SUKKOT (II)

FEAST OF RECOLLECTION

As we have seen with other feasts, Sukkot (Tabernacles) is also connected with the harvest cycle of the Promised Land. In this case, it is related to the harvest of the fruit trees and vineyards. All the months of hard work on the fields are finally rewarded.

(Leviticus 23:39-41) On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the produce of the land, you shall celebrate the feast of the LORD seven days. On the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest. (40) And you shall take on the first day the fruit of splendid trees, branches of palm trees and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. (41) You shall celebrate it as a feast to the LORD for seven days in the year. It is a statute forever throughout your generations; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month.

For this feast, besides gathering fruits, tree branches are also gathered. The Bible mentions the palm tree, the willow tree, and a leafy tree. This is why Jews traditionally get for this feast some special limes (Heb. Etrog), and some palm branches (Heb. Lulav), myrtle branches (Heb. Hadasim), and willow branches (Heb. Aravot), which are put together in bunches to wave it before the Lord. These are known as the “Four Spices” (Heb. Arba Minim).

YOU SHALL REJOICE

In addition to gathering fruits, the Lord instructs us to rejoice on these days.

(Deuteronomy 16:13-15) You shall keep the Feast of Booths seven days, when you have gathered in the produce from your threshing floor and your winepress. (14) You shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your towns. (15) For seven days you shall keep the feast to the LORD your God at the place that the LORD will choose, because the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you will be altogether joyful.

Do we really need to be commanded to be joyful? Maybe not, but what we do forget is to “give thanks”.

If we don’t have a grateful heart, we cannot rejoice. An ungrateful heart is unsatisfied, thinking about all the things it is missing. The Feast of Tabernacles is a time to “count our blessings”, and give thanks to God for all the things he has given us. That is why we have to be happy.

(Psalms 50:23) The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!

(Psalms 136:1) Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.

(Psalms 92:1-2, 4) It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; (2) to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night … (4) For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy.