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states that the s'chach should be
spread so that you can see the
stars through it.
Because it may not be possible
to live in the sukkah as we would
live in a house, the rabbis ruled
that at least if we have our meals
in the sukkah, we have fulfilled
the commandment (since one
cannot survive without eating).
Nonetheless, one should try to
spend as much time in the sukkah
as possible, be it reading, study-
ing, having a coffee break or a
nap.
Many people decorate their
sukkahs, mostly on the inside,
but some on the outside as well.
Walls are painted or hung with
photographs or art work. Others
hang dried fruits or ornaments
from the rafters (that hold up the
s'chach). People also get creative
with the lighting in the sukkah,
some opting for industrial lamps
and others for elaborate chande-
liers.
Hospitality is common on
Sukkot; and many families invite
friends to dine in their sukkah,
some especially inviting those
who have no sukkah of their own.
Another feature of sukkot is the
arba'ah minim or "four species,"
commonly referred to as the
lulay. This is derived from the
Torah commandment to take "the
fruit of goodly trees, branches
of palm trees and boughs of
thick trees and willows of the
brook" (Leviticus 23:40) to use
to "rejoice before the Lord." Our
practice is to bind together a
date-palm frond with willow and
myrtle branches. This bundle
is known as the lulav (from the
Hebrew for "palm branch"). The
fourth element is the etrog, or
citron, a very fragrant fruit that
looks like a lemon.
The lulav and etrog are held
together and waved in four direc-
tions, the order of which varies
between the Ashkenazi, Sephardi
and Chassidic traditions. The lulav
and etrog also are waved during
the Hallel prayer.
The holiday service in the
synagogue includes a proces-
sion around the sanctuary of
the worshippers, each holding
an etrog and lulav, and reciting
the Hoshana prayers, a different
prayer for each day. Ashkenazi
and Sephardi rites differ as to

when in the service this is done.

Hoshanah Rabbah and Shemini
Atzeret: The seventh day of
Sukkot is Hoshanah Rabbah, both
a festival and a day of judgment.
According to tradition, on Rosh
Hashanah, God made a decision
regarding our fate for the coming
year and sealed it on Yom Kippur.
Yet we have until Hoshanah
Rabbah to mend our ways before
the judgment is final.
In the synagogue services on
Hoshanah Rabbah, the worship-
pers, holding their etrog and lulav,
make seven circuits around the
sanctuary, during which time all
of the previous days' Hoshana
prayers are said, hence the name
of the holiday, which in Hebrew
means "many Hoshanas."
The last day of Sukkot is
Shemini Atzeret. Known as
"the festival of conclusion," it
is mentioned in Leviticus 23:36,
Deuteronomy 16:8, and Isaiah 1:13

Ran Chairfacss

hcmcDree

C:0-itc ► lkaer 5, 2009

"Oat Shalom Synagosue

Strolling Supper 6:00 pm
Program to follow
Couvert $1 80 per adult

Ongrieef

Mamma and Rabert Schechter
Esther and Neal F. Male/aka

Dinner Co Chairpersons

-

Ken Bernard

President

Special thanks to Jan and Mark Hauser, Nicole and Matt Lester

YAD EZRA

Feeckng the Jewish Hurry

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The Goldberg's sukkah with holi-
day adornments

as "a holy convocation." Shemini
Atzeret has the distinction of
being both part of Sukkot and a
separate holiday. The davening for
Shemini Atzeret is the standard
holiday service. There are no spe-
cial rituals for Shemini Atzeret,
but the davening includes Yizkor
and the prayer for rain called
Tefillat Geshem.
Shemini Atzeret includes yet
another holiday called Simchat
Torah, "Celebrating The Torah."
(More on Simchat Torah next
week). L

The community is invited to hear the new
Technion President, Dr. Peretz Lavie on Friday,
October 23, 2009 at 7:30 pm at Temple Israel.
At this Technion Shabbat he will discuss
"Building a Nation: The Technion Story"

v

Scott Leemaster

Allan "Geli" Gelfond

President

Regional Director

040 American

Technion
Society

248.737.1990 www.ats.org

1541900

DON'T MISS THE BUSINESS SECTION

INSIDE THE JN THE SECOND WEEK EVERY MONTH

Call 248.351.5107 for more information

October 1 . 2009

19