Why is sukkot zman simchateinu

Look for the variety of produce imported from Israel during this time of year, as well. Anyone can shake a lulav at home, in a synagogue or wherever you find yourself, even out in the natural world. A lulav and etrog can be found online or in a local Judaica store.

The four kinds of plants are often referred to under the inclusive term lulav, since the lulav is the largest and most prominent of the species. Thus, while the mitzvah is to wave the lulav, this actually refers to waving all four species: palm, willow, myrtle and etrog. Also, when people refer to the lulav and etrog, they are referring to all four species, including the willow and myrtle.

Invite guests to your home for a sukkah party or a meal and serve harvest-themed treats. You might also host a picnic in a local park. At Sukkot we specifically welcome ushpizin, traditionally one of seven exalted men of Israel to take up residence in the sukkah with us: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron and David.

Be creative and encourage your guests to welcome their own ushpizin — famous personalities and heroes, ancient or modern, Jewish or not Jewish, who lived exemplary lives and continue to inspire. Make your home a joyful place with decorations in the spirit of the holiday: Decorate your front door with a harvest theme, hang paper chains from your ceilings or build a mini-sukkah out of graham crackers, pretzels and icing to serve as a fun treat.

The space and financial investment needed to build a sukkah can be very real, but finding ways to celebrate the holiday only takes some creative thinking. You must be logged in to post a comment. Please support us in any way you can, so we can keep you well informed with local, national, and worldwide Jewish news. The Torah and Halakha take the concept quite seriously. Is that so horrible that it leads to all of those terrible curses?

Does Halakha think that people are so shallow or that emotions are so unimportant that one can be expected to go from despair to joy with the setting of the sun? Since Sukkot celebrates the harvest in the land of Israel, another custom on Sukkot is involves waving the lulav and etrog.

Together the lulav and etrog represent the Four Species. The etrog is a kind of citron , while the lulav is a composed of three myrtle twigs hadassim , two willow twigs aravot and a palm frond lulav.

Because the palm frond is the largest of these plants, the myrtle and willow are wrapped around it.