Sukkot - Feast of Booths

Last month my husband and I started taking a class called "Discovering Judaism" at a local temple. I am enjoying it immensely. I've had a few Christian friends wonder why I'm not doing it at a Messianic temple. Honestly, sometimes I feel a little condemned. Well, the main reason is that this class is being offered at a Reform Jewish temple. I take it where I can.

My motivation for taking the class at all is to learn about Judaism. I go to a church (like many) which is heavy on the New Testament. Jesus is a Jew. He celebrated their holidays and followed their customs. I want to know more about Him, so I want to learn more about Judaism. I want to understand the New Testament better, so I want to learn more about the Old Testament. Also, I like learning abou other people and customs. It helps me understand them better and value them more.

This class that I'm taking is for anyone interested, but it especially serves as a basis for those seeking conversion to Judaism (most frequently due to a relationship with a person who is Jewish). The class meets weekly-ish and we have books to read and events to attend. I've learned something fun a new every time and I hope to journal out more of it here.

Last night I attened the first night of Sukkot service. This is the Feast of Booths/Tabernacles/Ingathering, depending on the translation. This was a huge holiday in Jesus' time (during the existence of the Temple in Jerusalem). It come right on the heels of the most solemn days in the Jewish calendar known as the "Days of Awe" or the "High Holy Days" which include Rosh Hashanna (the Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement). These are days of self-refelction and contemplation. After all of the seriousness, they celebrate Sukkot - a week of thanksgiving, joy and rest. It serves to give thanks for the harvest. In remembrance of their agricultural past, they build little sukkot, "booths" or shacks, outside that offer some shade and shelter, but are frail, just like farmers would build near their fields for shelter during the laborious task of harvesting.

At the brief service last night, the congegation first had a picnic outside of the temple next to their sukkah (singular of sukkot). They then sang songs in Hebrew, including part of the Hallel (Psalms 113-188), which is normally read during this time of year. The Rabbi talked about how one of the songs is a prayer to God asking Him to provide us with "sukkah shalom" - shelter of peace. He quoted another rabbi who thought that this referred to the fact that the building of peace is fragile and must be continually worked at. I was thinking that maybe it's reminiscent of those of us who follow the Lord - we live in these frail bodies and we need Him to complete us with His peace ("shalom" comes from a root word meaning "complete" - I'll save my amazment about that for another entry).

There was one song in particular last night that I'd like to know the meaning to. All of the songs were in Hebrew and I guess that's great for those who went to Hebrew school as a kid. The temple also offers Hebrew classes for adults and I hope to take it the next time they star a beginners class :)


***Disclaimer: In the rare event that anyone actually reads this and sees some fault in my understanding of Jweish belief or culture, please forgive me and correct me. I write nothing out of ill-will.