Mr Jacob told his friends the next Friday evening, when they arrived as
usual, that he thought they would be interested in the letter describing
the Succah.
"My dear Millie,--After the Day of Atonement, everyone was very busy
preparing for the Feast of Tabernacles, which is still celebrated here
as it must have been in Bible times.
"With great merriment all the young people decorate their Succahs, while
their mothers with the baby in their arms watch the young folks at work.
"The Succahs in Palestine are not made as they are in Europe. The
saplings are covered with palm-leaves woven together, the roof with
branches of trees, as there is no chance of rain at this time of the
year in Palestine. Everything that is beautiful in the home is brought
out to decorate the interior of the Succah. The poor make their Succahs
of doors or wooden boxes.
"As this was the first Succah since our arrival, we were invited by
our neighbours to join them. The father, a patriarchal looking old
man with a saintly face, sat at the head of the table, and we were
fascinated by his looks. His eldest son came in soon after, followed
by his other grown-up sons and his daughters. He greeted his aged
father with a smile, and wished him good 'Yom Tov' and bowed his
head for his father's blessing. Then one by one all the children
came to greet him and receive his blessing, with quite a number of
grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and last but not least the
little great-great-grandchild.
"When my parents looked astonished at the number, one of the daughters
quietly said: 'You see that here we marry our children while very young,
so that the Psalmist's words are very often fulfilled in Palestine, and
nearly everyone has his quiver full.' When all were quiet, our aged
friend repeated a prayer over the wine, and the large silver cup was
passed from one to the other. This was very solemnly and reverently
done.
"After this, our aged neighbour's children who had large families went
to their own homes, while those of his children who had small families
remained to celebrate the Feast with him. When he had washed his hands
before eating and repeated the blessing upon the meal, he took his
youngest great-grandchild on his knee.
"The only thing that saddened the scene was the empty chair beside our
aged friend--his wife had died during the course of the year. The
family all looked at the empty chair and sighed, and the
great-great-grandfather, with tears glistening in his eyes, also gave a
sigh, and then turned with a smile to his large family and said: 'Let us
begin. My little Samuel will start a Brocha,' and the rest listened to
hear how the little one lisped the words after his great-grandfather.
"The following day our aged friend sat like a king in his Succah, while
relatives and friends came to pay their respects to him, and all was joy
and merriment.
"Some of the younger grandchildren wanted to show their grandfather what
they had lately learned, and there was quite a scramble around his knees
to try and be first heard. With a wave of his hand he said: 'I will hear
you all in turn, my children.' This quietened the eager little souls,
and they waited patiently for their turns to come.
"While the children were thus busy with their grandfather, the elder
sons and sons-in-law and their wives sat around, discussing quietly
various topics of interest, till the time for Mincha came round.
"Then the great grandfather went to Shule, followed by all his children.
"Visiting other neighbours during the Succah weeks, we found that they
preserved this beautiful and ancient way of keeping the Festival.
"I never realized till then what a great influence for good the
surroundings and teaching in childhood can be, and how a father and
mother can leave the impress of their teaching in early life upon both
sons and daughters. It is the mother specially who forms the child's
soul, quite as clearly on the boys as on the girls from their
cradle-days, and the father and the teacher only builds on the
foundation laid by the mother: this is seen here more than elsewhere."
"Very true," exclaimed the others; "a great deal is done by the mother;
but the environment has a great influence on the character."
This caused a good deal of discussion and the meeting did not close till
one o'clock in the morning.