The Feast of Tabernacles begins on the fifteenth day of the seventh
month, _Tishri_ (October), and during its continuance, seven days, the
Israelites are commanded to dwell in tabernacles or booths. This is
designed to keep fresh in their memory the tents with formed their homes
during their forty years' sojourn in the wilderness. The symbols of the
festival are branches of the palm, bound with sprigs of myrtle and
willow, and a citron.
The Lord said, "This is not to be to you a fast as the Day of Atonement;
eat, drink, be merry, and sacrifice peace-offerings thereon." The Bible
says, "Seven days unto the Lord"; therefore we should in all our
merriment devote a few serious thoughts to Him.
The Feast of Tabernacles is held in the autumn, after the fruits of the
field have been garnered in the storehouses, according to the words of
the Bible, "The Feast of Tabernacles shalt thou hold for thyself seven
days when thou hast gathered in the produce of thy thresh-floor and thy
wine-press."
This dwelling in booths is also to bring to mind the manner in which the
Israelites lived for forty years after they left Egypt. With merely
temporary walls to protect them from summer's heat and winter's cold,
from wind and storm. God was with them through all their generations,
and they were protected from all evil.
According to the opinion of some of the Rabbis, the Israelites did not
really dwell in booths in the wilderness, but were surrounded by
clouds--by seven clouds. Four clouds, one at each of the four sides; a
fifth, a shadow, to protect them from the hot rays of the sun; the
sixth, a pillar of fire to give them light by night (they being able to
see as clearly by night as by day); and the seventh, to precede their
journeying and direct their way.
The children of Israel departed from Egypt in _Nissan_ (April), and
obtained immediately these booths, which they made use of for forty
years. Thus they were in booths during the entire cycle of the year, and
we could as easily commemorate this fact in the spring as in the fall,
in the summer as in the winter. Why, then, has God made autumn, and
neither spring nor summer, the season of observance? Because if we dwelt
in booths in the summer, it would be a question whether we did so in
obedience to God's behest or for our own gratification; for many people
seek airy retreats during this season; but in the fall, when the trees
lose their leaves, and the air grows cold and chilling, and it is the
time to fix our houses for the winter, then by inhabiting these
temporary residences, we display our desire to do as our Creator has
bidden us.
The Feast of Tabernacles is also the Feast of Ingathering, when we
should thank God for the kindness shown us and the treasure with which
He has blessed us. When the Eternal has provided man with his
sustenance, in the long evenings which follow he should meditate and
study his Bible, and make this indeed a "feast to the Lord," and not
entirely for personal gratification.
The four species belonging to the vegetable kingdom which we use in this
festival, are designed to remind us of the four elements of nature,
which work under the direction and approval of the Most High, and
without which all things would cease to exist. Therefore the Bible
commands us on this "feast of the Lord," to give thanks, and bring
before Him these four species, each typifying one of the elements.
"Ye shall take for yourselves the fruit of the tree _hadar_" (the
citron). Its color is high yellow and resembles fire. The second species
is the palm branch (Heb. _Lulab_). The palm is a high tree, growing up
straight in the air, and its fruit is sweet and delicious to the taste;
this then represents the second element, air. The third is the bough of
the myrtle, one of the lowliest of trees, growing close to the ground;
its nature, cold and dry as earth, fits it to represent that element.
The fourth is "the willow of the brook," which grows in perfection close
beside the water, dropping its branches into the stream, and symbolizing
thus the last element, water.
The Bible teaches us that for each of these four elements we owe special
thanks to God.
The citron we hold in the left hand, and the other three we grasp
together in the right. This we do because the citron contains in itself
all that the others represent. The outside skin is yellow, fire; the
inside skin is white and damp, air; the pulp is watery, water; and the
seeds are dry, earth. It is taken into the left hand, because the right
hand is strongest, and the citron is but one, while the other emblems
are three.
These four emblems represent likewise the four principal members of the
human body. The citron is shaped somewhat like a heart, without which we
could not live, and with which man should serve his fellows; the palm
branch represents the spine, which is the foundation of the human frame,
in front of which the heart lies; this signifies that we should serve
God with our entire body. The branches of the myrtle resemble a human
eye, with which man recognizes the deeds of his fellows, and with which
he may obtain a knowledge of the law. The leaves of the willow represent
the lips, with which man may serve the Eternal and thank Him. The myrtle
is mentioned in the Bible before the willow, because we are able to see
and know a thing before we can call its name with our lips; man is able
to look into the Bible before he can study the same. Therefore, with
these four principal parts of the human frame should we praise the
Creator, as David said, "All my bones shall say, O Lord, who is like
unto Thee?"
Maimonides, in his work called _Moreh Nebuchim_ ("The Guide of the
Perplexed"), explains that God commanded the Israelites to take these
four emblems during this festival to remind them that they were brought
out from the wilderness, where no fruit grew, and no people lived, into
a land of brooklets, waters, a land flowing with milk and honey. For
this reason did God command us to hold in our hands the precious fruit
of this land while singing praises to Him, the One who wrought miracles
in our behalf, who feeds and supports us from the productiveness of the
earth.
The four emblems are different in taste, appearance, and odor, even as
the sons of men are different in conduct and habits.
The citron is a valuable fruit; it is good for food and has a most
pleasant odor. It is compared to the intelligent man, who is righteous
in his conduct toward God and his fellow-man. The odor of the fruit is
his good deeds; its substance is his learning, on which others may feed.
This is perfect among the emblems, and is, therefore, always mentioned
first, and taken by itself in one hand.
The palm branch brings forth fruit, but is without odor. It is compared
to those people who are learned, but who are wanting in good deeds; they
who know the law, but transgress its mandates.
The myrtle is compared to those people who are naturally good, who act
correctly toward God and man, but who are uneducated.
The willow of the brook has neither fruit nor odor; it is, therefore,
compared to the people who have no knowledge and who perform no good
deeds.
The Rabbis have said that he who has failed to participate in the
keeping of the Tabernacle Festival in Jerusalem has failed to taste real
enjoyment in his life. The first day of the feast was kept with great
solemnity, and the middle days with joy and gladness in various methods
of public amusement.
The Temple in Jerusalem was provided with a gallery for the women, which
was called the apartment of the women, and the men sat below, as is
still the custom of the synagogue. Thither all repaired. The young
priests filled the lamps of the large chandeliers with oil, and lighted
them all, even that the place was so bright that its reflection lighted
the streets of the city. Hymns and praises were chanted by the pious
ones, and the Levites praised the Lord with harps, cornets, trumpets,
flutes, and other instruments of harmony. They stood upon fifteen broad
steps, reaching from the lower floor to the gallery, the court of the
women. And they sang fifteen psalms as they ascended, beginning with "A
song of Degrees," and the large choir joined voices with them. The
ancient Hillel was accustomed to address the assemblages on these
occasions.
"If God's presence dwells here," he was used to say, "then are ye here,
each one of you, the souls of each; but if God should be removed from
your midst through disobedience then which of you could be here?" For
the Lord has said "If thou wilt come to My house, then will I come to
thy house, but if thou refusest to visit My dwelling, I will also
neglect to enter yours;" as it is written, "In every place where I shall
permit My name to be mentioned I will come unto thee and I will bless
thee."