The Feast of Tabernacles – Hag HaSuccot
The Biblical Basis
There are five specific passages in the Law that speaks to the Feast of Tabernacles, also known as the Feast of Booths or Succot. Here are the five passages:
1. Leviticus 23:33-36 Instructional
2. Leviticus 23:39-43 Instructional
3. Exodus 23:14-17 Instructional
4. Numbers 29:12-38 Instructional
5. Deuteronomy 16:13-16 Instructional
6. Deuteronomy 31:9-13 Instructional
There are also two passages concerning the Feast of Tabernacles in the Prophets:
1. 1 Kings 8:1-66 Historical
2. 1 Kings 12:25-33 Historical
Next there are three passages concerning the Feast of Tabernacles in the Writings:
1. 2 Chronicles 7:8-10 Historical
2. Ezra 3:4 Historical
3. Nehemiah 8:13-18 Historical
Lastly, it is only referenced in the Gospels of the New Testament in John 7:1-10:39. They can be divided into the follow divisions:
1. John 7:1-9
Challenge by Yeshua’s unbelieving brothers to make yourself king.
2. John 7:10-52
Conflict between Yeshua and the Pharisees.
3. John 7:53-8:11
Conflict over the Law – Pharisees and the adulterous woman.
4. John 8:12-20
Conflict over light – a sub-theme of John.
5. John 8:21-59
Conflict over the person of the Messiah.
6. John 9:1-41
Conflict over the healing of the man born blind.
7. John 10:1-21
Conflict over the shepherd.
8. John 10:22-39
Conflict over His Person.
Out of these passages there are nine things that the above references lay down as the foundations for the Feast of Tabernacles in the Torah [Books of Moses]:
1. The Date of the Feast – Leviticus 23:34
The feast is to begin on the 15th day of the 7th month and it was to last seven days.
2. Holy Convocation – Leviticus 23:35, 37
3. No Work – Leviticus 23:35
There is no servile work to be done on the first day of the feast.
4. Offerings – Leviticus 23:36-7; Numbers 29:12-39
Offering are to be made:
a. Burnt Offering: one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs first year without blemish.
b. Meal Offering: flour mingled with oil
c. Drink Offering
d. Sin Offering – Numbers 29:5: For an atonement for your sin.
e. Many other details on the offerings
5. Regular Offerings – Leviticus 23:38
The other offerings are still to be made.
6. The Eighth Day – Leviticus 23:39-43
On the 15th day of the month which would also be after the seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles [Succot] they were given instructions:
a. When the fruit of the Land had been gathered they were to feast unto the LORD for seven more days
b. First day was a Sabbath and the eighth day was Sabbaths unto the LORD.
c. They were to take goodly branches from the following trees:
(1) Palm branches which are called lulav.
(2) Ethrog which is the citron, a citrus type of fruit.
(3) Hadas which is a branch of the myrtle tree.
(4) Aravah which is the branch of a willow tree.
7. Reason for the feast – Leviticus 23:4-43
Generations should know that God made Israel to dwell in booths when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.
8. Pilgrim Feast – Exodus 23:16-17
This is the third pilgrim feast where the men are to appear before the LORD.
9. Reading of the Law – Deuteronomy 31:9-13
In a place where God would choose to put His name [Jerusalem] the people on this pilgrim feast day were to assemble together to hear the reading of the Law so that the people may hear and learn to fear the LORD their God.
There are numerous names given for this feast. Some of them are biblical names and others are rabbinic names. There are nine of them:
1. Hag Hasuccot
The first is Hag Hasuccot which means “the Feast of Tabernacles” or “the Feast of Booths.” This is a biblical designation – Leviticus 23:34.
2. Hag Adonai
The second designation is Hag Adonai which means “the Feast of Jehovah” or “the Feast of the LORD” and this is also a biblical designation – Leviticus 23:39.
3. Hag Haasiph
The third designation is Hag Haasiph which means “the Feast of the ingathering.” This too is a biblical designation – Exodus 23:16. It is called “the Feast of the Ingathering” because it marks the end of the summer harvest and it comes shortly before the rainy season begins.
4. Hag
The fourth designation is Hag which means “the feast” and when Jews spoke of “the feast” without giving any other designation it generally referred to the Feast of Tabernacles – 1 Kings 8:2. This was a Jewish Talmudic name because this feast had unusual pomp and ceremony and so was referred to as “the feast.”
5. Zman Simchateinu
The fifth designation is Zman Simchateinu which means “the season of our rejoicing.” This is a rabbinic designation.
6. Yom Hashvii Shel Aravah
The sixth designation is Yom Hashvii Shel Aravah which means “the seventh day of the willow.” It is a name for the seventh day of this feast. It is a day when there is special praying for rain and therefore “the seventh day of the willow.”
7. Hoshana Rabba
The seventh designation is Hoshana Rabba which means “save us in the highest.” This too is a designation for the seventh day of the feast because on this day there are special prayers recited concerning Israel’s future and Israel’s final redemption.
8. Shmini Atzeret
The eighth designation is Shmini Atzeret which means “the eighth day of assembly.” It refers to the added eighth day – Leviticus 23:36. Technically it is considered an independent holiday from the Feast of Tabernacles, but it comes right afterwards and so is always connected with it. It is this eighth day that marks the end of all of the festivities and observances of the Feast of Tabernacles although the laws of the Feast of Tabernalces do not apply to it.
9. Simchat Torah
The ninth designation is Simchat Torah which means “the rejoicing of the Law.” It is a rabbinic term for the eighth day based upon Numbers 29:35-38. It is called Simchat Torah or “the rejoicing of the Law” because on this occasion the cycle of the reading of the Law both ends and begins in the synagogue.
Modern Jewish Practice
We will discuss some of the Jewish practices, name all of them and encourage the reader to look up Arnold Fruchtenbaum’s manuscript #120 for a fuller explanation.
1. The Booth – The booth itself is known as the succah. Of course, this is the main thing involved in the Feast of Tabernacles.
a. A Double Symbol – In Jewish thinking, the booth became a double symbol. On one hand it was the symbol of a wasted national hope because it was a flimsy thing. On the other hand, based upon Amos 9:11, the booth provided hope for the future restoration.
b. The Construction of the Booth – The rabbis spelled out ten specific rules and regulations concerning the building of the booth.
(1) First, there must be the feeling of a temporary abode. It should not be looked upon as being permanent, but temporary. So it must be built in a somewhat flimsy way to emphasize the wilderness wanderings. The temporariness is not the walls as such but in the ceiling or roof.
(2) The second rule for construction is that the material for the roof covering must possess three specific characteristics. First, it must come from the earth and this excludes making the roof of animal skins or metal or cloth. Secondly, it must be cut down and no longer connected to the ground which excludes using attached branches; these branches must be cut off. Third, it must not be subject to ritual impurity and so the roof cannot contain fruits and food that will spoil.
(3) The third rule is that the roof must always be put on after the walls are totally completed so that with the putting on of the roof the tabernacle of both is completed.
(4) The fourth rule is that the roof must be sufficiently thick so there is more shade than sun. No opening can be more than eleven inches and the stars should be visible at night. Nevertheless, it should not be so thick as to keep out rain.
(5) The fifth rule as to construction is that a booth that was built inside or under the overhanging of a porch, balcony, or tree is not valid. The shade inside the booth must come only from the booth and no other item.
(6) The sixth rule is that there are no restrictions on the material for the walls and so the walls could be made of metal, wood, canvas, brick, or stone.
(7) The seventh rule is that it must have a least two complete walls. It may have three and as many as four. The fourth may be left completely open. When it is built against a house outside, one or more walls of the house may be used as walls of the booth as well.
(8) The eighth rule concerns the size of the booth. There is no maximum law but there is a minimum law: It must be big enough to hold one person and one table. Therefore, the minimum size was decreed by the rabbis to be 26 x 26 inches.
(9) The ninth rule concerns the height of the booth. The booth must be no lower than 37 inches and no higher than 6 ½ feet because one must be aware that he is sitting in a booth. Up to 6 ½ feet he is aware of it but higher than that, the rabbis felt, he is no longer aware of it.
(10) The tenth rule concerns the decoration of the booth and here the emphasis is on the esthetic. The walls may be decorated with pictures, tapestries, or flowers. The roof may be decorated (but not composed of) with fruits, nuts, apples, grapes, and a pomegranates but those are not to be eaten for the entire week.
2. The Four Species – The biblical observance was to be observed with the four species. Rabbinic tradition has added a great deal to the issue of the four species. Concerning the four species and the Jewish observances, seven things will be mentioned. The rabbis developed a total of 326 rules and regulations concerning these four species. They were to be the symbol of the final harvest in thanksgiving. See Manuscript #120.
3. Yom Hashvii Shel Aravah – It is a day for praying for rain
4. Hoshana Rabba – It is a day for praying and emphasizing Israel’s future and final redemption.
5. Hakkafot – Recalls the seven attributes that were represented by seven Patriarchs.
6. The Drawing of the Water – The drawing of the water and the pouring out of the water was the first of two key ceremonies during the Temple period (Festival of the Pouring Out the Water).
This drawing of the water was given two specific Hebrew designations. The first one means “the house of water drawing” and the second name means “the pouring out of the water.” The water on this occasion was both drawn and poured out.
The source of this tradition is not in Scripture but in rabbinic oral tradition though they tried to base it on Number 29:17-19 and Isaiah 12:3 which said that “ye shall draw forth water with gladness.”
The location where the water was poured out was on the southwest corner of the Altar of Sacrifice because that is where the grooves which drew the blood away were located. This was done on all seven days. The water was taken from the Pool of Siloam though other water was permissible. The custom was to draw the water from here in golden flasks. A procession of priest would go down from the Temple Mount with golden flasks to the Pool of Siloam and fill their flasks with the water from the Pool of Siloam. Each flask held about three pints of water. The procession then ascends from the Pool of Siloam to the Temple Mount and as they went up they sang the Psalms of the Ascents (Psalms 120-134). There were fifteen steps leading from the Court of Israel to the Court of the Women. On the first step they sang Psalm 120, the second step Psalm 121 and so on until Psalm 134. They then entered the Temple courtyard and poured out the water by the altar. This was followed by great rejoicing. The rejoicing was so great that the rabbis said” He who has not seen the rejoicing at the pouring out of the water has not seen rejoicing in all of his life.”
The pouring out of the water was, in Judaism, a symbol of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the last days. The rabbis taught that in the last days before Messiah comes there will be an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon Israel. This is also taught by the Scriptures. The pouring was followed by trumpet blasts. Twelve blasts were sounded in all. See John 9.
7. The Kindling of the Lights – The kindling of the lights was the second main ceremony which was also called the Festival of Lights [not Channukah]. There were four huge lampstands, each one with four golden cups, set up all over the Temple Compound. These lights would then be lit toward Sunday and the rabbis taught that there was not a courtyard in all Jerusalem that was not lit by the lights emanating from the Temple Compound. At the lighting of these lampstands the rabbis would say, “The lighting of these lampstands symbolized the Shechinah of God” (see John 8:12). The kindling of the light was followed by dancing and juggling with fire torches.
8. Scripture Readings – Numerous passages were read.
(a) On the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles three passages are read: Leviticus 22:26-23:44 which contains a review of all seven the Holy Seasons of Israel; Numbers 29:12:16 which deals with the special offering to be offered on this occasion, and, Zechariah 14 which mentions the observance of this feast during the Messianic Kingdom.
(b) On the second day 1 Kings 8:2-21 is read which speaks of the dedication of the first Temple which occurred during the Feast of Tabernacles.
(c) On the intermediate Sabbath (the Sabbath that falls during this feast) there are several other passages read including some repetition.
Number 29:12-16 is re-read which deals with the offerings of the Feast of Tabernacles but new things are read like Exodus 33:12-34:26 which speaks of the thirteen attributes of God and the pilgrimage festivals of which the Feast of Tabernacles was one; Ezekiel 38 which describes the Gog and Magog war which is to precede the establishment of the Messianic Kingdom; and the Book of Ecclesiastes which is a pessimistic book but describes the mood of the people who just experienced a long holiday season that began with the Feast of Trumpets, included Day of Atonement, and following with the eight days of the Feast of Tabernacles.
9. The Liturgy – Jewish practice today includes special liturgy for the Feast of Tabernacles. There are three main ones.
(a) The first is known as the Hoshanot which refers to general requests. It refers to prayers for good rain, good harvest, for salvation from the exile, and for that final Messianic redemption and Kingdom.
(b) The second liturgy is the Hallel which is the recitation of Psalms 113-118. It is recited while one holds the four species with the exception of the Sabbath day when it is forbidden.
(c) The third liturgy is known as Yaalah Veyavo which means “ascend and come.” It is a request to God to receive Israel’s prayers and to restore the temple at Jerusalem.
10. Hachel – This is a special assembly held on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles during the sabbatical year. So this is observed only once every seven years. The purpose is to hear the public reading of the Law and the entire Law is read on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles whenever the feast falls on a sabbatical year.
11. Spiritual Motifs – In Judaism there are four spiritual motifs related to the Feast of Tabernacles:
(a) First, it is a period of judgment because on this day God passes judgment on rain.
(b) The second spiritual motif of the Feast of Tabernacles is its Messianic aspirations. In Amos 9:11 the booth is a symbol of the national Messianic hope and Zechariah 14:16-21 speaks of the observance of the Feast of Tabernacles in the Messianic Kingdom.
(c) The third spiritual motif is that of universalism. In Zechariah 14 the Feast of Tabernacles is not being observed by Jews but by Gentiles. Furthermore, the Feast of Tabernacles required the sacrifice of 70 bulls and in Judaism the 70 bulls represented the 70 Gentile nations of Genesis 10.
(d) The fourth spiritual motif is the destruction of Leviathan because it is on this occasion that Leviathan is going to be defeated.
12. Channakuh – See the Feast of Channakuh
13. Shmini Atzeret – Its distinctiveness is that it is commonly regarded as the concluding day of the Feast of Tabernalces. But in reality it is a separate and independent holy day and so the special rituals of the Feast of Tabernacles are not observed on this particular day.
Why was this eighth day added? The Bible itself, though it commands it, does not give a reason for it. So the rabbis gave a reason for it and that is to allow for one more joyous day. The Scriptures read on this include: Deuteronomy 14:22-16:17 which speaks of the tithes of Israel, the sabbatical year, the alms of the poor, and the pilgrimage festivals; Numbers 29:35-30:1 which speaks of the daily offerings; 1 Kings 8:54-66 which speaks of Solomon’s dedication of the first Temple, and the Book of Ecclesiastes.
14. Simchat Torah – Means “the rejoicing of the Law” and is also a name given to the added eighth day. This name is not in Scripture like the previous one; it is a rabbinic name. The special observance of this day is that on this day the cycle of the reading of the Law both ends and begins. The book of Deuteronomy is concluded and the book of Genesis is started immediately (Deuteronomy 33:27-34:12 and Genesis 1:-2:31).
Messianic Implications:
A. Misapplications of the Fest of Tabernacles:
During the period of the Life of Messiah there were two mis-applications of the Feast of Tabernacles.
The first time was at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:4) when Yeshua was transfigured. Peter suggested that he be allowed to build three tabernacles: one for Moses; one for Elijah; and one for Yeshua. This was a proper response but Peter’s timing was off. Jesus was transfigured, Peter saw the glory that Yeshua will have in the Kingdom and assumed that the Kingdom was about to be set up. The fact that Peter wanted to build three tabernacles shows that Peter thought that the Kingdom was going to be set up because he knew that the Kingdom was the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles before the Feast of Tabernacles can be fulfilled. While the Feast of Tabernacles will indeed be fulfilled by the Kingdom, the Feast of Passover was to be fulfilled by the death of the Messiah. But Peter, at this point in his life, did not understand this.
The second misapplication of the Feast of Tabernacles was during the triumphal entry. The actions of the people both by what they said and what they did showed that they also expected the Kingdom to be established then in fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles. According to John 12:12-13, they broke off palm branches which is in keeping with the Feast of Tabernacles but not with the Feast of Passover which was then occurring. Furthermore, according to Matthew 21:8-9 and Mark 11:8-10, they were crying out, “Hoshana in the highest,” which is the Hoshana Rabba of the Feast of Tabernacles. Like Peter, they did not yet understand that Passover had to be fulfilled before the Feast of Tabernacles could be, and Passover would be fulfilled only by the death of the Messiah.
B. The Proper Application in This Age:
Previously discussed under “Jewish Practices” was the fact that there were two main ceremonies during the Temple period: the pouring out of the water, and the kindling of the lights. Also previously discussed was Christ’s occasion when Jesus responded to both of these special ceremonies.
His response to the pouring out of the water is in John 7:37-39. It is specified (vs. 37) that this occurred on the last day, the great day of the feast. This was the 7th day of the feast, the one known as Yom Hashvii Shel Aravah. It was on this day that Jesus said, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
He used terminology that related to the outpouring of water in the observance of the Feast of Tabernacles. John then gave the interpretation: this water represents the Holy Spirit which they who believed on the Messiah were going to receive. Just as the water from the Pool of Siloam flowed from within, the Holy Spirit will indwell believers permanently. This was not true before Pentecost, but was true after Pentecost. The rabbis interpreted the outpouring of water as referring to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon Israel. Yeshua interpreted the ceremony as symbolizing the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the believer. He was not dealing with the Old Testament ministry of the Holy Spirit but with the New Testament ministry that began in Acts two. The text states that the Spirit was not yet given because Yeshua was not yet glorified. The permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit only began after Messiah’s ascension. It began in Acts two. So one proper application for this age is that the indwelling Holy Spirit in the believer is an individual fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles although it is not the national one.
The second main ceremony of the Feast of Tabernacles was the kindling of the lampstands. Yeshua’s response to this event is in John 8:12: I am the light of the world. He that followeth me shall not walk in the darkness but shall have the light of life. This is also related individually to the believer. After being indwelt by the Holy Spirit, the believer is now able to walk in the light because he has the light of life. The statement of John 8:12 is illustrated by the story of the man born blind in John 9. The story takes place at the Pool of Siloam which was the most important water source for this feast because the first ceremony began at this pool. Here the jugs were filled with water from the Pool of Siloam and then taken up to the Temple Mount where they were poured out. For the second time Yeshua declared that He was the light of the world (vs. 1-5). This is first illustrated physically in that the man born blind moved from the darkness of physical blindness to the light of physical sight. Later, it is illustrated spiritually in that man moved from the darkness of sin and spiritual blindness, to the light of salvation and spiritual light (vs. 35-41). This is the second proper application of the Feast of Tabernacles in this age. Walking in the light is fulfillment of the individual but is not the national fulfillment.
There is one other point to be made from John 8:12. When Yeshua said I AM, that was a statement of deity from Exodus 3:14. When the rabbis kindled the four lampstands in the temple compound and attributed the kindling of the lampstand as being symbolic of the Shechinah, the presence of God, Yeshua was saying that He, the Light, is the Shechinah of God. He met with Moses at the burning bush. He met with Moses on Mt. Sinai in giving the Law. He traveled with Israel through the wilderness being visible present by the cloud and unseen by His presence in the Holy of Holies.
C. The National Fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles:
The feast of Tabernacles will be fulfilled by the establishment of the Messianic Kingdom according to Zechariah 14:16-19. Because the Messianic Kingdom, the Millennium, will be fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles, it will be obligatory upon all nations (vs. 16). Every year each nation in the Kingdom will have to send a delegation to Jerusalem. Under the Law of Moses it was obligatory for Jews only, but under the Millennial Law, it will be obligatory for all nations. There will be punishment (vs. 17-19) for those who disobey. If a nation fails to send a delegation to Jerusalem to observe this feast then they will be punished by a drought.
Just as the Feast of Tabernacles was a time of rejoicing following the affliction of the Day of Atonement, even so the Kingdom is to be a time of rejoicing following the afflictions of the Great Tribulation.
Summary
In this final feast of the LORD you have the completed picture of the ministry of Messiah laid out in the seven feasts. Here is a review of the feasts as fulfilled in and by the person of Yeshua the Messiah.
Spring Feasts:
1. Passover was fulfilled on the day of the Feast by the death of Yeshua.
2. The Feast of Unleavened Bread was fulfilled by the sinlessness of His blood offering.
3. The Feast of First-Fruits was fulfilled by the resurrection of Yeshua.
4. The Feast of Weeks was fulfilled by the birth of the Church the body of Messiah.
This ended the spring cycle of feasts which were all fulfilled in the First Coming of Messiah Yeshua. Then between the first and second cycle of feasts there was a four month interval which is symbolic of the Church Age which interrupts the program of the Feasts of Israel. Then comes the second cycle of feasts which are the Fall Feasts.
5. The Feasts of Trumpets will be fulfilled by the Rapture of the Church.
6. The Day of Atonement will be fulfilled by the Great Tribulation, for on the last couple of days, Israel will finally recognize Yeshua as their Messiah and confess their sin and ask Him to come and deliver them form the armies of the anti-Christ.
7. The last feast is the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths and it will be fulfilled by the Messianic Kingdom. This is when Messiah Yeshua will reign physically upon the throne of David in Jerusalem fulfilling all the covenants that were made to Israel. He will remove the curse of sin upon the earth and the animal kingdom and the world will know a long practice of war for 1000 years.
