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SUKKOT - THE SEASON OF OUR REJOICING The Festival of Sukkot begins at sunset on the fifteenth day of Tishrei - tonight. "Sukkot" means "booths," referring to the temporary dwellings that the Torah commands the Jewish people to live in during the holiday, in commemoration of the booths our ancestors dwelt in the wilderness. Sukkot is one of the three regalim (pilgrimage festivals celebrated in Jerusalem in ancient times) together with Passover and Shavuot. The festival is also called Chag Ha'asif, the Harvest Festival, and Zman Simkhateinu, the Season of our Rejoicing. In Israel, Sukkot is celebrated for seven days and in the Diaspora eight days. Sukkot is followed by Shmini Atzeret /Simhat Torah on the eighth day (in the Diaspora celebrated on two days). The first and eighth days (as well as the second and ninth day in the Diaspora) are holy days, when no work is permitted. Another observance that is integral to Sukkot is the taking of the four species (arba minim) - an etrog (citron), lulav (palm branch), two willow branches, and three myrtle branches. The last three species are bound together and shaken, together with the etrog, and a blessing is recited on them.
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