As a seven-day holiday that begins on the 14th day of the seventh (Tishrei) month, two weeks into the new year, Sukkot has always occupied a position of importance on the Jewish calendar. Recognizing the seven-day foundation of the week, it’s clear that Sukkot’s placement in the calendar is no coincidence. Simply called “The Holiday” He-Chag–Sukkot occupied an important agricultural place as it marked the end of the summer harvest and then hoped and prayed for beginning of the winter rains. It has been argued that Yom Kippur was actually a preparatory purification for the intense rituals surrounding Sukkot and its sacrifices. As an agricultural nation, dependent on the winter rains, the sacrifices and prayers of Sukkot were believed to be essential for those rains to arrive.
Given Sukkot’s importance in the calendar, the layering of additional meanings on top of the original role should come as no surprise. Perhaps the most transformational revision of Sukkot comes from the prophet Zechariah. You’ll likely recognize his words immediately בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא יִהְיֶ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶחָ֖ד וּשְׁמ֥וֹ אֶחָֽד׃ (Bayom hahu, yi’yeh Adonai echad u’shmo echad.) In his admittedly complicated prophecy from the late 6th century BCE, Zecharia imagines the end of days when God is sovereign over all the earth, all the nations will come to worship the Jewish God in a grand procession that will culminate at the rebuilt Jerusalem temple. What holiday will they celebrate? Sukkot!
Now the stage was set for a vision of the culmination of history on Sukkot. It was a time when enmity would cease, and God would bring peace to the entire world. It is likely that the notion of a Sukkat Shalom–a grand Sukkah of peace–evolved from this beautiful notion of world harmony.
Though we may not envision all the details of Zechariah’s end of days scenario, his vision of peaceful harmony among all people and nations remains inspiring. As we sit with friends in a sukkah and enjoy the cool Fall weather or enjoy the prayerful celebration of Sukkot in temple, perhaps just for a fleeting moment, we can embrace the hope that one day, the harmony the ancient prophet imagined will be realized throughout the earth.
—Rabbi Ron Stern