Making sense of the sedra: Succot

Succot, the joyous festival which begins on Friday night, carries two significant mitzvot that we practice with fervour. Namely: residing in the succah (temporary outdoor booth) for seven days and taking the lulav and etrog (the four species) – which we shake together multiple times over the week-long festival.

The two major mitzvot of Succot share a theme of unity and diversity – characteristics we see mirrored within our Jewish nation.

The succah itself is a gathering of families and individuals, coming together to celebrate this special festival in a booth. In the spirit of gatherings, the Talmud tells us: “All of Israel are fit to sit in one succah,” emphasising the unity that this mitzvah is based on, which is represented by the structure worthy of accommodating an entire nation within its walls!

Similarly, the four species each offer their own unique characteristics, all brought together in a show of true unity. The etrog, a bright yellow citron, has a pleasant aroma and flavour. The lulav, a palm frond, has a pleasant taste but no aroma. The hadassim, myrtle branches, have a fragrance but are tasteless and lastly, the aravot, willow branches, have neither taste nor aroma. These four diverse species, each individual part with its own combination of flavour and scent, tie together to create a set perfect for the use of the mitzvah of Succot. This unity of the four species represents the Jewish people, with each item contributing to our nation and who we are as a people.

On the first day of Succot, we read the haftarah from the book of Zechariah. In his prophecy, Zechariah envisions a significant future event. After the devastating war of Gog and Magog, a conflict preceding the final redemption, all nations of the world will come together to observe the festival of Sukkot. Zechariah’s words are awe-inspiring: “All those nations… shall make a pilgrimage year by year to bow low to God, and to observe the festival of booths [Succot].” This prophecy paints a picture of sitting side by side in our succah with people from all corners of the globe.

We can’t be sure if this means that everyone will have to fulfil the mitzvah of residing in the succah for seven days, but we can imagine that Zechariah is emphasising the broader message of Succot, as seen in the Succah and the four species’ symbolisms. It’s about unity – being part of and contributing to our community and nation. When we step out of our homes into our temporary succah, a structure all of us can share, and when we pick up the four species, we’re sending a strong message of coming together. This unity won’t just stay within our own succah and four species; it will eventually spread worldwide with the arrival of the final redemption.