Being invited into God’s personal hut

After the spiritual euphoria of the High Holy Days wanes with the conclusion of Yom Kippur, there is somewhat of a void as the connection to God that was very palpable during that time has faded as we return to our usual routines.
But there is a spiritual uptick just a few days after the solemn holiday of Yom Kippur, when God “invites us back” to spend several days with him before returning back to our normal lives. The light and inspiration of these days will guide us through the dark challenges of the new year. These special days are the holidays of Sukkot and Simchat Torah, which will be celebrated this year from Oct. 8-17.
Sukkot, the feast of booths, commemorates the nomadic lifestyle of the Jewish people in the Sinai Desert for 40 years. During that period, the Jews traveled without permanent housing and God provided for all their needs. The manna, miraculous food that rained down from heaven, provided for their nutritional needs, while Clouds of Glory surrounded them, providing shelter and protection.
To commemorate this lifestyle, Jewish people have the custom to eat in a sukkah, a temporary hut covered by a roof made of organic material, called s’chach (grown from the ground in Hebrew). Some individuals sleep in the sukkah as well. The sukkah reminds us that this world is only temporary, we are just transients in it, and need to maximize the time and potential in our finite lives in this world.
In addition, Sukkot celebrates the harvest season, and Jews have the practice to take an etrog, a citrus fruit, along with a lulav, a palm branch, along with twigs from a willow branch and a myrtle bush, called aravot and hadassim, respectably. Collectively known as the “four species,” a blessing is made over them daily, except for the Sabbath, and they are shaken to symbolize God’s omnipresence. Hoshanah Rabbah, the seventh day of the holiday, is marked with special prayers, while congregants make seven rotations around the center of the synagogue with the four species. Additionally, five aravot (willow branches) are beaten to the ground to symbolize the removal of sin.
One of the most joyous days of the Jewish year is Simchat Torah, which is celebrated immediately after Sukkot. The day marks the completion of the annual cycle of publicly reading the Five Books of Moses. Jewish people of all ages jubilantly sing and dance with Torah scrolls during both the evening and morning of the festival.
On Simchat Torah, each adult man is called up to make a blessing on the Torah reading. The final section of Deuteronomy is read, followed by several blessings and the reading of the first portion in Genesis. The euphoria felt during this celebration is unparalleled to anything during the year, and serves to as a bridge from the spiritually-rich High Holy Days to our everyday routines.