Succos

[pohaikawahine]

a friend was explaining Succos to me but I didn't totally understand it .... then I saw this which filled in some of the gaps in my understanding ... however, I didn't understand the reference to "5766" .... can anyone tell me what the number refers to .... mahalo nui, poh


SUCCOS 5766

After God redeemed us from Egyptian bondage, we encamped in the desert in succos (huts). We were also protected from all four directions and above by God's miraculous clouds. We live in succahs to recall God's mercy. Samson Raphael Hirsch taught that succah and lulav come together in one holiday for this reason: we are to abandon our primary reliance on the physical world (leaving our homes) and proclaim our reliance on God. By waving His produce (lulav/esrog) in all four earthly directions, we redirect our reliance towards the true Source of all our good, proclaiming God's control of man's earthly affairs. We also proclaim God's reign over the universe by waving the lulav heavenwards and earthwards. Eating, reclining and sleeping in the succah are Mitzvos and through their physical performance, may we perfect our thoughts and values.

[dauer]

That's the Jewish year. This year. It is 5766 this year.

The other thing that's good to know about Sukkot, is that it's a harvest festival, and not only are the sukkot there to remind of Egypt, but also probably had to do with an earlier harvest festival, either that the workers would stay in them or that the people would go out and stay in them. Some of the information from your quote I think is inaccurate, like the lulav is waved in each direction. I think it's very cool, taking the four different types of species, and waving them in each of the directions.

I don't know what site you're using for Jewish info but a good one that has all the perspectives is myjewishlearning.

Dauer

[pohaikawahine]

mahalo nui dauer .... I will check out that site .... I subscribe to several Jewish sites (in order to get a perspective from different views) and the above quote came from one called www.Mesora.org which publishes a publication called "The Jewish Times" (I think they are based in New York) .... they seem to be pretty conservative, but then what do I know ..... thank you for the information about the year .... aloha nui, poh

[Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine]

Aloha, pohaikawahine

Another site you could try is Judaism 101 (http://www.jewfaq.org). The site covers quite a few topics, including Succot. Highly recommended by our own beloved bananabrain.

Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine

[pohaikawahine]

mahalo nui phyllis .... I will check out that site also .... me ke aloha pumehana, poh

[bananabrain]

Some of the information from your quote I think is inaccurate, like the lulav is waved in each direction

er... it is waved north, south, east, west, up and down. that's three dimensions, or six directions if you like. however, it also has connections to the four worlds, the four letters of the Tetragrammaton, the tree of life framework and so on. of course, that means you have to put the aravot (willows) and hadasim (myrtle) on either side not on one or the other, at least if you follow the practice of the ariza"l.

also, the lulab is male and the ethrogh is female. it is the conjunction of both that has the power. note also that the ethrogh is fully integrated in and of itself, whilst the lulab requires three constituent parts (or pillars if you like) to be bound together.

b'shalom

bananabrain

[dauer]

I was disagreeing with the heavenwards and earthwards part, which suggests two waves.