Sukkot: God Gives Us Life, Food and Shelter

The festival of Sukkot calls us to acknowledge and thank our Creator for the miracles of life and His ongoing, life sustaining provision. The third day of the festival falls on Shabbat. The Torah readings are Shemot (Exodus) 33:12 - 34:26 and Bamidbar (Numbers) 29:23-28.

Living In the Sukkah

We build a shelter from natural materials and harvested food items and basically live in this place for seven days. This experience releases us from modern conveniences and reliance upon man made things, and gives us an opportunity to feel the need and presence of God for sustenance and protection.

For city folks, this can be quite traumatic, and an effective dose of spiritual and physical reality. Even for those who enjoy nature, this drastic change of location can be demanding, especially when autumn temperatures fall. Like so many biblical directives, those who observe the holiday do so to the degree possible. However we celebrate, we teach our children that our lives emanate from God and it is only through His love and concern for us that we continue to live and do His work rather than our own.

A Second Chance for the 10 Commandments

The Torah reading this week repeats the parts of the Exodus narrative in which Moses recovers from breaking the first two tablets after the golden calf incident. God reassures Moses that He forgives the people for turning back to idolatry so soon after the manifested miracles of the Exodus. He tells Moses to make a second set of tablets, and gives him a unique peek at His Holiness.

God explains His covenant with the Jewish people. The success of the contract rests on each side meeting their responsibilities. Simply stated, God will supply everything the people need if the people worship Him and live according to His statutes. The contract is nullified if the people practice idol worship, which includes aberrant sexuality and child sacrifice.

God's Ever Loving Mercy for His Children, Born and Unborn

Within these verses, mercy countermands justice. The thirteen attributes of mercy listed here restore the covenant. See Exodus 34:6-7

This Torah reading also includes commandments for holiday observance, including the harvest festival of Sukkot. Within these verses, the Almighty actually states in Exodus 34:19, "All that opens the womb is Mine."

Wow, that makes it crystal clear who owns that baby in the womb, the baby that so many people think is their own property to do with what they 'choose.' By the way, the Biblical text in Deuteronomy 30:19 that reads, "Choose life, that you and your children will live" is no suggestion. It's a law. Severe penalties ensue for breaking it. See Leviticus Chapter 18.

Numbers 29:23-28 lists the Sukkot festival day four number of bulls, rams and lambs and grain and wine offered to God in praise and gratitude for the harvest, plus a goat sin offering. All told, 189 animals are sacrificed over a 7 day period. That’s a lot of valuable livestock representing profound sacrifices in an agrarian society.

Living in God's Will

How do we show our gratitude and awe of God during modern Sukkot celebrations? We sacrifice ideas and actions that contravene holiness. We surrender our secular ideas about life and begin a journey of return to God’s vision for our lives. We take responsibility for our errors in judgement that cause harm to others, including those in the womb. We make amends. These are profound sacrifices of self identity and self interest. We do this because we realize God is the only source of life and positivity in this world and we want to be close to Him.

Ezekiel Promises Israel a Divine Act of Mercy and Salvation

Our Haftorah portion this week, Yechezkel (Ezekiel) 38:18 - 39:16, selects verses in the middle of the prophet's 22 years of work during the Babylonian exile. Ezekiel preaches that idol worship at its worst causes the demise of the Jewish people, as well as the suffering of many other nations in his time.

As hopes rise with the prospect of peace in the Middle East, let's keep in mind Ezekiel's message. Foreign alliances do not guarantee peace. Peace begins with sanctification of God's name. Unlike other prophets, Ezekiel believes that Israel is incapable of repentance. Redemption is possible only through Divinely inspired spiritual transformation. This reminds us that we cannot save ourselves, nor can anyone else. God is truly the only source of inspiration and salvation, as well as provision, in this troubled world.

And I will put My spirit within you and bring it about that you will walk in My statutes and you will keep My ordinances and do [them]. Then will you dwell in the land that I gave your fathers, and you will be a people to Me, and I will be to you as a God. And I will save you from all your uncleannesses, and I will call to the corn and will multiply it, and I will not decree famine again over you.  And I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field, so that you shall no more have to accept the shame of famine among the nations. 

And you shall remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves in your own eyes on account of your sins and on account of your abominations. Not for your sake do I do it, says the Lord God, may it be known to you; be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel. So says the Lord God: On the day that I will have cleansed you from all your iniquities, and I will resettle the cities, and the ruins shall be built up.

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Cecily Routman 

May there be abundant peace from Heaven, and good life upon us and upon all Israel. Amen.

Cecily Routman is the founder and president of the Jewish Pro-Life Foundation. She opposes abortion homicide in general and among Jews in particular and laments secular policy making in Israel that results in loss of Jewish life and delays the messianic redemption. She envisions a Torah based holy Land of Israel and a world that respects the life of every human being from conception.

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