This study of the Holy Days is dedicated in the loving memory of Mrs Bella Noahson and Mr. Jack Noahson, may they rest in peace.

"You shall dwell in the sukkahs seven days, every native born Israelite shall dwell in the sukkahs so that your generations will know that in the sukkahs I caused {you} B'nei Yisroel to dwell when I took them {B'nei Yisroel} out from the land of Mitzriam, I am Hashem, your G-d. And thus Moshe declared the appointed times of Hashem to the B'nei Yisroel." Leviticus 23: 42-44.

What is a sukkah? A sukkah is a temporary dwelling place usually found on one's porch, patio or yard. It is a building made with a variety of materials. Over the past years the Belk family has built our sukkah out of conduit and plastic, tarps, plywood, wood paneling and other interesting materials.

Another name for sukkah is booth. Sukkah is the Hebrew word that many translate as booth. The translation is derived from the Latin word tabernaculum, meaning tabernacles.

Usually we begin preparing for Sukkos immediately after Yom Kippur. Each year our sukkah varies in size and in materials. I cannot remember a year when our sukkah was exactly the same as the previous year. We always end up changing something. We have so much fun making plans and preparations for building our sukkah..

Sukkah Story

1999 was our first year living in the mountainous suburbs of Denver where temperatures are considerably cooler! Our sukkah was also a bit frosty because we used a plastic cover for the door instead of a real door. We were constantly buffeted by heavy winds blowing the plastic open and chilling the cool air inside... The wind also blew our skock {cut branches} off the sukkah roof. Yet last year's sukkah was so much fun just as each year's sukkah is. As I write this article we are again deeply involved in the preparations for this year's sukkah, we're so excited! G-d willing, we will extend the size of our sukkah, add another table so we will be able to accommodate about 12 people, build a real door and add electric heaters so our sukkah will be a warm, cozy sukkah.

Then of course comes the fun of decorating the inside of the sukkah. Children especially love this part. Weeks in advance the Jewish day schools in our area begin preparing our children for Sukkos by creating special sukkah decorations. We decorate our sukkahs with pictures of famous rabbium, relatives and designs from previous years. Our sukkah tables are beautifully covered with ornate decorations in anticipation of guests that will soon be arriving for wonderful meals, singing and joyous Torah study. Everything is so wonderful, beautiful and intrinsically different! Since at Sukkos time there is much to focus on and much to enjoy one might wonder, 'Why was it necessary for Hashem to command B'nei Yisroel to dwell in the sukkah since everything about it is so pleasurable?'

Holy reader, thousands of years ago Kal Yisroel did not embellish the sukkah as we do today. Thousands of years ago our ancestors actually lived in a sukkah... a tabernacle... a booth in the wilderness without the convenience of modern-day plastic, plywood, paneling and other such conveniences as prefabricated sukkahs. Living in a very small confined area was not easy for B'nei Yisroel. Everything that our ancestors owned had to be transported in a nomadic lifestyle. Their sukkah wasn't stored behind the house, in the basement, in the garage or in a canvas sack. Their sukkah was real!

Now as we look back on those days inscribed in the Torah we picture a different setting in our minds than what actually existed. We have added many beautiful and comfortable items to our sukkah that originally did not exist. If we were to actually experience our sukkah as our ancestors did, we would not find them nearly as attractive! When it rained their roofs leaked. Their bedding and clothes got wet! They were wet and cold! How would they dry their clothes and warm themselves? Then there were creatures, insects, and other such things that they contended with on a normal basis that most of us need not concern ourselves with.

Story of Wild Mountain Life

This thought became very real around Pesach time this year when bighorn sheep were scattered across the mountain in our backyard. We watched the bighorn sheep from our patio. They are normally very calm and not easily disturbed. Yet, on this particular day they were nervous. They were uneasy and hyper! We were curious. Why were they acting so strangely? We decided to investigate. My youngest son and I walked up into the forest area. About 500 ft. from our porch we walked upon a wild mountain lion. To say the least, this was a startling experience for us and, thank G-d, for the mountain lion also.

This past summer on several occasions black bears from the surrounding mountains have wandered down into our community. Can you imagine how startling it might be to go out into your garage and see a 300 lb. black bear eating your dog's food? This happened to an individual a few blocks away from where we live. So, dear reader, the point is that in our community we live amongst wildlife that many don't experience in urban settings. When the potential for a confrontation with one of these creatures exists while living in a sukkah during Sukkos, it drives home the message that Hashem intended for us to receive. That message is that we must depend entirely upon Hashem for our protection!

Those who live in the inner city frequently contend with the fear of violence while dwelling in their sukkah. A few years ago, about a month before Sukkos, we heard this rat ah tat tat while we were enjoying our Erev Shabbos meal. Nine shots were fired! Several of them blazed down our street in front of our home. Our neighbor's car was shot up! We thank G-d that no one was injured seriously. If this had occurred 30 minutes earlier the streets would have been filled with Jews returning home from shul. But thank G-d that was not the situation.

Holy reader, you may be wondering, 'How can I observe Sukkos?' The answer is simple! Just begin. Don't be afraid! Don't worry about doing something wrong! Just begin. After returning to Hashem, my first sukkah was nothing more than an old blue tarp connected to a cottonwood tree and two 4x6 posts sunk into the ground with some fence lattice across the top. Some may argue that my first sukkah wasn't kosher. They may be correct. It doesn't matter!! What matters is I began a form of observance. Every Jew has to begin somewhere. So I took nine steps towards G-d and those who criticized such efforts and heartful intentions took one step backwards.

The simple message of Sukkos that shouts louder and louder is, Just begin! Don't become discouraged with your efforts, just do your best and everything will work out fine! It was sometime after Sukkos that I spent a Shabbos in the observant community. A well meaning Jew upon hearing that my family observed Sukkos began intensely questioning me about how we observed Sukkos living outside of the Jewish community and what type of sukkah we had. Holy reader, we want to observe the Torah as accurately as possible. Yet when we see a new Jewish sprout of observance occurring we must be very careful not to take a giant step backwards by being overly strict with this little form of observance. We need to use sound wisdom and clear thinking so that we who are a little more observant don't take one giant step backwards by our overly pious and zealous ATTITUDES! In time that new Jewish sprout will learn if we don't give it too much Jewish miracle grow!!

On the back of fertilizer products are manufacturers' instructions that direct us in the proper care of our plants. We are instructed to be careful with measuring the product, the amount of water we use and how frequently we feed our new tender plants as well as our more mature and developed plants. Now some of us with good intentions may think mixing more product with the water will help our plants become stronger and grow faster. NOT SO!! Others may think that feeding them more frequently will also help them grow and become stronger. NOT SO!! The fact is, a glass can only hold so much water before it spills over. So those who are observant need to be conscientious of the fact that too much product mixed in the water or more frequent feedings will usually damage and may even kill the plant that we are trying to help. Holy reader, the point is when we see these nine small steps towards G-d we must be careful not to make the mistake of taking one giant step backwards by overfeeding and overwatering!

Holy reader, at Sukkos time I'd greatly enjoy driving the streets of our town looking for new sukkahs. At Chanukah my wife Naomi and I walk the streets of our town looking for new menorahs glowing out in the night. To me that is like observing a small sprout bursting through the forest floor. The individual who builds their sukkah or lights their menorah for the first time or for the first time in a very long time feels good about what they're doing. Building a sukkah, or lighting a menorah is a sign to the world of Jewish growth. It is a sign of observance! It may be only nine very tiny steps towards G-d but those steps, dear reader, are in the right direction!

So if it has been awhile since you built your last sukkah, just build one... Or if you have never built a sukkah, give it a try... Hashem considers your actions, the actions of a Jew who has begun to return...

Wishing you the best,

Dr. Akiva G. Belk

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