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As we rush from class to class in the coming week with our cell phones ringing and our pocket PCs beeping, perhaps we might be too occupied to notice a relatively small structure that was recently built on the mall.
At first glance, it seems to be some sort of cornstalk-covered lean-to with what appears to be food hanging from the roof – what could this new structure be?
“Surely it can’t be of much importance to me,” we think as we pass by. But with closer inspection and deeper understanding, we begin to see that this is not merely a shack, it’s a Sukkah.
For the secular among us, a Sukkah is a booth-like structure, much like those in which the Israelites resided during their 40 years in the Sinai wilderness after liberation from Egypt. Today it is meant to be a dwelling in which Jewish peoples live for one week during Succoth, a harvest festival commemorating the Israelites’ modest lifestyle.
The University of Maine’s Sukkah was built by Hillel, the Foundation for Jewish Campus Life. Its implementation was overseen by the group’s directors, Joel Simons and Sarah Annis. The president of Hillel, Tabitha Shore, along with about a dozen volunteers, pitched in to build the Sukkah, which will remain standing until Sept. 29.
The structure on the mall is much like any traditional Sukkah. It is composed of at least three walls, is less than 30 feet high, and has a natural roof – a sekhakh, made of something that was grown – hence the cornstalks. The sekhakh is purposely made to let in some rain and sunlight, and allows for the viewing of stars at night. Inside the Sukkah are handmade decorations, fruits and vegetables. Other embellishments sometimes include artwork, lamps, cloths and religious objects, all of which must remain in the Sukkah for the duration of Succoth.
The most common adornments in the Sukkah are what the Torah calls “the four species”: the lulav (palm branch), the etrog (citron fruit), the hadas (myrtle branch) and the aravah (willow branch). The symbolic meaning of using these objects in the Sukkah is believed to be based upon their presence of taste (knowledge) and smell (altruism). The etrog smells and tastes good, the aravah does neither, the hadas smells good but has no taste, and the lulav has taste but no fragrance.
Based on this symbolism, there are four types of Jews: etrog-Jews, who are knowledgeable and do good deeds; willow-Jews, who know and practice nothing; myrtle-Jews, who do good deeds but are quite ignorant; and lulav-Jews, who know a lot but don’t do anything worthwhile. By putting all four types together, the unity of Klal Yisrael – the Jewish People – is recognized.
A weeklong stay in a Sukkah provides all of Klal Yisrael a deeper understanding of their natural environment, while emphasizing the significance of being fragile and open to the elements. During that week, all meals are had in the Sukkah and discussion topics range from the implications the Sukkah has on our feelings of security to the importance of appreciating our abundance of water.
The Sukkah serves as a means of reflection both upon ourselves and the world in which we live. In our day and age, while it may seem imperative to have such material luxuries as pagers and high-speed Internet access, the Sukkah reminds us that it is also important to acknowledge the presence of simple treasures like food, water, family and God.
