THE DUAL MEANING OF THE HOLIDAY

One of the first tasks of those who reached the Moon was to verify if the Earth’s satellite showed any vestige of the presence of water. Even the devices that were sent to Mars had the fundamental task of checking if there was water on that planet. Why the interest in this liquid? Because it is indispensable for the sustenance of life, as we know it. The book Shemot mentions that after three days in the desert, the Hebrews cried out for water, and from that account the Chachamim deduce that, to survive, the human being needs to drink water more regularly and frequently than eating food.

During Sukkot, the Mishnah states, the world is judged with reference to water, whereas, on Passover, judgment is concerning grains. Therefore, Rabbi Yehuda says in the name of Rabbi Akiva: “Why does the Torah command us to make a libation of water on the holiday Sukkot? The Holy One, Blessed be He, says, ‘Make a libation before Me on the feast, that you may be blessed with abundant rain during the year.’ 

According to the Gaon of Vilna, the judgment of each person is completed in Hoshana Rabbah, including the fate of water, which is synonymous with eternal life. This concept is reflected in the Hoshanot prayers recited on Sukkot, whose theme is the fate of grain and water, vegetation, and the human being. While on Rosh HaShanah the inscription is made in the ‘Book of Life’ and on Yom Kippur the seal is placed on this inscription, the destination is completed during Sukkot, specifically in Hoshana Rabbah.

It can also be deduced from the Mishnah that there is another time for a person’s annual final judgment. There are those who interpret the ruling on the judgment of the fruits of the tree on Shavuot as an indication that it is also the time of the judgment of man, who is identified as a “tree of the field.” In effect, the Talmud qualifies Shavuot as a kind of Rosh HaShanah.

However, most believe that the final ruling, the “kvitl” is given on Hoshana Rabbah, a date belonging to Sukkot, which, in turn, is part of the Shalosh Regalim, festivities that should be celebrated in a framework of joy. Moreover, the holiday of Sukkot, in particular, receives the instructive vehayita ach same’ach, “and you shall be exceedingly cheerful.” The idea of the annual final judgment and joy are not necessarily compatible. Rather, judgment should be accompanied by solemnity and seriousness, as we noted in another short essay.

The Maharal of Prague offers a novel interpretation. He suggests that Sukkot has a twofold characteristic. Although it is celebrated in Tishrei, the month of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, in such a way that it shares the month in which the person is judged and even the destiny of the nations is determined. At the same time, it belongs to the group of holidays that have an agricultural meaning and historical content. 

While Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur have a universal scope that is manifested in their celebration of the creation of the universe, the birth of Adam, father of Humanity; on the other hand, the 3 festivities recall singular moments in the history of the Hebrew people and, therefore, have a national message. 

Sukkot is the only holiday that belongs to both groups and in it is duality: the seriousness of judgment and joy for the goodness of nature through water, allows the earth to be covered with the flora and fauna indispensable for sustenance. Even the 4 species of Sukkot: Lulav, Etrog, Hadas and Arava are seen as offering moral judgments. The Lulav, the palm tree, represents the necessary rectitude in human behavior. The Etrog, by its form, reminds the heart, the sincerity that must accompany the action. The Hadas – which has the profile of the human eye – teaches that one should avoid envy that results from “seeing” abundance in the neighbor’s barn, and the Arava –  which has the silhouette of the lip – teaches that speech must adhere to the highest moral principles to avoid slander which destroys more effectively than physical aggression.

The instruction that especially distinguishes Sukkot which is the hut, the Sukkah that must serve as a residence during the 8 days of the festival. This commandment is interpreted as symbolic of the divine protection received during the journey through the desert. God covered the Hebrews with a cloud to protect them from the dangers of the desert, in direct correspondence to the moral behavior of the people.

So even the ritual symbology of Sukkot is tied to ethical parameters, which clearly have to do with the basic concept of Teshuvah: repentance for mistakes made and, above all, the firm resolution of subsequent ethical conduct.

We might conclude that the dichotomy or dual role of Sukkot is merely virtual. Judaism teaches that nature responds to a person’s moral conduct. The abundance of fruits and the bountiful harvests are intimately linked with the decency and morality of the human being. In contemporary language we talk about ecology and the respect that nature deserves, which in some way reacts to the abuse of the inhabitants of the planet. The “excessive” joy of Sukkot can only be brought about by tranquility of conscience, the result of an intimate and truthful feeling of the moral integrity of behavior, especially in regard to support for one’s neighbor and solidarity with the most needy.