Succah, Succot, Mitzvah, Mitzvot!

"Succah"

"Mitzvah"

"Succcot"

"Mitzvot"

 You are to live in sukkot for seven days.  All the native-born in Israel are to live in sukkot, so that your generations may know that I had Bnei-Yisrael to dwell in sukkot when I brought them out of the land of Egypt.  I am ADONAI your God.      

Leviticus 23:42 

 ♡

Happy Sukkot!

Please join me for a few more days and have some challah (Hebrew letters challah spelling Succah!)  and visit  in the Succa!  So much I want to write but for now just sharing a few views from the balcony succa!

Much love and blessings,

Shayndel 

Joanne`s Challah-Cast channel!

Hebrew lesson in Challah:

Succah Challah

Succot Challah

Succot is the plural of Succah !

Mitzvah Challah

Mitzvot Challah

Mitzvot is the plural of Mitzvah!

Succa Song

With joy you will draw water from the wells of Salvation.

 --Isaiah 12:3 

Mark, on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the yield of your land, you shall observe the festival of the LORD (to last) seven days:  a complete rest on the first day, and a complete rest on the eighth day.  On the first day 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.   You shall observe it as a festival of the LORD for seven days in the year; you shall observe it in the seventh month as a law for all time, throughout the ages. 

---Leviticus 23:39 ~ 41

In the succa, we are reminded that we are temporary dwellers
We are reminded of the divine presence, of the God who provides
and brings us to this season.  It is a time to give thanks for all His abundance and to savor the blessing of being brought to this season on His appointed times. 

It is a time to rejoice, as we are commanded to be joyous in the succa!
Yes, it is a command!

I couldn't believe how beautiful the sounds of singing could be, in that temporary place, with the species of plants and natural materials as the "roof", and walls open to one side.  After all the eating and rejoicing, or somewhere into the feast, someone asked the cantor to sing.  As he was not in the pulpit, but sitting at the table with everyone, when the cantor sang, it was spontaneously in a moment where a song was called forth,  and the sounds of his voice were released like an audible fragrance and everyone's senses and whole being were attuned to his song.

When he sang, it was as if all eternity came into a sonorous presence, yes, that is how I would describe those earthy and at the same time heavenly sounds of Hebrew songs sung and springing from a mouth given by God, to be the source of song.

After several songs the air of the succa became  infused with the songs, everyone was drawn into an atmosphere that was transforming, and the choir, who were also just a minute ago individuals sitting and rejoicing and eating at the table, once again became the choir and ran out for a few minutes to get their song books.  They came back into the succa with songs that must be the same ones that were sung by our ancestors and are sung by the angels in heaven and that are sung in the succa each year.

Songs that have been sung and will be sung and are eternally sung.

The thing for me, was that it was my first time to hear the succa song.*
It was a summer of "Teshuva" for me, of "return" and I had never before sat in a succa like that hearing them although they have always been sung and always will be and always are sung in the succa.

When the songs were sung people sometimes joined and sometimes just listened.   Nourished by song.

It was a deep listening started as a listening with ears but became a listening with hearts and with souls and then we were all transported at once and there was a kind of palpable soul-stirring from the cantor's song and I didn't quite know where I was except that I was in the succa song.  Maybe the swirling of angels of heaven, preparing to take us up...but just before we were swept up into the heavens, the song came to its sonorous crescendo that was soft and sweet, and

the next thing I knew, the rabbi was saying something,
that it was time
for dessert.

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note: The name "succa song" is my "poetic" title for this post and a term I made up here to refer to the songs that were sung in the succa, though it is not a particular "song" title or song I am referring to, it is the whole mood of what it was like to hear the singing by the cantor in the succa at my "return" this season. 

note:  Succot is the holiday in the season of fall feasts that comes after the Ten days of Awe of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, after the work of repentance and reflecting and "return" come the joyous holidays of Succot and after then Simchat Torah.  Related post about Succot HERE and song and Succot HERE.

note:  After all the festivities the Torah is scrolled back to the beginning so if anyone is new to observing the cyle of the Hebrew calendar and God's appointed days, it is perfect time to start!! The list of the dates of all the Shabbat and Feasts and readings on the Torah can be found HERE, a good printable version,  or you can find it if you search for the Weekly Parsha readings 2018~2019.  You can always  find this link and a related link to the readings on the sidebar at right under "Pages".

This Shabbat will be the third one already of the new cycle!!   Already out of the garden and after the flood!

♡

Sunrise from the Succa, Psalm 19

For the music director, a psalm of David

The heavens declare the glory of God,

and the sky shows His handiwork.

Day to day they speak,

night to night they reveal knowledge.

There is no speech , no words,

where their voice goes unheard.

Their voice has gone out to all the earth

and their words to the end of the world.

In the heavens He pitched a tent 

for the sun.

It is like a bridegroom 

coming out of his bridal chamber.

It is like a strong man

rejoicing to run his course.

It rises at one end of the heavens

and makes its circuit to the other end.

Nothing is hidden from its heat.   

The Torah of ADONAI is perfect,

 restoring the soul.
The testimony of ADONAI is trustworthy,
making the simple wise.
The precepts of ADONAI are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The mitzvot of ADONAI are pure,
giving light to the eyes.
The fear of ADONAI is clean, 
enduring forever.
The judgments of ADONAI are true
and altogether righteous.

They are more desirable than gold,
yes, more than much pure gold!
They are sweeter than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover by them Your servant is warned.
In keeping them there is great reward.
Who can discern his errors?
Cleanse me of hidden faults.
Also keep Your servant from willful sins.
May they not have dominion over me.
Then I will be blameless,
free from great transgression.

May the words of my mouth 
and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable before You,
ADONAI, my Rock and my Redeemer.  
        

--- Psalm 19, TLV

A Challah over Mt. Fuji

challah wrapped in a `tenugui` cloth on the airplane table in front of the window

can you see Mt. Fuji?  There is is, you see! The mountain top!

Drawing from the plane, So close to heaven, God so near! 

Landed, with the Challah, in Tokyo!

Travelling from South to North, to Tokyo for Succot,
A challah in my hands.
Hoping to get a view of Mt. Fuji
before the plane lands.

There it is!! You see, the  mountain top!
The challah, on the table, prop (propped!)
Mt. Fuji and a challah in one view,
I hope one day you`ll see those two

Oh what a thrill
when it appears

So close to heaven
God so near

 Give thanks to the God of heaven

His love endures forever.   ---Psalm 136:26

Blessings and Shalom!
from Challah and Cherry Blossoms correspondent,

Shayndel

♡

Challah and Mt. Fuji notes on this story:

The challah is a Red Bean challah! I used THIS RECIPE for the dough, with a few variations, and for the filling used  red bean paste (secret: the red bean paste, called azuki,  I used this time was ready made,  from 7-Eleven!),  You can also make your own!
(Variations:  I often make this recipe as is, but for this red bean version I made the following variations.  I note this here as sometimes I will go back to make a challah and I forget what I did!  So this is like my  diary of making the challah, and of course I welcome you to try it too!!
instead of honey, I used Tensai-to which is a Japanese sugar made from daikon radish;  I substituted Grapeseed oil, instead of Olive Oil; and doubled the recipe, one loaf went with me to Tokyo, and the other stayed home and was for our Shabbat, see in posts below).

The first Red Bean Challah I made was in this past year for Abraham, you can see the Red Bean Challah in This post and This post.

note:  The challah is wrapped for travelling in a Japanese Tenugui.  Click in the *labels* at right side bar or beneath this post under `tenugui` and there you can find out more about these cloths.  The design on the tenugui I was carrying this Challah in had a picture of a red Mt. Fuji!

note:  If you see in the photos, you might not even realize where Mt. Fuji is, but please look close and you can see the dark shape of the top of the Mountain coming out from the clouds!! You can also see more Mt. Fuji views and posts on this blog, some readers may already know my Mt. Fuji and challah fascination!  

Also noted:  often we make a foil `tent` for the Challah in the oven after about 20 minutes, depending on your oven so the top doesn`t burn while the inside cooks.  I noticed this time as I was making the foil tent, that this Challah is for Succot and at this time we are commanded to dwell, rejoice in tents!!
This photo below is the Challah in it`s tent.

Song of Songs

For your love is more delightful than wine.

Let us delight and rejoice in your love,

Savoring it more than wine-----

---The Song of Songs   1:2 b, 1:4d

I didn`t even touch a button, but suddenly a song came on, and filled the outside  air.

It was the Song of the Beloved.... Ani le Dodi, v`Dodi li....

Blessings and Shabbat Shalom, May you rejoice in a beautiful time of Sukkot !

Shabbat Shalom!

Chag Sameach Sukkot! Happy Sukkot!

 

Shalom

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying:  Say to the Israelite people:
On the fifteenth day of this seventh month there shall be the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles) to the LORD, (to last) seven days.    ---Leviticus 23:33~34

On the first day 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.   You shall observe it as a festival of the LORD for seven days in the year; you shall observe it in the seventh month as a law for all time, throughout the ages.   You shall live in booths seven days; all citizens in Israel shall live in booths, in order that future generations may know that I made the Israelite people live in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, 

I am the LORD your God.    --Leviticus 23: 40 ~ 43

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I made a succa on the verandah!
I feel like such a child, and maybe, maybe ,
 I do hope...  Father in Heaven is smiling!   ---a feeling I had after making a succa on our verandah.  During this holiday we make a `tent` and spend time in the succa over the 7 days of the holiday, as per Leviticus 23、above scriptures.  

A succa is booth, or tent, made for this festival of Sukkot.
It represents the booths, or tents, that the children of Israel lived in the years in the wilderness.

They had no permanent physical homes or shelters, as they were wandering and on their way to the Promised Land of Israel.  They were living so closely and dwelling intimately with God in those days, as He guided them through the wilderness.  They saw that all their provisions came from Him.  When they were hungry, he provided them with manna from heaven and continued to do so in all their days in the wilderness, and when they were thirsty He gave them to drink water from a rock.

Of course, He is the Bread from Heaven and He is the Rock!!

Today when we make a succa, it is to remember those times in the desert/wilderness and it is also to remember that no matter what we have in the physical realm, it is temporary.  Only God is eternal, and our constant Provider.  It is also a tent of God`s love, as after the High Holy Days, cleansing, repentance, and forgiveness, we rejoice in His Love, in the intimacy of dwelling with Him under His wings, in His protection, in  the Succa!!

My daughter came out to see what I was doing, when I called her to see the moon through the tent!
I think she was surprised!  At dinner I told her about the Feast of Sukkot and what the tents represented, and she understood it in some way.  But I think when she came out and saw the moon through the tent, and the intimate dwelling place that it was on the balcony, I do think she had some feeling in her heart of being in the `succa`.

I admit, I was late to make my succa.  I really hadn`t planned on it, but as the day was getting near to a close, approaching erev Succot (the eve when the holiday begins), I just scurried out to gather some materials to make a succa!

 Returning to my opening sentence, I think being late was less important than realizing in my heart how much I longed to make a succa and dwell in G-d`s presence beneath it!!!

Love and blessings to you in this week of Sukkot!

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Shout for joy, Fair Zion!  For lo, I come; and I will dwell in your midst---declares the LORD.

 ---Zecharaiah 2:10

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Photos below:
The moon through the tent, and reading Psalms in the Moonlight!　

Psalm 72

Let them fear You as long as the sun shines,

while the moon lasts, generations on end.  

 ---Psalm 72:5, 

illuminated in the moonlight ( with a flashlight )

＊

The first meal in the succa--Red Bean Buns !  (somehow I had the inspiration to make them this holiday, red beans in rice are celebratory in Japan, so I felt that celebrating Succot in Japan went with red bean bread, in Japanese called `an-pan).

Blessed are you, Lord, our God, sovereign of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to dwell in the sukkah (Amen).

Making a lulav and etrog using a Kabosu and some 100 yen shop leaves and grasses!!

 Other posts on Succot to follow!  How to make Succah Sun Catcher Citron decorations HERE

this leaf says `Shalom` in Japanese writing

And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us.  

---John 1:14

Sukkot Joy

Sukkot Joy! Brought a Pumpkin Challah for the feast,  in time for Erev Succot in Tokyo!
Photo and photo aboveーshofar and full moon--- and below--warm welcome-- by Tehilla♡

 

On the second day, the heads of the families along with the kohanim and the Levites gathered around Ezra to ponder the words of the Torah.  They found written in the Torah that ADONAI had commanded through Moses that Bnei-Yisrael should dwell in a sukkot during the feast of the seventh month.  So that they should proclaim and spread this message in all their towns and in Jerusalem saying, "Go out to the hill country and bring olive branches and wild olive branches, myrtle branches, palm branches and branches of other leafy trees to make sukkot, just as it is written."  So the people went out and brought branches, and made sukkot for themselves, each on their own roof, in their courtyards, in the courtyards of the House of God, in the plaza before the Water Gate and in the plaza of the Ephraim Gate.   The entire assembly who had returned from the captivity made sukkot and dwelt in the sukkot.  Since the days of Joshua the son of Nun until that day Bnei-Yisrael had not done so-- and the joy was very great.

Nehemiah 8:13~17 TLV (Tree of Life Version)

This passage from the book of Nehemiah is close to how I felt this year celebrating Succot for the first time after many years.  Like the 'entire assembly who had returned from the captivity' (line 17), I too had returned from `captivity`!  In this case captivity for me refers to the long period of my life, probably 40 years to be exact, when I was living in separation from God.

And like Joshua and the children of Israel, I too had not done so--i.e., I had not made or celebrated or dwelt in the sukkot, for many years.  I celebrated this special holiday--- which is all about dwelling with God --- with my new congregation in a succa on a rooftop in Tokyo!!

It was a trip through the clouds to get there!

I got to Tokyo and to the rooftop just in time to decorate.  The others from the congregation  brought branches from leafy trees to make the succa just as it is written!! (verse 15, above).  Though the branches were not from the hill country but rather from a congregation member's garden in Tokyo.   Plus we also added other decorations and origami leaves.

The entire congregation had plans to sleep in the succa on the seventh day, but since I was only in Tokyo for one night I determined to sleep in it that first night .  One other congregation member joined.  We dwelled and slept there, looking up as God moved the clouds and stars and moon across the vast expanse of sky.  Indeed being in the succa with the roof open to the sky gives us a sense of being closer to heaven, of God being close to us, and of the great joy it is to dwell with our Creator!!

It began to rain at 3 AM so we went in for the rest of the night.  Then on the eighth day of the holiday, according to the regulation, there was a solemn assembly (continue in Nehemiah 8:18).
And a dance to ADONAI before saying goodbye to the succa and flying through the clouds again as the Torah was scrolled back to the beginning...

Kabosu (from Oita to be used in the place of an etrog!) on the rooftop, with Tokyo Sky Tree in the distance

The moon through origami leaves

Challah by Sara-san, Kabosu from Oita

Futons readied for sleeping in the succa

And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us.  We looked upon His glory, the glory of the one and only from the Father, full of grace and truth.      ---John 1: 14

 "My dwelling-place will be over them.  I will be their God and they will be My people.   Then the nations will know that I am ADONAI who sanctifies Israel, when My Sanctuary is in their midst forever."     ---Ezekiel 38: 27〜28