Sukkot – Sept 25, 2026

Sukkot — סוכות

Starts at sundown on Sept 25 and ends at sundown on Oct 2

Summary

The Jewish holiday immediately following Yom Kippur is Sukkot, which begins on the 15th day of Tishrei, five days after Yom Kippur.

Sukkot is one of the three pilgrimage festivals of the Torah, together with Pesach and Shavuot. It lasts seven days and remembers the protection HaShem gave Bnei Yisrael during the forty years they traveled through the wilderness after leaving Egypt.

The most recognizable mitzvah of Sukkot is living in a sukkah, a temporary outdoor structure covered with natural roofing called sechach. Jews traditionally eat their meals in the sukkah, spend time there, study Torah there, and according to halachah and personal circumstances, may also sleep there.

Another major mitzvah is taking the Arba Minim, the Four Species: the lulav, etrog, hadassim, and aravot. They are held together and used during prayer each day of Sukkot except Shabbat.

Sukkot is also called Zman Simchateinu, “the time of our joy.” Only a few days after the seriousness of Yom Kippur, Judaism moves into a holiday filled with meals, family, guests, prayer, singing, and community.

What Sukkot Means

The word Sukkot is the plural form of sukkah, meaning temporary shelters or booths.

The Torah says:

בסכת תשבו שבעת ימים

“You shall dwell in sukkot for seven days.”

HaShem commands us to live in these temporary structures so future generations will remember that He caused Bnei Yisrael to dwell in sukkot when He brought them out of Egypt.

Traditional Jewish commentators discuss whether these sukkot were physical shelters or the protective Ananei HaKavod, the Clouds of Glory that surrounded and protected Israel in the wilderness.

Either way, the central message is the same.

Our security ultimately comes from HaShem.

A strong house may make us feel safe, but during Sukkot we deliberately leave that permanent home and spend time in something temporary.

It reminds us that our buildings, possessions, and plans are never the ultimate source of security.

From Yom Kippur to Sukkot

The transition from Yom Kippur to Sukkot is unusually fast.

On Yom Kippur we fast, confess, pray, and examine our lives.

Five days later we are sitting outside, eating festive meals and celebrating.

Orthodox Jewish tradition sees an important lesson in this.

Teshuvah is not supposed to leave us permanently sad.

Once we have sincerely turned back toward HaShem, we move forward with joy.

In many communities, people begin preparing or building the sukkah soon after Yom Kippur ends.

This physically demonstrates that spiritual growth should lead to action.

The Sukkah — סוכה

A sukkah is a temporary structure built specifically for the holiday.

It needs proper walls and must be covered with sechach, natural plant material that has been cut from the ground.

Common sechach materials include bamboo, branches, reeds, or specially prepared kosher sukkah mats.

The roof must provide more shade than sunlight during the day, but the sukkah should still clearly feel temporary rather than like a permanent building.

Many families decorate their sukkah with artwork, fruit, Jewish decorations, children’s projects, or pictures connected with Jerusalem and Eretz Yisrael.

Why We Sit in the Sukkah

During Sukkot, the sukkah becomes a temporary home.

Ideally, many ordinary activities are moved into it.

People eat meals there.

They talk with family and friends.

They study Torah.

Some people spend much of the day there.

According to Orthodox halachah, sleeping in the sukkah is also part of the mitzvah when practical, although there are important differences in custom, climate, health, safety, and circumstances.

The basic idea is that we do not merely visit the sukkah.

For seven days, we try to make it part of our life.

Eating in the Sukkah

Meals containing bread are generally eaten in the sukkah.

A special blessing is recited:

ברוך אתה ה׳ אלהינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו לישב בסוכה

“Blessed are You, HaShem our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to dwell in the sukkah.”

The exact rules concerning when this blessing is said depend upon what is being eaten and the customs being followed.

The first night of Sukkot has particular importance, and eating in the sukkah that night is a special obligation for those who are required to do so.

Welcoming Guests

Hospitality is strongly associated with Sukkot.

Families often invite relatives, friends, neighbors, and people who may not have their own sukkah.

There is also the tradition of Ushpizin, symbolic spiritual guests associated with important figures in Jewish history.

Different traditions list figures such as Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Moshe, Aharon, Yosef, and David.

The custom helps remind us that Jewish life connects generations.

Sukkot is therefore a natural holiday for reaching out to someone who might otherwise celebrate alone.

The Four Species — ארבעת המינים

Another major mitzvah of Sukkot is taking the Arba Minim, the Four Species.

They are:

Lulav, a palm branch.

Etrog, a citron.

Hadassim, myrtle branches.

Aravot, willow branches.

The lulav, hadassim, and aravot are bound together, while the etrog is held separately.

Together they are commonly referred to simply as “the lulav and etrog.”

Taking the Lulav and Etrog

A blessing is made before taking the Four Species:

ברוך אתה ה׳ אלהינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו על נטילת לולב

“Blessed are You, HaShem our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning the taking of the lulav.”

On the first occasion of the holiday, Shehecheyanu is also normally recited.

The Four Species are then moved in different directions during the mitzvah and at specific points during Hallel.

The motions traditionally represent HaShem’s presence everywhere.

They also connect the holiday with nature, agriculture, rain, and our dependence upon HaShem.

What the Four Species Teach

Jewish tradition gives many explanations for the Four Species.

One famous Midrash compares them to different types of Jews.

Some have Torah learning and mitzvot.

Some may be stronger in one area than another.

Others may appear to have little of either.

Yet the mitzvah requires bringing them together.

The message is especially powerful for a Jewish community.

Am Yisrael is strongest when Jews are connected rather than separated.

A Jew does not become unnecessary because they are less observant or know less Torah.

We need one another.

Sukkot as Zman Simchateinu

In our prayers, Sukkot is called:

זמן שמחתנו

“the time of our joy.”

Joy is actually part of the Torah’s commandment concerning the festival.

ושמחת בחגך

“You shall rejoice in your festival.”

Jewish joy does not mean ignoring life’s difficulties.

It means recognizing that even in an uncertain world, we have Torah, HaShem, family, community, and opportunities to perform mitzvot.

Sukkot teaches us to appreciate these blessings.

Holiday Meals

Like other major Jewish festivals, Sukkot begins with candle lighting and Kiddush.

Festive meals are eaten, usually including challah and wine or grape juice.

There is no single required Sukkot food in the way matzah is required on Pesach.

Many families have traditional dishes associated with the season.

Because the meal is often eaten outside in the sukkah, Sukkot meals can have a relaxed and communal atmosphere.

The First Days of Sukkot

The observance differs slightly between Israel and the Diaspora.

In Israel, the first day of Sukkot is Yom Tov.

Outside Israel, including the United States, the first two days are traditionally observed as Yom Tov.

During Yom Tov, ordinary weekday work is prohibited according to halachah, although certain activities related to food preparation are permitted under rules that differ from Shabbat.

After the opening Yom Tov period comes Chol HaMoed.

Chol HaMoed — חול המועד

Most of the middle days of Sukkot are called Chol HaMoed.

These are intermediate festival days.

They are not ordinary weekdays, but they also do not have all the restrictions of Yom Tov.

Many people continue working when necessary, although unnecessary work is traditionally limited.

Families often use Chol HaMoed for outings, visiting friends, spending time in the sukkah, Torah learning, and community activities.

In Israel especially, Chol HaMoed Sukkot often has a very festive public atmosphere.

Hallel

Hallel is recited each day of Sukkot.

Hallel consists of Psalms of praise thanking HaShem.

During portions of Hallel, the Four Species are moved in different directions.

This combination of prayer, movement, singing, and community makes Sukkot services feel very different from the quiet seriousness of Yom Kippur.

Hoshanot — הושענות

During Sukkot, congregants traditionally walk around the bimah while holding the Four Species and reciting prayers called Hoshanot.

The word Hoshana means something similar to “please save us.”

These prayers ask HaShem for salvation and blessing.

Water and rain are particularly important themes because Sukkot occurs near the beginning of the rainy season in Eretz Yisrael.

Rain was and remains essential to agriculture and life in the Land of Israel.

Hoshana Rabbah — הושענא רבה

The seventh day of Sukkot is called Hoshana Rabbah.

It has a special spiritual character.

The synagogue service includes additional Hoshanot, and the congregation circles the bimah multiple times.

There is also a traditional ceremony involving willow branches called aravot.

They are struck against the ground according to established custom.

Hoshana Rabbah is sometimes viewed as the final stage of the judgment process that began on Rosh Hashanah and continued through Yom Kippur.

For that reason, it combines the joy of Sukkot with a sense of spiritual seriousness.

Water and Rain

Water is an important theme throughout Sukkot.

During the time of the Beit HaMikdash, the holiday included the Simchat Beit HaShoevah, connected with the drawing of water for a special Temple ceremony.

Jewish tradition describes the celebration surrounding it as extraordinarily joyful.

Today, many Orthodox communities hold gatherings, music, dancing, Torah learning, and celebrations under the name Simchat Beit HaShoevah.

The prayers surrounding Sukkot also begin directing attention toward the coming rainy season.

For Jews living in Eretz Yisrael, the importance of rain is especially easy to understand.

Remembering the Beit HaMikdash

Sukkot was one of the Shalosh Regalim, the three pilgrimage festivals.

During the time of the Beit HaMikdash, Jews traveled to Jerusalem for the festival.

The city would fill with pilgrims bringing offerings and celebrating the holiday.

For traditional Orthodox Judaism, this connection to Jerusalem is not only historical.

Our prayers continue to express hope for the rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash and the restoration of the full festival service.

Sukkot therefore has a particularly strong connection with Jerusalem.

Sukkot and Eretz Yisrael

Sukkot is deeply connected to the agricultural cycle of Eretz Yisrael.

It takes place around the time crops were gathered from the fields.

The Torah therefore connects the holiday with gratitude for the harvest.

This creates an interesting combination.

We celebrate having enough to eat while sitting inside a temporary structure.

The message is that we should enjoy HaShem’s blessings without forgetting where those blessings ultimately come from.

Trust in HaShem

A sukkah feels less secure than a normal home.

Its roof moves in the wind.

We hear sounds from outside.

We notice the weather.

That vulnerability is intentional.

For one week, Torah asks us to leave some of the physical security we normally depend upon.

This does not mean that Judaism rejects homes or material security.

It teaches us not to mistake those things for HaShem.

We take reasonable steps to protect ourselves, but our ultimate trust is in Him.

Sukkot and Community

Sukkot is one of the most naturally social Jewish holidays.

A sukkah invites people to sit together.

Meals are shared.

Guests visit.

Children participate.

People learn Torah and talk.

A person who feels uncomfortable attending a formal synagogue service may sometimes find sitting in a sukkah with other Jews much easier.

There may be food, conversation, laughter, questions, and opportunities to participate without needing to know every prayer.

For someone who feels disconnected from Jewish life, this can be a powerful first experience of community.

Sukkot for Someone New to Jewish Observance

Someone new to Sukkot does not have to understand every halachah immediately.

Begin by experiencing the holiday.

Visit someone’s sukkah.

Eat a meal there.

Learn what the lulav and etrog represent.

Attend a synagogue service and watch how the Four Species are used.

Ask questions.

Help decorate a sukkah.

Invite another person who might otherwise be alone.

Every experience can teach something.

Jewish learning often becomes easier when it is connected with actually living Jewish life.

What Comes After Sukkot

The seven days of Sukkot are followed immediately by Shemini Atzeret.

In Israel, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are observed on the same day.

Outside Israel, Shemini Atzeret is followed by a separate day of Simchat Torah.

These holidays have their own meaning and observances, although they are closely connected to the Sukkot season.

Simchat Torah celebrates completing the annual Torah-reading cycle and immediately beginning it again.

A Tevel Zion Lesson From Sukkot

Sukkot reminds us that Jewish life is not meant to be experienced only inside a synagogue.

We can find HaShem around a table, while welcoming a guest, while sharing food, while learning Torah, and while sitting under the open sky.

A sukkah is temporary, but the connections made inside it can last much longer.

For someone who feels alone or distant from Judaism, Sukkot carries a very simple message:

There is room for you at the table.

You do not need to know every prayer.

You do not have to pretend to be more observant than you are.

Come sit with other Jews.