Chag HaSuccot

Chag HaSuccot: Holiday of the Booths Law Overview

HOLIDAYS OF THE 7TH MONTH 

Leviticus 23 discusses the rules of several holidays and 'holy convocations' [1] and, following the holidays of the 1st and 10th of the 7th month we've recently had [2], Leviticus 23:43 [3] describes the holiday ('chag') [4] of 'succot' (booths) [5], which is to take place on the 15th of the 7th month. It's interesting to note that the Torah often refers to months by their number rather than name [6]. 

'CHAG' AND 'SUCCAH' 

Understanding the meaning of the words 'chag' and 'succah' are central to how we interpret our obligations for this holiday. The word 'chag' is often understood today to mean religious 'holiday'[7] and the Torah begins by using this word to describe the occasion of worship that Moses requested Pharoah grant the Israelites (to let them go and worship in the desert) [8]. We are also told that the holiday of unleavened bread (Pesach, 'Passover') [9] is a 'chag' [10]. This is where the association between 'chag' and 'feasting' originates.

Some Christian schools of thought categorise all main Torah holidays as 'Feasts' [11] and several groups refer to Chag HaSuccot as 'The Feast of Tabernacles'. It's important to note however that several of the holidays referred to as 'feasts' in this way have nothing to do with the consumption of food. 'Tabernacle' is the word for 'portable Temple' ('the moveable earthly dwelling place of Y-hova' [12]; also known as the 'Mishkan' or 'Tent of Meeting') [13]. The association with this concept comes from 2 Samuel 11:11 [14], where Uriah reports to David [15] that the ark, Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents ('be'succot') [16]. 

There are several other references to 'succot' throughout the Torah. For example, Genesis 33:17 [17] says that Jacob journeyed to a place called Succoth [18] and built 'succot' for his livestock to dwell in. Leviticus 23:43 [19] states that the requirement to dwell in booths is so that Israel remembers Y-hova made them dwell in succot when He brought them out of Egypt. Nehemiah 8:15 [20] gives us a relatively clear description of how succahs should be constructed; using olive, myrtle, palm and leafy branches. 

THE RULES OF CHAG HASUCCOT 

Chag HaSuccot takes place for seven days (Leviticus 23:34 [21]). A sacred assembly is held on the first day and no regular work can be performed (Leviticus 23:35 [22]). We are required to present an offering made by fire for seven days (Leviticus 23:36 [23]), gather four species of plant (Leviticus 23:40 [24]), dwell in the booths for seven days (Leviticus 23:42 [25]) and rejoice before Y-hova (Leviticus 23:40 [26]).

Leviticus 23:41 [27] says we are to celebrate this 'chag' for seven days every year, describes the rule as a 'permanent statute' ('huqat olam') [28] and says it applies to all native ('ezrach') [29] of Israel. Chag HaSuccot is discussed in Nehemiah 8:13-18 [30] in relation to Ezra the Priest and also Zechariah the Priest, Prophet and Judge, who prophesises that a day will come when rain will not fall [31] on families of the earth who do not celebrate this holiday (Zechariah 14:16-21 [32]).

Finally, on the day after (the eighth day), we are to hold another sacred assembly, present an offering made by fire and refrain from regular work (Leviticus 23:36 [33]). As such, both Succot and Passover stipulate a seven day holiday with an additional eighth day; Passover reflects the Exodus from Egypt and Succot the period immediately after liberation.QUESTION!What can we do if we have neither a location nor leafy materials to construct a succah [34]?

References

1. Mikra': https://biblehub.com/hebrew/strongs_4744.htm.

2. See last year's IsraelAlia posts on the 1st of the 7th month ('Rosh Hashana') https://www.facebook.com/IsraelAliaCovenant/photos/3871843059497691 and the 10th of the 7th month ('Yom HaKippurim') https://www.facebook.com/IsraelAliaCovenant/photos/3902035769811753.

3. Leviticus 23:43: https://biblehub.com/interlinear/leviticus/23-34.htm.

4. See 'chag': https://biblehub.com/bdb/2282.htm and https://biblehub.com/hebrew/strongs_2282.htm.

5. 'Sukkah': https://biblehub.com/bdb/5521.htm and https://biblehub.com/hebrew/strongs_5521.htm.

6. The Civil rather than Torah calendar is currently being used. For more on the issue of the calendar, see: https://www.israelalia.com/hebrew-calendar/.

7. For example, the greeting 'chag sameach', see 'chag': https://biblehub.com/bdb/2282.htm and https://biblehub.com/hebrew/strongs_2282.htm.

8. Exodus 10:3-9: https://biblehub.com/bsb/exodus/10.htm.9. See last year's IsraelAlia post on Pesach: https://www.facebook.com/IsraelAliaCovenant/photos/4408348339180491.

10. Exodus 12:14: https://biblehub.com/exodus/12-14.htm.

11. See unaffiliated Hebrew4Christians, 'The Jewish Holidays: A Concise Overview of the Feasts of the L-rd': https://www.hebrew4christians.com/.../introduction.html.

12. For why I write the name of Y-hova as I do, see: https://www.israelalia.com/g-ds-name/.

13. See last year's IsraelAlia's post on Succot: https://www.facebook.com/IsraelAliaCovenant/photos/3918232461525417.

14. 2 Samuel 11:11: https://biblehub.com/interlinear/2_samuel/11-11.htm.

15. This is in fact part of a complex series of facts following David's adultery with Bathsheba, see 2 Samuel 11:1-11: https://biblehub.com/bsb/2_samuel/11.htm.

16. See 'succot': https://biblehub.com/hebrew/5521.htm

17. Genesis 33:17: https://biblehub.com/interlinear/genesis/33-17.htm.

18. See https://biblehub.com/bdb/5523.htm and https://biblehub.com/strongs/hebrew/5523.htm.

19. Leviticus 23:43: https://biblehub.com/interlinear/leviticus/23-43.htm.

20. See Nehemiah 8:15: https://biblehub.com/interlinear/nehemiah/8-15.htm.

21. Leviticus 23:34: https://biblehub.com/interlinear/leviticus/23-34.htm.

22. Leviticus 23:35: https://biblehub.com/interlinear/leviticus/23-35.htm.

23. Leviticus 23:36: https://biblehub.com/interlinear/leviticus/23-36.htm.

24. Leviticus 23:40: https://biblehub.com/interlinear/leviticus/23-40.htm.

25. Leviticus 23:42: https://biblehub.com/interlinear/leviticus/23-42.htm.

26. Leviticus 23:40: https://biblehub.com/interlinear/leviticus/23-40.htm.

27. Leviticus 23:41: https://biblehub.com/interlinear/leviticus/23-41.htm.

28. See for instance, 'huqah': https://biblehub.com/nasec/hebrew/2708.htm; 'huk': https://biblehub.com/nasec/hebrew/2706.htm and 'olam': https://biblehub.com/nasec/hebrew/5769.htm.

29. See https://biblehub.com/bdb/249.htm and https://biblehub.com/hebrew/strongs_249.htm.

30. Nehemiah 8:13-18: https://biblehub.com/bsb/nehemiah/8.htm#13.

31. This is discussed in relation to the prayers of Elijah the Tishbite, see: James 5:17: https://biblehub.com/interlinear/james/5-17.htm.

32. Zechariah 14:16-21: https://biblehub.com/bsb/zechariah/14.htm#16.

33. Leviticus 23:36: https://biblehub.com/interlinear/leviticus/23-36.htm.

34. On how legal questions are resolved within the legal system of the Book of the Law of Moses, see: https://www.israelalia.com/procedure-jewish-law/. See also unaffiliated Reform Judaism, 'How can I observe Sukkot if I do not have a sukkah?': https://reformjudaism.org/learning/answers-jewish-questions/how-can-i-observe-sukkot-if-i-do-not-have-sukkah and My Jewish Learning, 'Celebrating Sukkot without a Sukkah: https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/celebrating-sukkot-without-a-sukkah/ .