Landing in Sukkot

From the expanse of Yom Kippur we travel for four days and arrive in Sukkot, a celebration of earth and her generous bounty. During this week-long festival we invite ancestors to join us as we give thanks and begin to integrate what we touched and discovered during the holy days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

         Sukkot is called zeman simchatanu, the time of our rejoicing. From the yamim noraim, the days of awe, we land in Sukkot’s call to celebrate, to embrace delights, to experience and create beauty.

         A powerful offering of Sukkot is that it calls us to delight and experience joy as we build sukkot and spend time in dwellings that are temporary, vulnerable, open to the sky and earth. All things pass Sukkot calls, zeh hayom asah Havayah—this is the moment right now, gather as you can, share your bounty, honor the earth and delight in beauty. This is the moment right now, nagilah v’nismicha bo, rejoice, celebrate and give thanks for the fruits of the journey.  

I love this teaching from Terry Tempest Williams, one of my most important teachers.  I return to it for the festival of Sukkot:

 
Once upon a time…
There was the simple understanding
That to sing at dawn and to sing at dusk
Was to heal the world through joy.
The birds still remember
What we have forgotten,
That the world is meant to be celebrated.
-Terry Tempest Williams, When Women Were Birds

May joys and wonders nourish our hearts and guide the work of our hands.

Chag samayach,
Blessings to all
Rabbi Yael