Select a result to preview

History of Sukkot 2024 [Public]

Presentation Notes
Post

History of Sukkot 2024 [Public]

While it might not seem very spiritual, history gives us the context that helps us understand Scripture

It is fascinating how the celebration of Sukkot is directly involved in Israel’s historical events.

It is probably the most mentioned feast in the Bible, besides perhaps the Passover, being mentioned in 11 books of the Bible.

For most of us, the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) is our favorite feast.

This seems to have been the case in the ancient world as well, with Sukkot becoming known as “the feast”

To begin the history of Sukkot, we need to go back to the Exodus

For full passages and quotes with citations, see below

**“**By the rabbinic period or even earlier, however, it is clear that the waving of the Four Species had become a commandment that is separate from that of the construction of the sukkah.”

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/history-of-sukkot/

“Another important ceremony conducted during the Second Temple period was libation with water, ceremoniously brought from the Gihon spring outside Jerusalem and poured on the altar.

Every night, throughout the holiday a celebration took place at the Temple compound - Simkhat Beit HaShoeva. Great torches were lit, music was played, and people danced. The Mishnah tells us that this was a very joyous event, going as far as saying that a person who has not seen it had never experienced joy.”

https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/2020-10-02/ty-article/.premium/the-history-of-sukkot/0000017f-e6b9-d62c-a1ff-fefb3e8e0000

“The celebration of the Water-drawing was a highlight of the Feast. It was a happy, even ecstatic occasion, with a torchlight parade, including musicians, jugglers, and dancers, marching to the Temple, at night, as the whole city of Jerusalem was lit up by giant torches and the light of giant menorahs. As the lyres, drums, cymbals, trumpets, drums and horns played, the Rabbis entertained and clowned, adding to the joy. Not one day of Sukkot passed without joyous festivities that celebrated the happiness of the harvest, and the joy of community.”

https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/the-feast-of-tabernacles-the-party-begins-when-god-is-with-us-ed-vasicek-sermon-on-god-s-provision-79261

“Each night of the holiday, the Jews in Jerusalem during Temple times, held the "Simchat Beit HaShoeva," or "Celebration of the water-drawing." Throughout the year, the daily offerings were accompanied by the pouring of wine on the Temple altar; on Sukkos, water was poured in addition to the wine. The drawing of water was preceded by all-night celebrations in the Temple courtyard, with instrument-playing Levites, and huge oil-burning lamps that illuminated the entire city.

The singing, music, and dancing went on until daybreak when a procession would make its way to the valley below the Temple to “draw water with joy” from the Shiloach Spring.
…
“For all the days of the water drawing,” recalled Rabbi Joshua ben Chanania in the Talmud, “our eyes saw no sleep.”
The Talmud further declares: “One who did not see the joy of the water-drawing celebrations, has not seen joy in his life.”
…
But there was one aspect of the celebration, the Mishnah and the Talmud make special mention of: the torch-juggling sages.
…
The Talmud relates the story of one particular juggler during these Sukkos celebrations. This was no ordinary person. It was Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel (circa 10 BCE-70 CE), who held the title of head of the Sanhedrin (High Court), known as the “Nassi” (the prince of the Jewish people). A direct descendant of King David, he was the spiritual leader of the nation. During these all-night celebrating on Sukkos, Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel juggled. He kindled eight portable bonfires and juggled them, without dropping even one, and without them ever touching each other.
https://www.theyeshiva.net/jewish/item/5377/sukkos-essay-the-jugglers

“After the temple was destroyed by Titus in 70 CE, the Jewish religion went through a major change, and the heart of Sukkot - the temple sacrifices - could no longer be observed. Thus further emphasis came to be ascribed to the sukkah, the four species, and prayer. Sukkot, which in the past were only erected in Jerusalem, were arose wherever Jews were living.”
https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Sukkot

A History of Sukkot in the Second Temple and Rabbinic Periods
Jubilees, Maccabees, Philo, Jospehus, and other sources provide details about Sukkot dating back to the second temple period.

ALEXANDER JANNÆUS (Jonathan) - JewishEncyclopedia.com
As a result of this warlike policy, Alexander felt compelled to maintain friendly relations with that class of the people most deeply interested in national political aggrandizement—the Sadducees, the aristocratic class. In order to show his affinity with the Sadducees, he, in his capacity of high priest, while offering the prescribed water libation on the Feast of Tabernacles, allowed the water to run upon his feet, thus expressing his contempt for this purely Pharisaic ceremony. The people present were so incensed at this demonstration against the Pharisees, with whom they in the main sided, that they pelted the king with the citrons which they carried in accordance with one of the customs of this festival. They assailed him with loud cries, and styled him "son of the captive," thus resurrecting the old Pharisaic charge against the members of the Hasmonean house and their eligibility to the priesthood (see John Hyrcanus). Alexander summoned his Pisidian and Cilician mercenaries and let them loose upon the people, slaying then and there 6,000 Pharisees.

More information:
https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Sukkot

Solomon’s temple was dedicated during the Feast of Sukkot

2 Chron 7:8-11

8 At that time Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly from the entrance of Hamath to the Brook of Egypt. 9 And on the eighth day they held a sacred assembly, for they observed the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days. 10 On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people away to their tents, joyful and glad of heart for the good that the Lord had done for David, for Solomon, and for His people Israel. 11 Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord and the king’s house; and Solomon successfully accomplished all that came into his heart to make in the house of the Lord and in his own house.

1Ki 12:28, 32-33 NKJV 28 Therefore the king asked advice, made two calves of gold, and said to the people, "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt!"

…

32 Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. So he did at Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made. And at Bethel he installed the priests of the high places which he had made. 33 So he made offerings on the altar which he had made at Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month which he had devised in his own heart. And he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and offered sacrifices on the altar and burned incense.

The returning exiles celebrated Sukkot. It seems that prior to this time the people of Israel had not dwelt in booths as commanded.

Nehemiah 8:13 Now on the second day the heads of the fathers' houses of all the people, with the priests and Levites, were gathered to Ezra the scribe, in order to understand the words of the Law. 14 And they found written in the Law, which the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month, 15 and that they should announce and proclaim in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, "Go out to the mountain, and bring olive branches, branches of oil trees, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written." 16 Then the people went out and brought them and made themselves booths, each one on the roof of his house, or in their courtyards or the courts of the house of God, and in the open square of the Water Gate and in the open square of the Gate of Ephraim. 17 So the whole assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and sat under the booths; for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun until that day the children of Israel had not done so. And there was very great gladness. 18 Also day by day, from the first day until the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day there was a sacred assembly, according to the prescribed manner.

Hanukkah was a celebration of Sukkot, even though it was later in the month Chislev, since they were unable to keep the feast in the 7th month.

2 Macc 10 Now Maccabeus and his followers, the Lord leading them on, recovered the temple and the city; 2 they tore down the altars that had been built in the public square by the foreigners and also destroyed the sacred precincts. 3 They purified the sanctuary and made another altar of sacrifice; then, striking fire out of flint, they offered sacrifices, after a lapse of two years, and they offered incense and lighted lamps and set out the bread of the Presence. 4 When they had done this, they fell prostrate and implored the Lord that they might never again fall into such misfortunes but that, if they should ever sin, they might be disciplined by him with forbearance and not be handed over to blasphemous and barbarous nations. 5 It happened that on the same day on which the sanctuary had been profaned by the foreigners, the purification of the sanctuary took place, that is, on the twenty-fifth day of the same month, which was Chislev. 6 They celebrated it for eight days with rejoicing, in the manner of the Festival of Booths, remembering how not long before, during the Festival of Booths, they had been wandering in the mountains and caves like wild animals. 7 Therefore, carrying ivy-wreathed wands and beautiful branches and also palm fronds, they offered hymns of thanksgiving to him who had given success to the purifying of his own holy place. 8 They decreed by public edict, ratified by vote, that the whole nation of the Jews should observe these days every year.

Jhn 7:2-16 NKJV 2 Now the Jews' Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. His brothers therefore said to Him, "Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. "For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world." For even His brothers did not believe in Him. Then Jesus said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. "The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil. "You go up to this feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come." When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee. But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. Then the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, "Where is He?" And there was much complaining among the people concerning Him. Some said, "He is good"; others said, "No, on the contrary, He deceives the people." However, no one spoke openly of Him for fear of the Jews. Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. And the Jews marveled, saying, "How does this Man know letters, having never studied?" Jesus answered them and said, "My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me.

Jhn 7:37-39 KJV In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)