Parashat HaShavua: Sukkot 2025

בַּסֻּכֹּ֥ת תֵּשְׁב֖וּ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים כָּל־הָֽאֶזְרָח֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יֵשְׁב֖וּ בַּסֻּכֹּֽת׃

לְמַעַן֮ יֵדְע֣וּ דֹרֹֽתֵיכֶם֒ כִּ֣י בַסֻּכּ֗וֹת הוֹשַׁ֙בְתִּי֙ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּהוֹצִיאִ֥י אוֹתָ֖ם מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם אֲנִ֖י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ (ויקרא כ״ג:מ״ב)

You shall live in Sukkot seven days; all citizens in Israel shall live in booths, so that future generations may know that I made the Israelite people live in sukkot when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. (Leviticus 23:42)

The skakh, the covering of the Sukkah, needs to be thick enough to ensure that there is more shade than sunlight in the Sukkah.  There should be enough room between the branches of the skakh to see the stars in the sky at night.

More shade than sun. A fragile roof that does not protect us from the elements. This year, the physical requirements of the Sukkah mirror the world around us.  We feel the darkness in the world as well as our vulnerability within it, as we learn of another antisemitic attack, this time on Yom Kippur, and pray for a cease fire deal so that we don’t face the devastating possibility of the 2nd anniversary of 10.7 taking place with hostages still in captivity. 

Next week we will take up our lulavim and etrogim, the other signature mitzvah of Sukkot.  For the lulav to be kosher, the four species must be bound together with our hands.  The rabbis teach that the four species represent different kinds of Jews and we are not complete without each other. In moments like these, thank God we can depend upon and support one another.  I feel very grateful to be in this community where I have the opportunity to do just that. 

Rabbi Anne Ebersman
EC/LS Director of Jewish Life/Director of Hesed (Community Service) and Tzedek (Social Responsibility)