The holiday of Sukkot (סוּכּוֹת) is known as the Festival of Booths or Tabernacles. Sukkot, the third pilgrimage festival (following Passover and Shavuot) is a holiday that uses physical symbols to connect us to the world around us and to feelings of joy and gratitude. We are commanded to build a temporary hut and dwell in it for seven days (Leviticus 23:42,43) and to shake the etrog
(אֶתרוֹג) and lulav (
לוּלָב), comprised of four species (
arba minim אַרבָּע מִנִים). Sukkot is uniquely known as a festival of joy, or
Zman Simhateinu (זְמַן שִׁמחָתֵנוּ). The four species give us joy and gratitude by connecting us to nature, history, community and our bodies:
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| A Lulav and Etrog. The lulav is comprised of what is traditionally known as the Four Species (arba minim אַרבָּע מִנִים): Palm Fronds (Lulav לוּלָב), Willow (Arava עֲרָבָה), Myrtle (Hadas הֲדַס), and the Etrog (אֶתרוֹג). All four species must be used together when shaking the lulav in the sukkah. |
- The four species of Sukkot connect us to the joy of nature by combining branches and fruit from distinctly different kinds of trees.
- The four species of Sukkot connects us to the joy in history by reminding us of the text in Leviticus, "On the first day you shall take the product of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days." (Leviticus 23:40).
- The four species of Sukkot connect us to the joy of diversity within our community by each symbolizing a different kind of person. Traditionally diversity was understood in terms of learning and good deeds. In contemporary society we understand diversity to also include broader areas, such as interfaith marriage, LGB&T families, special needs children, and ethnic diversity. The four species are all required in combination to create a complete community.
- The four species of Sukkot connect us to the joy of our bodies by representing the spine (lulav), eyes (myrtle), mouth (willow), and heart (etrog).
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