October 19, 2024: Parashah Torah Portion Sukkot - "Tabernacles"

Shabbat: Friday October 18th, 2024 at sunset until Saturday October 19th, 2024 at sunset.

Scriptures: The Torah Reading Cycle is suspended for the holiday week of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles), as well as for Shemini Atzeret (sometimes referred to as the "Eighth Day" of Sukkot).

Restore Israel Team: Elihana Elia, Dr. Hadassah Elia & Devorah Silva

חג סוכות שמח!

Chag Sukkot Sameach! Happy Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles)!

This year Sukkot began just after sundown on Wednesday, October 16th, 2024 (Tishri 15 on the Jewish calendar). This is the LORD's Feast, which He commanded us to celebrate for seven days! During this time, we "dwell" in a sukkah - a hut of temporary construction, with a roof covering (schach) of raw vegetable matter (i.e., leafy branches, bamboo, etc...). The sukkah represents our dependence upon God's shelter for our protection and divine providence. We eat our meals in the sukkah and recite a special blessing (Leshev Ba'Sukkah) at this time.

On the Torah's calendar, there is a quick transition from the somber time of the Jewish High Holy Days of Yom Teruah through to Yom Kippur, when suddenly, after a short interval, we are to rejoice before ADONAI our God, during this week-long festival of Sukkot (Tabernacles)!

If the somber times of Yom Teruah and Yom Kippur focus on the LORD as our Creator, our Judge, and the One who atones for our sins, Sukkot is the time when we joyously celebrate all that He has done for us, with a heart filled with gratitude and thanksgiving unto Him!

Prophetically understood, the seven days of Sukkot paint a picture of the future Olam Haba (the world to come); The Millennial Kingdom reign of Mashiach Ben David.

In addition to the Sukkah, the most prominent symbol of Sukkot is the Arba'at Ha'Minim אַרבַּעתַ הַמיִּניםִ - The "Four Species" or four kinds of plants explicitly mentioned in the Torah regarding the Festival of Sukkot:

"On the first day you shall take: 1) The product of goodly trees (Etrog), 2) Branches of palm trees (Lulav), 3) Boughs of leafy trees (Hadas), and 4) Willows of the brook (Aravot), and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days"

Leviticus 23:40

We wave the "Four Species", held together as a bouquet with the Etrog and recite a blessing called Netilat Lulav, asking the LORD for a fruitful and blessed year.

The Season of our Joy: Z'man Simchateinu!

Sukkot is effectively the conclusion of the Fall Holiday season and is the last of the three Shelosh Regalim: Three Annual Pilgrimage Feasts: Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot (Deuteronomy 16:16).

It can be argued that Sukkot is the climax of all the Festivals in Scripture! Everything leads to it as a culmination in ADONAI's prophetic plan!

It is interesting to compare the use of words relating to simcha (joy) in the description of these three festivals. Regarding Pesach, the word simcha does not appear at all (Deuteronomy 17:1-8); Regarding Shavuot (Pentecost), it appears only once (Deuteronomy 17:11); However, regarding Sukkot, the word simcha appears several times:

"You shall keep the Feast of Sukkot seven days, when you have gathered in the produce... You shall rejoice in your feast... because the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you will be altogether joyful." Deuteronomy 16:13-15

In fact, in ancient Israel, the joy of Sukkot was so great that it became known simply as "The Feast" (1 Kings 12:32). It was a time of many sacrifices (Numbers 29) and a time when (on Sabbatical years) the Torah would be read aloud to the people (Deuteronomy 31:10-13).

From a spiritual perspective, Sukkot corresponds to the joy of knowing our sins were forgiven (during Yom Kippur) and also recalls God's miraculous provision and care after the deliverance from bondage in Egypt (Leviticus 23:43).

Prophetically, Sukkot anticipates the coming kingdom of YESHUA HA'MASHIACH when all the nations shall come up to Jerusalem to worship the LORD during the Feast of Sukkot (see Zechariah 14:16)! Today Sukkot is a time to remember God's Sheltering Presence and Provision for us, especially during this time of war in Israel.

It's no coincidence, but rather a God-incidence that at the Gaza invasion last year, October 7th, 2023 fell on the last day of ADONAI's Feast of Sukkot, called Simchat Torah (Celebration of the Torah).

And now, fast-forward a year later, on the First Day of the exact same Feast of Sukkot, the IDF ‘accidentally’ killed Yahya Sinwar (the very perpetrator of that invasion)! Exactly one year later in the Jewish Calendar! A Coincidence? Not at all!

As was pointed out earlier, the Feast of Tabernacles serves as an important reminder of how God lived with the Israelites in the desert, when they left slavery in Egypt.

At that time, God spoke to Pharaoh through Moses:

"Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: “Let my people go, so that they may worship Me.” Exodus 9:1

So this year we pray: "Let the Hostages go, so they can come out of Gaza and worship ADONAI!"

The LORD said: One day all Israel will know their God and shall be saved!

One day, all the world will know there is a God in Israel!

We have already seen so many great miracles - even in the midst of this tragic war! Yes, indeed, there is a God in Israel, Who is seated on the Throne! HalleluYah!

This is a time of rejoicing - no matter the circumstances we are facing right now, because ADONAI commands us to!

However, there was definitely a greater purpose for how this very timely death of Yahya Sinwar came about. Especially just how "random" and "accidental" it appeared to have been, because the purpose was not to glorify any one person, or a group of highly trained professional snipers or the intelligence of the Mossad (Israel's Operation Intelligence Agency), but rather to bring all of our rejoicing, all of our glory, honor and praise to the KING of KINGS and LORD of LORDs, Who has proven Himself to be the Shomer (Keeper) of Israel, Who neither slumbers nor sleeps:

"1I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?

2My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

3He will not allow your foot to slip; Your Protector will not slumber.

4Behold, the Protector of Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

5The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is the shade on your right hand.

6The sun will not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.

7The LORD will guard you from all evil; He will preserve your soul.

8The LORD will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore."

Psalm 121

There is certainly a lot of rejoicing happening in Israel right now, with the announcement of Yahya Sinwar's death. Not that we gloat over his death, for ADONAI has made it very clear that we should not do so (Proverbs 24:17-18), but we are certainly allowed to rejoice in the relief we have, now that the wicked has perished. This kind of rejoicing is cited in various places throughout the Bible:

"When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; When the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy." Proverbs 11:10

And on Simchat Torah ("Celebration of the Torah"), which this year will fall on Friday October 25th, 2024, we will conclude the final Torah Portion, and begin anew, the annual Torah-reading cycle, starting with the book of Genesis!

Praise YESHUA for new beginnings!

Amen and Amen!