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Monday, September 20, 2010

SUKKOT: A nation under God

Halakha of the Day
12th of Tishri, 5771

Immediately after Yom Kippur ends, that same night, we start building a Sukka.

The Sukka is a 'hut' consisting of four walls and a very fragile covering or 'sekhakh'.

The Torah says: 'In Sukkot you shall dwell seven days... that your generations shall know, that in Sukkot I hosted the children of Israel, when I brought them forth from the land of Egypt.. (Vaikra- Leviticus Chapter 23)


During seven
days we abandon our homes and establish ourselves in the Sukka. We eat, study, and -weather permitting- sleep in the Sukka. We bring part of our furniture to the Sukka and make it as comfortable and beautiful as possible.


Sukkot commemorates the forty years journey of the Jewish people. When we left Egypt in route to the Promised Land. During those years, HaShem Almighty protected us in the dessert from weather inclemency, wild animals and other dangers. He provided us with food and water and satisfied all our needs. By living in the Sukka, in a sense, we re-live those glorious days, leaving the safety and security of our houses and putting ourselves, once again, under His direct protection, which ultimately, is the one that matters.


There are many details and specifications as how to build the Sukka.


The basic principles are:


-The walls must be built first. They could be done by any material capable of withstanding
an "average" wind.

-Then we do the 'sekhakh' or covering for which we can use wood of all kinds, including bamboo branches, leafy branches, tree branches etc.

The 'sekhakh' should provide shadow but it does not suppose to protect us from rain.

For more information about building your Sukka go to


http://www.ou.org/chagim/sukkot/ [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=jp7o69dab&et=1103700776452&s=705&e=001PZxl2gB2D8A8PgWQLSJaW7IevBl3RMGIqQ3ot50OIMGDmvBaFXbMAntcSfjULZ3XTN_MJEfclBgxHd8WTpVQClW1vbG6ZkQz2tLZgKbW9wMmSakjv6O6eX1Yn3vFUSdH]
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For very interesting articles and videos on Sukkot click here [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=jp7o69dab&et=1103700776452&s=705&e=001PZxl2gB2D8A_PCfDyQeyW36EgLFsamgMKk22RRMTHc08SQXjwyra9666fmll9ruMQWP_UQ6xXg6zjHh7-whHTsWNFRUrecwH-GvfPHmMBKZmTi7FKANwbQ==]


Rabbi Yosef Bitton. YMJC | 130 Steamboat Rd. | Great Neck | NY | 11024

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