The Sukkah
The hallmark of the Sukkot festival is the sukkah, the temporary structure that is a reminder of the booths that the Israelites lived in when they harvested their fields and vineyards. A second meaning that has developed is that the Israelites also lived in booths during the journey through the wilderness from Egypt. It is a mitzvah to build a sukkah. Philo and Maimonides said that the sukkah serves to remind us of misfortune and poverty at a time of good fortune and wealth.
One is supposed to begin building a sukkah on the evening that Yom Kippur ends. Although there are detailed instructions concerning how the sukkah should be built and what the dimensions should be, the most important element of the structure is the roof. The word "sukkah" is derived from the word for roof, "s'khakh." The roof must provide more shade than light, but it must be open enough to enable you to see the stars through it.
Although the Torah commands Jews to dwell in the sukkah, in Western countries where the climate in October is cooler than in Israel, it has become customary simply to eat in the sukkah whenever possible. Instructions for building a sukkah can be found in The First Jewish Catalog, p.129 (296 SIE).
The Four Species
The four species refer to the etrog and to the three branches that make up the lulav: palm, myrtle, and willow. In Scripture, it says, "…you shall take the product of hadar trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days." (Lev. 23:40) The word "hadar" means "beauty," so the citron has traditionally been identified as the product of the hadar tree because the bark, leaves and fruit are all fragrant and tasty. Many explanations have been offered as to why the other species were selected.
Simchat Torah Flags
It is a custom to carry flags on Simchat Torah as a reminder of the standards carried by the twelve tribes of Israel when crossing the desert.
