Tonight begins the Feast of Tabernacles called by the Jews, Sukkoth or Booths. Scholars tell us that this is the oldest feast in the Jewish calendar. It was and is a harvest feast but it has had so many additional traditions and connotations added to it that it has become perhaps the most important of the great pilgrim feasts. Originally, before there was a Jewish faith or even an Abrahamic faith, people in the Middle East celebrated three major festivals -- The Feast of Unleavened Bread, The Feast of the First Fruits, and The Harvest Feast. G-d first changed the meaning of these three feasts in the Torah. To the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which had been a feast to celebrate the lambing, was added Passover and the Exodus. To the Feast of the First Fruits was added the connotation of the First Fruit of the Exodus, which was the Torah. To the last Feast, Sukkoth, was added the Feast of the Gentile Nations and the Rejoicing in the Law.
Zechariah 14:16 proclaims that the Feast of Sukkoth will be the only feast that survives the coming of the Meshiach. The reason for its survival will be its nature as the Feast of the Gentiles. Sukkoth is a time of Thanksgiving. It is the time when we thank G-d for his many blessings of the past year. The Gentiles need to thank G-d for a good harvest and a good year as well; thus the feast of Sukkoth is the proper time for Thanksgiving. In America, before it was changed by FDR to November, Thanksgiving was celebrated in October. Likewise, the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry has the obligatory feast of Tishri during the month of Tishri, the Holy Month of the Jews. Our Pilgrim Fathers likewise celebrated Sukkoth and in recognition of the Gentile nature invited the Indians to come to the feast. Jews everywhere invite Gentiles to come to their Sukkoth celebrations.
One of the most important traditions of this feast is the command to live in temporary structures, called Booths. This helps us to recognize that our forefathers were totally dependent upon G-d to provide for us during the Exodus. Likewise, we are still dependent on Him for our daily bread, for our jobs, for our children, for our lives, and for peace in the world. There is no security except in G-d. He is our Savior. By living in these Booths, we teach our children and remind ourselves of the transient nature of life and the eternal grace of our Father in Heaven.
It is interesting that in ancient times, on the first seven days of the feast 69 bullocks were offered in holocaust to G-d, one for each of the Gentile nations. What other religion offers sacrifices and prayers for each of the Gentile nations, all of which hate them? Yet Jews are taught by this feast to love their enemies even when they are reviled by them. This year as in every year, we will offer thanksgiving offerings for the Arabs and Edomites or Palestinians or closest relatives, even though they hate us.
Jesus made the Feast of Sukkoth a time of teaching. John 7:14 and after gives his sermons during that feast. Moses was not accepted even though he offered signs to Pharoah and to the Jews. Jesus says that he offers signs as a sign that his authority comes from the Most High, but the people still do not believe him. Likewise, we say we believe in the authority of Jesus but we do not do what he says.
Another tradition of Sukkoth is set forth in the Torah. "And you shall take for yourselves on the First Day the fruit of a beautiful tree, the branches of date palms, branches of the myrtle tree, and branches of the willow tree, and you shall rejoice before Hashem, your G-d, for Seven Days." (Leviticus 23:40) The "Etrog," the Citron, resembles in its shape, the heart, the driving force behind all our actions. The "Lulav," the Palm Branch, resembles the spine, which holds the body together and, without which, we would be unable to move. The "Hadasim," the Myrtle Branches, resemble, in their almond-shape, the eyes, with which we behold G-d's World. And the "Aravot," the Willow Branches, resemble the lips, with which we give expression to our thoughts and feelings. Thus we are taught that thanksgiving must come from the whole being. The spirituality of Sukkoth teaches us that we must truly be dependent and thankful for the blessings of that dependence on the Most High.

May you have a joyous and happy Sukkoth.