After the solemn introspection of Yom Kippur, the Jewish calendar continues with pure joy as we enter the celebration of Sukkot. As another one of God’s Appointed Times, Sukkot is a divine invitation to experience overwhelming gladness and gratitude.
Sukkot—which is also known as either “The Feast of Tabernacles” or “The Feast of Booths,”—begins on the fifteenth of Tishri, just five days after Yom Kippur. This beautiful timing creates a profound spiritual journey from the depth of repentance to the heights of celebration.
Sukkot is a seven-day festival which commemorates God’s faithful provision during Bnei Yisrael’s wilderness wanderings while celebrating the harvest He provides. We find in the Torah the specific commandment for us to be “completely filled with joy” during this feast which makes it impossible to observe Sukkot with anything less than celebration and thanksgiving. As one of the three pilgrimage festivals, along with Passover and Shavuot, Sukkot serves as the final fall harvest festival and a time of gathering and fellowship.
This feast beautifully completes the Fall Feast season journey—from the awakening call of the shofar at Rosh Hashanah, through the cleansing introspection of Yom Kippur, to the overflowing joy of the Feast of Tabernacles!
The Biblical Foundation
Just like our other Fall Feasts, Sukkot did not emerge from human tradition—it originates directly from God’s commandment in the Torah, establishing it as far more than just a cultural celebration. This is one of His moedim, a divine appointment designed to teach us profound truths about dependence, provision, and joy.
The foundation of this feast is captured succinctly in Deuteronomy 16:13-15:
This passage reveals several beautiful themes that make Sukkot unique among the Biblical feasts. First, it’s rooted in historical commemoration: remembering God’s faithful provision during the wilderness wanderings when His people lived in temporary shelters, completely dependent on His care. Second, it’s an agricultural celebration: a harvest festival that celebrates God’s bounty and the fruits of the year’s labor. But perhaps most remarkably, it contains a divine commandment of joy: God doesn’t merely permit celebration, He requires it, calling us to be “completely filled with joy.”
The foundational instruction for dwelling in temporary shelters comes from Leviticus 23:42-43:
“You are to live in sukkot for seven days. All the native-born in Israel are to live in sukkot, so that your generations may know that I had Bnei-Yisrael to dwell in sukkot when I brought them out of the land of Egypt.”
The timing of Sukkot within the Torah calendar is deeply significant. Its placement in the seventh month speaks of completion and perfection, coming after the harvest when God’s provision is most evident, and positioned after Yom Kippur to create a beautiful transition from solemnity to joy. This divine transition shows us that God’s plan for His people includes not just repentance and forgiveness, but abundant celebration and gratitude and fellowship.
Observing Sukkot
Building and Dwelling in the Sukkah
The central practice of Sukkot involves building and dwelling in temporary shelters called sukkot (singular: sukkah). A sukkah is a fragile structure, with its roof open to the sky, and it reminds us of our dependence on God’s protection and provision rather than the security of our permanent homes.
The construction follows specific guidelines: a minimum of three walls with a temporary roof of natural materials through which stars can be seen. The goal isn’t about achieving architectural perfection, but about creating a space that connects us to the heavens above while acknowledging the temporary nature of all earthly dwellings.
The goal is to spend as much time as possible in the sukkah, at the very minimum eating all our meals in the sukkah. Many families extend this by sleeping in the sukkah (or tents, another version of a temporary dwelling), studying Torah there, and entertaining guests for meals within these sacred spaces. Every moment we spend in the sukkah becomes an opportunity to remember God’s provision and our dependence on Him.
The Four Species Ritual
Another tradition is to wave the Four Species—the lulav (palm branch), etrog (citron), myrtle, and willow—in all four compass directions (north, south, east, and west) as well as up and down, acknowledging God’s presence everywhere around us. This symbolic ritual is laid out for us in Leviticus 23:40:
“On the first day you are to take choice fruit of trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook, and rejoice before Adonai your God for seven days.”
Each species represents different aspects of God’s creation and different types of people within the community of faith. When bound together and waved in all directions, they symbolize the unity of creation and community under God’s sovereign rule. The ritual acknowledges that whether we look north, south, east, west, up to the heavens, or down to the earth, we are surrounded by God’s presence.
Festive Celebrations
Sukkot transforms ordinary activities into sacred celebration. Meals in the sukkah become opportunities to transform ordinary dining into sacred celebration (sometimes including special guests), where every bite carries gratitude for God’s provision.
Music and dancing is the pinnacle to these celebrations because joy isn’t merely suggested—it’s commanded. Community gatherings during Sukkot serve to strengthen bonds through shared celebration, creating memories that can carry us through the entire year.
Culmination – Sh’mini Atzeret and Simchat Torah
Sukkot culminates in an eighth day assembly known as Sh’mini Atzeret, as described in Leviticus 23:36:
“The eighth day will be a holy convocation to you, and you are to bring an offering by fire to Adonai. It is a solemn assembly–you shall do no laborious work.”
In the land of Israel, this is a one-day holiday, while in the rest of the world it is a two-day holiday, and the second day is known as Simchat Torah. This is the day that the yearly Torah Reading cycle is completed and the Torah scroll is rolled back, beginning the Torah Reading cycle anew from the beginning. This creates a beautiful transition from harvest celebration to intimate fellowship with God, emphasizing the Torah cycle of continuous learning and renewal.
Sh’mini Atzeret (and Simchat Torah) represent something beyond the seven days of earthly celebration—it points to eternal fellowship with God that goes beyond the rhythms of agricultural seasons and temporary dwellings.
What Sukkot Teaches Us
Beyond the joy and celebration, Sukkot offers us profound lessons that speak to the core of human experience and our relationship with God…
Dependence on God’s Provision
The lessons about vulnerability that are taught through living in temporary shelters during this festival hold so much weight, reminding us that our security comes from God and not from earthly structures, bank accounts, insurance policies, or even ourselves. Living in these ‘fragile booths’ also connects us with the experience of Bnei Yisrael who trusted God completely during their wandering in the wilderness.
The present application challenges us to live with open hands and grateful hearts, recognizing that everything we have comes from God’s gracious provision. The sukkah becomes a space where we learn that our ultimate security rests not in what we build, but in who watches over us
True Joy and Gratitude
The commanded joy of Sukkot raises an important question…why does God specifically require celebration during this feast? It’s because gratitude and joy are not merely emotions, they’re acts of faith that acknowledge God’s goodness even when circumstances are difficult for us.
Gratitude practices during Sukkot connect celebrating the harvest to God’s ongoing provision throughout our lives. The community joy experienced through shared celebration strengthens our faith and creates relationships that will extend far beyond the seven days of the feast.
Prophetic Significance
Sukkot carries profound prophetic meaning that extends far beyond its historical and agricultural significance. In the years of the reign of the Messiah, the Feast of Sukkot will be celebrated in Jerusalem by the nations, as Zechariah 14:16 prophesies:
“Then all the survivors from all the nations that attacked Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, Adonai-Tzva’ot, and to celebrate Sukkot.”
The Feast of Sukkot serves as a reminder of our final rest in Messiah and the age of God tabernacling with humanity. This ultimate fulfillment envisions God dwelling with humanity forever, not in temporary booths, but in the eternal dwelling place He is preparing for those who love Him.
Every sukkah we build and every moment we dwell in temporary shelters points forward to this glorious reality when God Himself will be our eternal dwelling place.
Sukkot at B’rit Hadasha
This year, we invite you to join us at B’rit Hadasha for this appointed time and season of joy and celebration. Whether you’re new to observing Sukkot or a longtime participant, we have meaningful ways for you to enter into this beautiful feast!
Erev Sukkot Service:
Monday, October 6th at 6:00PM
Community Sukkot Camping Trip:
Friday, October 10th at 3:00PM – Sunday, October 12th at 12:00PM : Near Somerville, TN (at Stephen & Rhonda’s)
This special weekend will include food, fun and games, fellowship, and praise & worship! Bring your tents and set up on Friday afternoon. If you’d like to participate, bring a crockpot chili (already cooked and hot) to share in our Friday night chili cook-off competition.
Ticket Information:
$30/person for the weekend (camping or non-camping; age 4 years and up)
$120 cap for families with children (parents/guardians and their children)
$10/person for Saturday morning (includes lunch only)
Weekend tickets include Friday dinner; Saturday breakfast, lunch, and dinner; and Sunday breakfast. The last day to register is Tuesday, October 7th.
Sh’mini Atzeret/Simchat Torah Service:
Tuesday, October 14th at 6:00PM
May this Feast of Tabernacles fill your heart with the joy that comes from recognizing God’s faithful provision, and may you experience the blessings of community celebration while dwelling in sukkot that remind you of eternal hope. As you wave the Four Species and feast in the sukkah, may you be reminded that our God surrounds us with His presence and provides for every need.
Let this feast strengthen your faith, deepen your gratitude, and increase your anticipation for the day when all nations will come to Jerusalem to celebrate Sukkot in the presence of our Messiah Yeshua.
Chag Sameach!
For questions and more information about our Yom Kippur services, please connect with us on Instagram and Facebook. We look forward to observing this High Holy Day with you!
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