No. 1369: Sukkot celebration in Oslo in 2016!

No. 1369:
Sukkot celebration in Oslo in 2016!

Sukkot - Tabernacles and innhøstningsfest

Holy day that cometh after Yom Kippur is called Sukkot - Tabernacles. The name comes from the special pavilions built and used in conjunction with this sacred day. Sukkot is the happiest holy day in the Jewish year. In prayer books called these days for Zman Simchatenu - joyous time.

Sukkot is celebrated for seven days starting on the 15th day of the month Tishrei (September / October). The first two and the last two days (in Israel only the first and last day) are holidays where it is forbidden to carry out work, with the exception of preparation of food for the holy day. The other days are called Chol ha'Moed - between days. These days are part of Sukkot, but it is then allowed to work if required.

Tabernacles

When the Jews came out of Egypt on their journey to Canaan, they wandered for forty years in the desert. They went from one oasis to the next, rested a while, and then they continued on the long journey to the land they had been promised by God. Because of this they had to stay in small booths that they could quickly pack up and take with them on. During these years they met many difficulties in the desert; Blazing sun, sand storms and lack of food and water. But God took care of them and brought them safely to the land of Canaan, now called Israel. Therefore it is written in the Torah:

"In booths ye shall reside for seven days,
 so that all generations should know,
 the Israelites stayed in booths,
 when I brought them out of Egypt. "

As we build sukkaen (booths) and celebrating Sukkot, we recall our people's history and we thank God for what he did to them.

Harvest feast

After they had wandered for forty years in the desert, crossing the Israelites the Jordan River, and eventually came to the land God had given them - Israel. Most of those who came to the country were farmers, and their lifestyle was based on the food they served. In spring, the soil was plowed and sown. During the hot summer tending those with plantations and orchids. In Israel it is rare rain in summer, and in those days the farmers had to carry water from wells far away to satisfy the trees, the flowers 'and vegetable fields' needs. Throughout this period, the farmer until the fall, when he could collect all the fruits, store them away and sit back to rest awhile. The harvest was the happiest time of year and Sukkot, which is celebrated in the fall, is the happiest holy day. Holy day was also given the name Chag ha'Asif; harvest feast, the feast when the harvest took place and the fruits are taken into the house.

As harvest feast is Succoth the first Thanksgiving that was celebrated. Among other things, the American day Thanksgiving Day shaped after Sukkot as a day in which God is thanked for Earth blessing.

There are many ceremonies and traditions for the celebration of Sukkot. Shortly after Yom Kippur - asking for forgiveness - is completed, start construction of sukkaen. After you have asked for forgiveness, it will be natural to do something positive right afterwards. As it is written in the Torah that "In booths ye shall reside ..." is a commandment from God, and which one does with positive mind, and therefore also a good continuation after Yom Kippur. The walls of sukkaen can be built of wooden boards, branches or even brick, but the roof (Schach) must be made of which grows from the soil, for example. branches. The roof (Schach) should be thick enough so that most of the sunlight is kept out. But it must not be so tight that all light be kept out so that we are prevented from seeing the stars in the night sky. The sunlight and starlight gives sukkaen feeling of being a booth, a temporary shelter. The walls adorned often with flowers and drawings with Jewish motifs. From the ceiling hung often fall fruits and vegetables to remind us that Sukkot also The harvest feast. Throughout the party, meals eaten in sukkaen, and weather permitting, there are many who sleep in it.

Sukkaen - Booths

Every morning during Sukkotfeiringen (except Shabbat) we take forward Arba Minim - the four species. These are:
• Lulav - palm branch
• etrog - a special type of lemon
• Hadassa - sprig of myrtle
• Arava - Arava

A taking a Lulav - Palmgren, two branches of willow and three branches of myrtle and tie them together with leaves from lulav. During the service held this in your right hand and the left hand we hold etrog - lemon - and says a prayer over this. Then shake one the four plants to the right, backwards, left and forward - the four world-directions, and then up and down - the sky and the earth.