A   F E S T I V E   R E V I E W "You shall hold a festival for the Lord your God, seven days, in the place the Lord will choose; for the Lord, your God will bless all your crops and all your undertakings, and you shall have nothing but joy" (Deuteronomy 16:1) Names and Dates - and all that... Sukkot is a seven-day holiday. It begins on October 2nd. The actual name Sukkot actually refers to the booths, or temporary dwellings, that we are commanded to live in during the holiday. Historically, they recall the forty-year period during which the Children of Israel wandered in the desert. Additionally, there is an agricultural significance, as the verse above indicates. The other name for the holiday, Chag Ha'asif, the Festival of the Ingathering, refers to the autumn harvest in the Land of Israel. Joyous Festival Sukkot is one of the most joyous festivals in the Jewish calendar, and, as such, it marks a drastic transition from the solemn days that precede the holiday. Indeed, Sukkot is often called Zeman Simchateinu - "The Season of Our Rejoicing." In the Diaspora, the first two days of Sukkot are celebrated as a festival (Yom Tov), and the following five days are called intermediate days (Chol Hamo'ed), the last of which is called Hoshanah Rabbah. Immediately following Sukkot (22nd and 23rd Tishrei) is the holiday of Shemini Atzeret ("the Eighth day of Solemn Assembly") and Simchat Torah (the Day of Celebrating the Torah). In a certain way, Shmini Atzeret (The Eighth Day of Solemn Assembly) is a an extension of the seven days of Sukkot. In Israel, only the first day of Sukkot is celebrated as a festival, and Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are combined into one festival day, making a total of eight festive days in all. In the Diaspora, however, there is a total of nine days of Sukkot. Observances Three special observances are associated with Sukkot. The first two are described in the Bible: * For more details of the laws of festivals. * 1. Dwelling in Sukkot: As it is written - "In booths you shall dwell seven days" (Leviticus 23:42). Click for a bigger image. 2. "Taking" the Four Species: "...the fruit of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook, to rejoice before the Lord" (Leviticus 23:39-40). Today, we take the Four Species, and shake them in the four compass directions, and up and down. 3. Nisuch HaMayim: In addition, the Talmud recalls a special ceremony of "water libation" during the seven days of Sukkot (Sukkot 4:9). This is reflected today in the Simchat Beit HaShoeva, with its incredibly joyous and energetic dancing and singing.