice brings news, brings news and known as) — expressing the hope of the arrival close to the Mashia' H. The reasons of this last habit are in the Kabbale.
Aboudarham speaks about the habit of reading the Torah the night of Hoshanna Rabba, of which drift the modern habit to find itself in groups of study this night, and reading the Deutéronome, the Psaumes, as well as passages of the Zohar; one also recites prayers resulting from the Cabal, and one takes coolings. In the orthodoxe circles, the men pass one taken care of study in this night.
The Sépharade S will recite " Seli'hot " (prayer of forgiveness) before the office of the morning (they are the same prayers as those recited before Rosh Hashanna). With Amsterdam, and in some communities of England, of America and besides, one sounds the Shofar. This practice reflects the idea that Hoshanna Rabba marks the end of the season of the frightening Jours, during which the world is judged for the year to come.
Shemini Atzeret and Sim' hat Torah
See also: Shemini Atzeret, Sim' hat Torah
The festival of Shemini Atzeret (שמיניעצרת - litt. " the Eighth of Assemblée") is a separate festival making immediately following Soukkot, at the eighth day (eighth and ninth apart from the Ground of Israel). The family turns over to her hearth, does not eat nor does not sleep more in the soukka, of the special synagogaux offices are held, and of the festive meals are been useful.
In Israel, Shemini Atzeret lasts one day, coinciding with the festivities of Sim' hat Torah (שמחתתורה). Out of Israel, Shemini Atzeret lasts two days, the festivities of Sim' hat Torah falling the second day. Sim' hat Torah (litt. " joy/rejoicing of Torah") is one day particularly merry, during which one reads with the synagog the morning the very final chapter (according to Jewish capitation) of the Torah, the parasha T VeZot HaBrakha , and immediately afterwards, the very first chapter of the Torah, the first chapter of Bereshit , in order to mark the idea that the study of the Torah is without end. All the men (having reached the religious majority), and in the liberal congregations all the women, are called with to read the Torah. An exceptional practice in the Judaism consists with to make assemble the children not having reached their religious majority to the Torah for a aliyah " called Kol HaNa' arim ( all the children ) — all the children gather around the turntable, while the men hold large a Tallit above their heads in order to include them all in the aliyah .
During the evening service like morning, the orthodoxe Jews withdraw all the rollers of the Torah of the arch, and all the faithful ones ravel around the turntable while singing and while dancing. Although seven circuits (" hakafot "), during which are sung Hosha' anot are officially envisaged, the dances can last of the hours. In Israel, groups of monk can circulate of synagog in synagog in order to contribute to the environment, which can reach such paroxysms that, the synagog not being able to contain them, the dances with the Torah continue in the street.
In old the Soviet Union, Sim' hat Torah was one day during which the Jews also gathered in the streets apart from the synagogs to dance and proclaim openly their membership of the Judaism. The Refuznik im were often inspired by the celebration of Sim' hat Torah to continue other religious practices in secrecy, in spite of communist oppression .
References
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