How do we celebrate Sukkot and Simchat Torah after Oct. 7?
Sukkot marks the end of the agricultural cycle, Chag Ha’asif, the festival of gathering in the harvest.
Sukkot and Simchat Torah are significant Jewish holidays, but the celebration of these festivals has been impacted by the events of October 7. Sukkot commemorates God's protection of the Jewish people in the wilderness and serves as a reminder that God's care extends to all humanity. Historically, Sukkot drew people from various nations to Jerusalem, making it an international gathering.
The festival marks the end of the agricultural cycle and features the 70 bulls as offerings, corresponding to the 70 nations of the ancient world. In the future, Sukkot will be a celebration that draws humanity to Jerusalem.
Shmini Atzeret, a distinct holiday that occurs after Sukkot, has a different character and occupies a special place on the calendar. It concludes the annual cycle of pilgrimage festivals and becomes an intimate moment of covenant between God and His people. The second day of Shmini Atzeret in the diaspora is celebrated as Simchat Torah, which marks the conclusion and immediate beginning of the annual Torah reading.
This celebration focuses on the unique covenant between God and the Jewish people and the Torah entrusted to them.
Following the events of October 7, the celebration of Sukkot and Simchat Torah has been impacted. The holiday now represents a complex interdependence between Jewish universalism and Jewish particularism. While Israel has strengthened its national life and gained acceptance among nations, the country has also faced increased international hostility and suspicion.
These challenges have altered the balance between the outward-reaching Jewish universalism and the inward-looking Jewish particularism represented by Sukkot and Shmini Atzeret/Simchat Torah.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
