My dear readers, as you can imagine, it has become very challenging to speak about Succoth – especially about the joy of Succoth – since October 7, 2023. Therefore, this time I decided to explore the meaning and meaningfulness of the Feast of Tabernacles and the Tabernacles themselves in the New Testament. Let us glance from the Torah, where the Feast of Tabernacles is explained and commanded, to the first-century Jewish life, to see how the Tabernacles were celebrated there and then.
WHY DID PETER WANT TO BUILD TABERNACLES?
One of the gospels’ most amazing stories is the Transfiguration story. All the synoptic gospels describe Jesus going up the mountain and being transfigured there: shining “like the sun” and talking to Moses and Elijah. The whole scene presents a beautiful picture of heavenly glory. And what is the reaction of the apostles witnessing this scene? All of a sudden, Peter suggests that they should build tabernacles: “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” What a strange and unexpected suggestion! Where did it come from?
We all know that tabernacles (sukkot) are the little huts that Jews are commanded to build on Succoth in remembrance of the huts in the wilderness they lived in when God took them out of Egypt. However, in later Jewish texts, sukkot became symbols of the Divine Clouds—the Clouds of Glory which miraculously surrounded the Jews for the forty years they spent in the desert. What is the story behind this symbolism?
According to Jewish tradition, Moses came back with the second set of tablets on Yom Kippur. On Yom Kippur, God forgave His people after their terrible sin of the Golden Calf. However, it is only at Sukkot that God’s presence returned to abide among His people; it’s only at Sukkot that those Divine Clouds covered the hand-made booths. This is the mystery and the joy of Sukkot – the mystery and the joy of God’s return and of renewed fellowship.
That is why Sukkot is indeed the holiday of divine intimacy and divine presence; that is why Sukkot is the most joyous of the Biblical festivals: if Passover is called the “Season of our Liberation,” and Shavuot is called the “Season of the Giving of our Torah,” Sukkot is called zman simchateinu, the “Season of our Joy,” because God, in His mercy, came to tabernacle with His people! And that’s why sukkah has become such a powerful symbol of divine presence! When Peter offered to build sukkot, he was trying to express the glory of God’s presence that they were experiencing, by referring to this traditional symbol. Many details in the gospels only become clear when seen through the lenses of first-century Judaism – and undoubtedly, this is one such detail.
THE RIDDLE OF JOHN
The Gospel of John gives us a very clear testimony of Jesus observing the Feast of Tabernacles. In John 7 we read that when Jesus’ brothers tried to convince Him to go up to Jerusalem to celebrate Sukkot, he answered: “My time has not yet come.”[1] “But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret”. Why did Jesus go “as it were in secret”?
You probably know that Sukkot was one of the three Feasts during which every Jewish man had to come to Jerusalem for worship. Of course, Jesus would be fulfilling the commandment and going up to Jerusalem; therefore, when he says to his brothers: “I am not yet going up to this feast,”[2] the emphasis is on “yet” – he is not going yet. He will be travelling at the last minute and incognito – but why?
If we know the details of the Jewish background, it would be really helpful here. One of the most important aspects of Sukkot is inviting guests into one’s sukkah (booth). Throughout the week of the Feast, people move from sukkah to sukkah, offering hospitality and receiving hospitality – switching from being hosts to being guests. Sometimes this custom is called ushpizin (ushpizin, אושפיזין, literally means “guests” in Aramaic), after the original peculiar custom of ushpizin—inviting not just physical guests to one’s sukkah, but also spiritual, or transcendental guests, like the “seven shepherds” of Israel: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joseph and David. The “spiritual ushpizin” tradition did not fully emerge until sometime in the Middle Ages, therefore of course, it was not there in Jesus’ time. However, the practice of hospitality, inviting physical guests (hachnasat orchim), has always been one of the most important commandments in Judaism. The welcoming of guests during Sukkot is especially significant, since in many ways the Sukkah represents and reflects the tent of Abraham, and Jewish tradition derives the mitzvah of hospitality from Abraham (Genesis 18). So there is no doubt that the practice of inviting guests to one’s sukkah, especially honored guests, was widespread in Jesus’ day as well. It must be noted that even though people could invite guests for all the intermediate nights of the Feast, the most festive and important night was the first night – the eve of Sukkot.
Being a Rabbi, Jesus would probably be invited for this special night by several people, and inevitably would have to turn down some invitations. This seems like a very logical reason not to make a public appearance and go “as it were in secret,” in order to celebrate Sukkot with somebody who was especially close to his heart.
RIVERS OF WATER … IN JERUSALEM
In the Gospel of John, we find a famous saying of Jesus: “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” Jesus cried these words out “on the last and great day” of the feast of Tabernacles (Succoth). Why did Jesus speak of water? Was there anything in the celebration of Succoth that was connected to water and would explain Jesus’ use of this image?
As the matter of fact, there was. In the days of the Second Temple, the height of the Succoth celebration was the water libation ceremony. Succoth is the beginning of the rainy season in Israel, and the libation of water was performed to invoke God’s blessing on the year’s rains. During the ceremony, a large procession carrying water would go through Jerusalem and circle the Temple, and then the water would be poured onto the altar. The lamps were lit in the Temple courtyard during this ceremony as a sign of the festivities. It is in the context of this celebration, while the procession with water was walking through Jerusalem, that Jesus speaks His famous words about “living water”. Also, it is in this context, while all Jerusalem was glowing with the light from the Temple that Jesus speaks about the light: “I am the light of the world.”
The sages of Israel testify to the celebrations of the water libation from the days of the Second Temple. The description of this ceremony can be found in the Mishnah. Jesus uses the images of this celebration to illustrate His words. Once we understand the historical context of Jesus’ words, the spiritual truth of these sayings becomes even more clear and profound.
CHAG SUCCOTH SAMEACH, DEAR FRIENDS!
MAY YOU EXPERIENCE THE PROFOUND JOY OF HIS PRESENCE EVEN IN THESE DIFFICULT TIMES!
[1] John 7:6
[2] John 7:8
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Wonderful! Thank you for sharing the insights!