What could be finer than the holiday of Sukkot which follows on the coattails or Rosh HaShannah and Yom Kippur. As we make transitions to a new year, to a new reading of Torah, to the autumn and to our new and better selves, we are commanded to build a booth, or a Sukkah. This poem is about the actions that follow the command.
Do you recognize yourself in some of these actions? Do you have any to add? Surely there are many that I missed.
Please check out some of the other posts about Sukkot, listed at the bottom of this page.
Wishing you a happy, busy and bountiful Sukkot.
In advance, Shabbat Shalom!
Leann
Sukkot
Yom Kippur is over.
Ahhhh,
A small sigh of relief
and a simple command
Build a sukkah.
A fragile dwelling.
Hmmmmm.
And so it begins..
Planning,
surveying,
listing,
comparing,
measuring,
shopping,
ordering,
driving,
buying,
shlepping,
transporting
and we haven’t yet begun!
Next come
sawing,
cutting,
dragging,
lifting,
shlepping,
(yes, some things are mentioned twice; thrice even!)
climbing,
attaching,
hammering,
hanging,
lighting,
reaching,
separating,
straightening,
stretching,
stringing,
sweeping!
And then there is searching.
Always a problem....
Then finding!!!!
Phew!
But,
still remains
clipping,
crimping,
cutting,
dusting,
gluing,
stringing
adjusting,
taping,
making,
hanging,
decorating
Ah, so beautiful!
Not finished yet!
There is still
checking,
shopping,
shopping
(Yes, written twice on purpose!)
chopping,
kneading,
paring,
peeling,
baking,
braiding,
broiling,
chopping,
mopping,
frying,
forming,
frosting,
freezing,
boiling,
icing,
dicing,
spicing,
washing,
wrapping,
simmering
steaming!
We're getting there!
Let's not forget
texting,
calling,
inviting,
greeting,
hugging,
welcoming,
hugging,
sniffing,
sniffling,
seating
This is important now...
Closer now
Closer, closer!
Squeezing,
squeezing,
squeezing,
squeezing,
and finally sitting!
Shmoooshing!
Voila, it’s a sukkah!
Under the full harvest moon,
wrapped in blue cloth,
covered with fragrant S'chach.
Filled with greenery.
Fragile, but so beautiful.
And now,
final verbs are the best!
Seeing,
hearing,
chatting,
whispering,
joking,
jesting,
sipping,
tasting,
eating,
drinking,
sharing,
shaking,
shmoozing,
recounting,
remembering,
reveling,
telling,
toasting,
appreciating,
smiling,
smiling
(twice on purpose because it is important!)
joking,
laughing,
giggling,
singing,
elevating
It begins and ends with blessing.
And so a command becomes a reality.
It is the journey that makes its completion so sweet.
לֵישֵׁב בַּסֻּכָּה
Leviticus 23:39-42
Mark, on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the yield of your land, you shall observe the festival of the LORD [to last] seven days: a complete rest on the first day, and a complete rest on the eighth day.
On the first day you shall take the product of hadar trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.
You shall observe it as a festival of the LORD for seven days in the year; you shall observe it in the seventh month as a law for all time, throughout the ages.
You shall live in booths seven days; all citizens in Israel shall live in booths,
Other posts on Words Have Wings on the Sukkot holiday.
https://www.wordshavewings.net/post/the-holiday-of-our-joy The Holiday of our Joy
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