Who’s Invited to Your Sukkah?

Since the end of Sukkot last year, I have been patiently waiting for the chag to return. It is unquestionably my favorite Jewish holiday. Shabbat is glorious with its unique blend of ruach, menucha and challah. Channukah is radiantly marked by lights, gifts and latkes. Purim is an enchanting ride of costumes, hamentaschen, carnivals and spirits. …but Sukkot is the penultimate annual period that returns us to our roots (literally and figuratively), emphasizing the critical role of kehillah for the Jewish people. Look beyond the swooshing of the lulav and the fragrance of the Etrog. Peer through the green walls of the Sukkah. It all comes down to a series of three distinct invitations that land at your feet (think scrolls dropped by owls ala Harry Potter), binding us together as a community throughout time.

Sukkot teaches us to respect and learn from those who have walked before us.

The first invitation we extend is to our ancestral ushpizin (guests) – the “who’s who” of male (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, and David) and female (Sarah, Rachel, Rebecca, Leah, Miriam, Abigail, and Esther) Jewish legends. Each night we invite a different set, and learn from their adventures. Many were uprooted from their homes or called to action in a way that led them down a transformative path of self-discovery. Starting with Abraham and Sarah, we are reminded of the value of hachnasat orchim by the way they so famously and hospitably welcomed strangers into their tent and so faithfully trusted God’s word – moving to a new land, starting a family at an old age, etc.. Not only can we learn from these traditional and more historical ushpizin, but as we sit and schmooze in our sukkot we have the opportunity to share stories of our own personal role models with whom we have enjoyed live relationships.

Sukkot gives us a sacred opportunity to deepen our relationships with current family and friends.

Why do we work hard erecting the walks of a sukkah, dusting off our fake fruits and vegetables (the Jewish version of X-mas lights) and laboring over the preparation of scrumptious meals? Surely there are easier ways to dine al fresco! …and yet, many of us have experienced the magic of Sukkot as it impacts the tone of our communal meals. The pace of eating slows down, we’re less distracted by TVs, landlines and computers that buzz in the background when we dine indoors and our attention turns towards each other. Dining together in the sukkah gives us an opportunity to enjoy each other’s company and take a step deeper into our interpersonal relationships (think of Buber’s I-Thou)!

Sukkot demands that we be forward thinkers, tending to the needs of those less fortunate.

Maimonides admonished that anyone who sits comfortably with family and friends in walls of their own sukkah and does not share with the poor is performing a mitzvah not for joy but for the stomach. In addition to extending symbolic invitations to ancestors, and Evites to current family and friends, we must take proactive steps to ensure that those in need also partake in the harvest. Customarily this meant inviting at least one poor person to a Sukkot meal; today it can include serving food at a shelter, donating money or canned food to those in need and many other gestures of tzedakah. While we are thankful for what we currently have, we must also think forward into the year to provide for those in need.

As a foodie, I can’t deny that part of my attraction to Sukkot is the opportunity to test recipes and enjoy the bounty of fresh California produce. More importantly, however, my love for Sukkot is rooted in the deep sense of kehillah I feel at this time of year. Humor me and take a moment to think through how you will fulfill the mitzvot of Sukkot by extending three invitations:

1) Which relative, friend or teacher from your own past would you invite to join you one night in the sukkah and why?

2) What will you do this Sukkot to spend time with current family and friends? What “distractions” will you need to put to the side to give these peoples your full attention?

3) What steps will you take to extend yourself to those in need during Sukkot and throughout the year?