The Denver Jewish news., 1923-09-20
THE HARVEST FESTIVAL
OF ISRAEL


known as Succoth, meaning booths,
will be observed in the synagog for
period of one week, beginning Monday
evening. September 24. ON the first
and last days of the festival religious
services are held in all jewish places
of worship. Among the more rituals
tic the first two days and an additional
day ut the end of the festival are OBJ
served. The Intervening days of the
festive cycle are regarded as semi-holi-
days.
The Biblical basis for this ancient
harvest festival is well known. Deu-
terOnomy 1914 says: Thou shalt re-
joice in thy feast, thou. and thy son
ant. and thy maid-scrvant, and the
Levite, and the stranger and the IA
therless, and the widow, that are
within thy gates" In Leviticus 23
3i-43 the children of Israel are again
enjoined to keep the Feast of Taber-
nacIes or Succoth.
OF particular interest to the Ameri-
can people are these Biblical sources
since our own national Thanksgiving
Day, established by the pious, scrip
turc-reading Pilgrim fathers was pat
termed after the Jewish Feast of Tab
eranacles.
The atmosphere of the festival as
described i'm the Bible reflects its ma
Tt 81
festival of Biblical times. The people
from all parts of Palestine, from Dan
to Beer-sheba, flocked to the central
sanctuary in solemn procession carry
ing palms and other plants. Hence this
feast was called Pilgrimage Feast.
In ancient times there is no doubt
that primitive rites were performed in
connection with this feast in the ma
tnre of symbolic prayer for rain for
the ensuing year. 1t is possible that
this primitive ceremony is referred to
in the last chapter of Zechariah. The
popular outburst of joy noted there is
echoed throughout the present day lit
urgy of the festival.
In the SynaGog and home the orig
inal character of the feast as n season
Of gladness is still maintained. The
worshipper is impressed with the con-
viction that God has given His rich
man being is heir to these common
resources This confidence dissipates
the gloomy doctrine that the earth with
all its riches and delights is merely a
vale of tears.
The feast of Succoth as interpreted
by the synagog is protest against
these ancient other-wordly doctrines.
1t eXalts the dignity of human labor
aud assures the worshipper that his
sweating and striving in honest effort
for daily bread is II labor consecrated
by God.
The conclusion feast allegorizes
the conception of Gods protection of
Israel during the forty years of their
wandering through the wilderness and
His guidance of them throughout the
ensuing centuries of their pilgrima ge |
through all lands and ages. This joy |
eliminates in the "Simchath Torah"
when the annual cycle of reading from
the Pentateuch is completed in the
synagog.
During this period the synagog is
decorated with fruits and vegetables,
Some congregations erect booths which
are the symbol indicative of Gods care
for Israel during their desert period,
when they were housed in just such
frail, makeshift dwellings. Further
more, it is calculated thus to impress
old and young with the dignity of la
bcr and the primary Importance of
farming in the economy of the world.
The will of the late Mrs. Julia Selig-