Sukkot & Simchat Torah

Sukkot

and Simchat Torah

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Sukkot

“You shall hold the Feast of Huts…You shall rejoice in your festival… for seven days… for the Lord your God will bless you in all your income and all your handiwork, and you shall be fully joyful.” (Deuteronomy 16:13-17) Following the solemnity of Yom Kippur, we joyfully celebrate the holiday of Sukkot, one of three pilgrimage festivals mentioned in the Torah. Sukkot reminds us of the time of traveling in the wilderness, making camp in temporary huts (Leviticus 23:42-43), with the sturdy walls and familiar settings of home left far behind, with only the protection of God to surround us.

A second name for the holiday is Chag HaAsif - the Harvest Holiday. The agricultural aspect is mentioned in Leviticus 23:39. We celebrate the harvest, particularly in Israel, delighting in the ripened fruits of the land.

A third name for the holiday is Z’man Simchatenu - the season of our joy. At this time we begin the new year with faith and optimism. During the time of the Bet haMikdash - Temple, Sukkot included a ritual of water-pouring which was a time of intense and widespread celebration.

How We Celebrate

Sukkot

Immediately upon the conclusion of Yom Kippur, we begin construction of our Sukkah. The sukkah should be large enough for a family to eat and live in. The walls are made of canvas or wood, and most importantly, the entire roof is covered with schach - a covering that is made of material that grows from the ground and has been cut from it, such as cut evergreen branches (Portland) or palm fronds (Negev desert) or bamboo sticks. The schach must be laid loosely on the top of the sukkah in order to provide shade during the daytime for those within the sukkah and a view of the moon, the stars, and the sky by night. Throughout Sukkot we eat our meals in the Sukkah and try to include anything else that you would normally do in the house like reading a book or talking with a friend. We “reside” in the sukkah from sundown on the 14th of Tishrei through nightfall of the 22nd of Tishrei.

Another Biblical observance which we still perform today is to take and shake the arbah minim - four species of plants.

These consist of an etrog - citron and a lulav - which is comprised of a palm branch tied together with willow and myrtle branches. In traditional synagogues, there is a daily procession around the sanctuary with the four species in hand, while special prayers, called Hoshanot, from the phrase “save us,” are recited.

Our Rabbis have compared the lulav and etrog with four types of Jewish people. The etrog is both fragrant and can be eaten. It is compared to the person who possesses both Torah learning and good deeds. The palm tree has no fragrance but produces dates that taste sweet and can be eaten, and so it is compared to Jews who possess learning but no good deeds. The lovely myrtle, or hadas, has fragrance but no taste, and is compared to those Jews who possess good deeds but no learning. And finally, the willow has neither taste nor fragrance and is compared to those Jews who lack both learning and good deeds. The Rabbis emphasized that the presence of each of the four plants is necessary in order to create the four species, the lulav and etrog. And just so, every type of Jewish person is necessary in order to make the Jewish community whole. Each individual fulfills an essential and unique role.

Suggestions for Family

Celebration

Children love to decorate the sukkah, and the endeavor offers parents and adults the chance to get crafty, too.

Typically, the sukkah is decorated with hanging fruits and vegetables (the “seven species” mentioned in the Torah are grapes, figs, dates, olives, pomegranates, wheat, and barley) to commemorate the abundant harvest or with beautiful scenes of Israel or signs with Bible quotations. Some families create “fruit” from paper mache or laminated magazine cutouts. Decorating suggestions include paper chains, Rosh Hashanah cards strung along a piece of yarn, posters of Israel, strings of beads, popcorn, or cranberries, ornamental gourds, mobiles depicting Jewish symbols, and placemats to use in the sukkah.

To depict the special tradition of ushpizin that is practiced during Sukkot, an ushpizin chart can be created and hung.

Ushpizin (oosh-pee-zeen) is a mystical custom begun and practiced in the sixteenth century by the mystics in Safed, Israel, to invite one of our ancestors to “visit” our sukkah as our “guests.” These were traditionally Biblical characters such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joseph and David. In recent years, our foremothers have been included - Sarah, Rebecca, Leah, Rachel, Miriam, Deborah, and Esther.

Many families will enjoy “inviting” guests from their family ancestry or including other heroes of Jewish history.

Dramatically inclined family members may enjoy dressing up and portraying one of the characters. A “Who Am I?” guessing game, modeled after the game Twenty Questions, is lots of fun. Families with older children may ask the characters to respond to issues of contemporary life from the perspective of time past.

After Sukkot, save the etrog, press cloves into the sides and use it for besamim spices at Havdalah - the ceremony at the end of Shabbat. Tzedakah - charity collected during this holiday may be given to a food bank or other institution that feeds the hungry. Chag Sameach to you and your family!

Building the Sukkah: “You shall live in booths for seven days” (Lev. 23-42) What you need to know: A sukkah must have four walls. One of the walls can be a wall of your own house. Start building the sukkah as soon after Yom Kippur as possible. To build the Sukkah: Use back wall of house or garage as one of the four walls. Stack two cement blocks in the corner and insert two-by-fours (seven or eight feet long) into the blocks. Connect the two-by-fours with one-by-twos across the middle and the top. Stretch burlap cloth or plastic, or nail some thin plywood over the frame. Put one-by-ones running in both directions on the roof and cover with bamboo, twigs, corn husks, or other organic material. Remember to let the stars shine through! Decorate the inside of the sukkah with fruit hangings, Rosh Hashana greeting cards, posters, paper chains and the like.

Additional Resources For Adults: The Jewish Way: Living the Jewish Holidays, Irving Greenberg The How to Handbook for Jewish Living, Kerry Olitzky and Ron Isaacs A Guide to Jewish Religious Practice, Isaac Klein For Children: Leo and Blossom’s Sukkah, Jane Breskin Zalben The Big Sukkah, Peninnah Schram The House on the Roof, David Adler A Tale of Three Wishes, Isaac Bashevis Singer All About Sukkot, Judyth Saypol Groner Night Lights: A Sukkot Story, Barbara Diamond Goldin

SUKKOT CALENDAR First Night of Sukkot

Sunday, October 13, 2019 Tishrei 14, 5779 Light Holiday Candles at 6:11 pm

Second Night of Sukkot

Monday, October 14, 2019 Tishrei 15, 5779 Light Holiday Candles after 7:11 pm

Holiday Ends

Tuesday, October 15, 2019 Tishrei 16, 5779 Ends at 7:10 pm

Sukkot

Baruch ata adonai, elohenu melech ha-olam she’he’chayanu ’kimanu v’h’gi’anu lizman hazeh

Blessings for

ngs

This is the blessing we say for sitting in the Sukkah:

:‫כה‬ ‫ישב בס‬  ‫העוֹלם ל‬  ‫ונו‬ ‫צ‬ ‫יו ו‬‫צוֹת‬ ‫מ‬  ‫ׁשנו ּב‬  ‫ּד‬ ‫ׁשר ק‬  ‫לך א‬ ‫מ‬  ‫הינו‬  ‫ל‬ ‫ה ְּיָי א‬‫ּברוְּ ך אּת‬ Baruch Ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melech HaOlam, asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu leishev basukkah.

Praised are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the universe, You made us holy with Your commandments and commanded us to dwell in the sukkah.

‫טילת‬  ‫נ‬ata ‫על‬adonai, ‫ונו‬ ‫צ‬ ‫יו ו‬‫ֹת‬elohenu ‫צו‬ ‫מ‬  ‫ׁשנו ּב‬  ‫ּד‬ melech ‫ׁשר ק‬  ‫ֹלם א‬ ‫העו‬  ‫לך‬ she’he’chayanu  ‫הינו‬ ‫מ‬  ‫ל‬ ‫א‬  ‫ּתה ְּיָי‬  ‫ּברוך א‬ 1‫ב‬‫לול‬ Baruch ha-olam v’kimanu v’h’gi’anu lizman hazeh

Blessings over the Lulav and Etrog

uch ata:‫ה‬adonai, ha-olam ‫ּז‬ ‫זמן ה‬ ‫ל‬ elohenu ‫יענ‬  ‫ג‬ ‫ה‬  ‫ו‬ ‫נו‬melech  ‫י‬ ‫ינו ְּוק‬ ‫ח‬ ‫מ‬ ֱ‫ׁשה‬  ,‫וֹלם‬she’he’chayanu ‫הע‬  ‫לך‬ ‫מ‬  ‫הינו‬  ‫ל‬ ‫א‬  ‫ּתה ְּיָי‬  ‫ּברוְּ ך א‬ manu v’h’gi’anu lizman hazeh :‫כה‬ ‫ישב בס‬  ‫ל‬ ‫העוֹלם‬  ‫ונו‬ ‫צ‬ ‫יו ו‬‫צוֹת‬ ‫מ‬  ‫ׁשנו ּב‬  ‫ּד‬ ‫ׁשר ק‬  ‫א‬  ‫לך‬ ‫מ‬  ‫הינו‬  ‫ל‬ ‫א‬  ‫ּתה ְּיָי‬  ‫ּברוְּ ך א‬ 2

Each morning during Sukkot, except for Shabbat, we recite a blessing over the lulav and etrog. We hold the lulav in our right hand and the etrog in our left hand. The stem of the etrog should be pointing up, and the lulav and etrog should be touching.

:‫כה‬ ‫ישב בס‬  ‫ל‬ ‫העוֹלם‬  ‫ונו‬ ‫צ‬ ‫יו ו‬‫צוֹת‬ ‫מ‬  ‫ׁשנו ּב‬  ‫ּד‬ ‫ׁשר ק‬  ‫א‬  ‫לך‬ ‫מ‬  ‫הינו‬  ‫ל‬ ‫א‬  ‫ּתה ְּיָי‬  ‫ּברוְּ ך א‬ :‫ב‬‫טילת לול‬  ‫נ‬ ‫ונו על‬ ‫צ‬ ‫יו ו‬‫צוֹת‬ ‫מ‬  ‫ׁשנו ּב‬  ‫ּד‬ ‫ׁשר ק‬  ‫עוֹלם א‬‫לך ה‬ ‫מ‬  ‫הינו‬  ‫ל‬ ‫ה ְּיָי א‬‫ּברוך אּת‬

3

‫ל‬

4

Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech Ha’Olam asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al n’tilat lulav.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the Universe, who has sanctified us with your commandments and lulav. ‫ילת‬  ‫נ‬ commanded ‫ט‬ ‫ונו על‬ ‫צ‬ ‫יו ו‬us ‫וֹת‬regarding ‫צ‬ ‫מ‬  ‫ׁשנו ּב‬  ‫ּד‬ taking ‫ׁשר ק‬  ‫א‬the‫ֹלם‬ ‫העו‬  ‫לך‬ ‫מ‬  ‫הינו‬  ‫ל‬ ‫א‬  ‫ּתה ְּיָי‬  ‫ּברוך א‬

:‫ּזה‬ ‫זמן ה‬ ‫ל‬ ‫יענ‬  ‫ג‬ ‫ה‬  ‫ו‬ ‫מנו‬  ‫י‬ ‫ינו ְּוק‬ ‫ׁשהֱ ח‬  ,‫העוֹלם‬  ‫לך‬ ‫מ‬  ‫הינו‬  ‫ל‬ ‫א‬  ‫ּתה ְּיָי‬  ‫ּברוְּ ך א‬

After we say the blessing, we turn the etrog so that its stem is pointing down, and we wave the lulav and etrog together in all directions. On the first day of Sukkot (or the first time on Sukkot you get to do this), at this point say:

:‫ּזה‬ ‫זמן ה‬ ‫ל‬ ‫יענ‬  ‫ג‬ ‫ה‬  ‫ו‬ ‫מנו‬  ‫י‬ ‫ינו ְּוק‬ ‫ׁשהֱ ח‬  ,‫העוֹלם‬  ‫לך‬ ‫מ‬  ‫הינו‬  ‫ל‬ ‫א‬  ‫ּתה ְּיָי‬  ‫ּברוְּ ך א‬ Baruch ata adonai, elohenu melech ha-olam she’hecheyanu, v’kiyemanu, v’higi’anu la’zman hazeh Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the Universe, who has granted us life, sustained us and enabled us to reach this occasion.

About the

Holidays

Sh’mini Atzeret, the Eighth Day of Assembly, is celebrated on the eighth day of Sukkot and is mentioned in the Torah, (Leviticus 33:36 and Numbers 29:35-38) as a specific and separate festival day. As on any festival, we usher in Sh’mini Atzeret with candles and kiddush - blessing over the wine, and treat it as a day of rest on the same level as Shabbat.

This holiday officially ends our celebration of Sukkot, and it is no longer a mitzvah - commandment to eat in a sukkah.

Though, if the weather is wonderful, some families continue to enjoy an outdoor meal.

The observance of Sh’mini Atzeret involves two major customs; one is the recitation of the yizkor - memorial prayers.

The other is the inclusion in the daily Amidah of the prayer for rain in which we acknowledge that it is God who makes the wind blow and the rain fall. Although it may be difficult for us, here in Oregon, to truly feel desire for rainfall, our prayers are actually directed toward Israel, where the precipitation of autumn and winter are crucial to the entire year.

Jews have been following the practice of praying for rain at this season from the time of the Second Bet haMikdash - Temple, and Rabbi Irving Greenberg has called Sh’mini Atzeret the “Zionist holiday,” because this prayer has kept alive the connection between world Jewry and the Land of Israel throughout our 2,000 years of dispersion.

Simchat Torah, our holiday of Rejoicing in the Torah, is celebrated the day following Sh’mini Atzeret, on the 23rd of Tishrei. In Israel, and in Reform congregations, Sh’mini Atzeret and Simchat Torah have been combined into one festival. Simchat Torah, the last holiday of the fall season, marks the annual completion of the Torah reading cycle with the last verses of Deuteronomy, upon which the entire congregation stands and together chants, “Chazak, chazak, v’nitchazeyk!” Be strong, be strong, and let us strengthen each other!” Immediately the chanting of the first verses of the book of Genesis…”B’reishit, In the beginning…” is read from a second Torah which has been made ready for this moment. Simchat Torah is one of our most joyful holidays, a time when we express our true delight and gratitude as the “People of the Book.”

How We Celebrate The celebration of Simchat Torah begins after the evening prayers. Congregants remove all of the Torahs from the Ark. The congregation dances around the perimeter of the sanctuary, and even into the streets in many cities around the world, in seven hakafot - circuits, carrying the Torahs, singing songs of joy and praise, and asking for God to answer our prayers and to save us. The carrying of the Torah scrolls is shared among all who are present and children join in waving flags, singing and dancing.

Another high point for children – and all who love them – is the practice of Kol HaNe’arim, in which the children are called up to the Torah and together recite the Torah blessings while standing under an outstretched tallit - prayer shawl, held by members of the congregation. Upon conclusion of the Torah blessings, the children are collectively blessed by the congregation with Jacob’s blessing over Menashe and Ephraim (Genesis 48:16-20): “May the angel who has redeemed me from all evil bless these children…”

Suggestions for Family

Celebration

Most congregations provide children with flags on Simchat Torah. It is always more fun, however, to bring flags that have been made at home. The safest flag begins with a large square of paper. Cut a strip about three inches wide up one side, stopping the cut about 2/3 to the top of the paper. Roll the strip to form the flag “stick” and tape it together so it doesn’t unroll. Decorate the “flag” area with Jewish and Torah symbols, or make a personalized flag representing your family. Other flagpole materials are wooden dowels and paper towel rolls. The flag may be attached with glue, tape, staples, or hot glue, depending on the material of the flag – construction paper, fabric or felt.

You may want to help younger children create a model Torah from empty paper towel rolls with a long roll of paper attached to each. Illustrate with Torah scenes and quotations. Visit a synagogue to learn about the many Torah “dressings.” Create a cover for your model Torah as well as the other decorations you noticed. Dramatize some of your favorite Torah stories… the creation of the World; Adam and Eve and the snake and the apple; Noah’s ark; Joseph’s coat of many colors; the crossing of the Red Sea; Moses climbing Mt. Sinai; etc.

Additional Resources For Adults: The Sukkot and Simchat Torah Anthology, Philip Goodman The Living Torah, Aryeh Kaplan Back to the Sources, Barry Holtz The Complete Family Guide to Jewish Holidays, Dalia Hardof Renberg For Children: When Zayde Danced on Eldridge Street, Elsa Okon Rael

SHEMINI ATZERET AND SIMCHAT TORAH CALENDAR Eve of Shemini Atzeret

Sunday, October 20 Tishrei 21, 5779 Light Holiday Candles at 5:59 pm

Eve of Simchat Torah

Monday, October 21 Tishrei 22, 5779 Light Holiday Candles after 7:00 pm

Holiday Ends Tuesday, October 22, 2019 Tishrei 23, 5779 Ends at 6:58 pm

A Final Word

One might look at the month of Tishrei and wonder why it is filled with important but random holy days. The four chagim - holy days of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Simchat Torah, represent a continuum of our developing relationship with God and with one another.

On Rosh Hashanah, through the blowing of the shofar, we coronate God as the Sovereign of the Universe a force that empowers us and provides us with the tools to accomplish our purpose in this world and specifically in this new year.

Yom Kippur teaches us that regardless of what we did or did not do last year, we have the opportunity to make a fresh start through teshuvah - returning or “righting the wrongs” between an individual and God and also between two individuals. On Yom Kippur we refrain from eating and drinking so that we can fully focus on the spiritual - our spiritual connection to God and the deep soulful connections we have with other people.

This brings us to Sukkot. On this holiday we rejoice in our strengthened connection with God and each other. The mitzvah of the Sukkah represents this bond. The sukkah encompasses everyone in one sheltering embrace. And the mitzvah of the lulav and etrog demonstrates that no individual can attain fulfillment without the help of others. The lulav which is made up of a date palm frond, myrtle and willow and the etrog - citron (together referred to as the arbah minim – four species) represent the wide community of Jews. All four species must be used together to complete the mitzvah on Sukkot. Similarly, no matter how much we develop ourselves as individuals, we cannot reach our true potential without the help of others. The unity of our people as a whole is an indispensable ingredient in the growth and progress of every individual.

While Sukkot teaches us that even as individuals we stand together as a unified people, Simchat Torah takes us beyond our individual identities. On Simchat Torah we dance in a circle with no beginning and no end. We forget who is a “head” and who is a “tail.” We transcend our individuality and rejoice together. We experience this level of closeness after nearly a month of working on our relationships and ourselves, strengthening our bond with God and with each other.

Holiday Recipes

Many traditional foods served during Sukkot tend to be warming foods that give us comfort as we huddle together against the elements in the cool and sometimes wet fall evenings in our Sukkah. They are often one-dish meals that are simple to transport from the kitchen to the sukkah. And they usually highlight the bounty of our late summer and early fall harvest. Some traditional foods served at Sukkot also symbolize the fullness of the year ahead (as with the stuffed vegetables recipe below) or the seven species listed in the Torah (as with the fruit bars recipe below).

Sukkot Stuffed Vegetables

(adapted from “The Children’s Jewish Holiday Kitchen” by Joan Nathan) 6 vegetables to your liking (zucchini, peppers, yellow squash, tomatoes, etc.)

1 cup uncooked rice 1 tsp salt 2 cups water 1 onion, finely chopped 2 tablespoons oil 1 cup corn (frozen or fresh) 1 cup chopped carrots 2 tablespoons currants or raisins Freshly ground black pepper to taste 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 2 tsp fresh mint (or 1 tsp dried) 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1 can stewed tomatoes 1. Bring the water to a boil then add the rice and salt.

Cover, lower the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.

2. While the rice cooks, prepare the vegetables by scooping out the insides to create a well for the stuffing. (You can add the insides to the sautéed vegetables in step 3.)

3. Heat the oil in a large pan. Sauté the onions.

Add the carrots and corn and sauté another few minutes until the vegetables are soft.

4. Add the cooked rice, currants or raisins, spices and herbs. Remove from the heat.

Portland Jewish Academy 6 weeks through 8th grade 503.244.0126 • www.pjaproud.org 6651 SW Capitol Hwy. Portland, 97219

5. Stuff each vegetable with the filling.

6. Place in a casserole or dutch oven large enough to hold them all in one layer.

7. Pour the tomatoes over the top. (Add some water if necessary.) Cover and simmer on the stove or place in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables show only the slightest resistance when pierced with a sharp knife.

Fruit Bars

(Includes 4 of the 7 species wheat, honey, dates, grapes/raisins) Ingredients 1 cup shredded coconut 1 cup honey 1 Tablespoon sugar 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 cup chopped dates 1/2 cup raisins 1/2 cup chopped nuts 1 egg, slightly beaten 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees 2. In a small pot, mix the first four ingredients together and boil gently for 30 minutes.

Remove from heat and let cool.

3. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, salt, ginger, baking powder, dates, raisins, nuts.

4. Stir the honey mixture into the dry ingredients.

Add the egg and mix until well blended.

5. Pour into a greased 8-inch square pan.

6. Bake for 40 minutes.