Sukkot is a favorite of my Husband. The feast of Tabernacles is truly a wonderful series of Days! Like Unleavened Bread, Sukkot is longer than a single day, lasting seven days long. Like the other Holy Days we find it laid out fully in Leviticus 23, this time in verses 33-43, 33 Adonai said to Moshe, 34 “Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the feast of Sukkot for seven days to Adonai. 35 On the first day there is to be a holy convocation; do not do any kind of ordinary work. 36 For seven days you are to bring an offering made by fire to Adonai; on the eighth day you are to have a holy convocation and bring an offering made by fire to Adonai ; it is a day of public assembly; do not do any kind of ordinary work.
37 “‘These are the designated times of Adonai that you are to proclaim as holy convocations and bring an offering made by fire to Adonai — a burnt offering, a grain offering, a sacrifice and drink offerings, each on its own day — 38 besides the Shabbats of Adonai, your gifts, all your vows and all your voluntary offerings that you give to Adonai.
39 “‘But on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered the produce of the land, you are to observe the festival of Adonai seven days; the first day is to be a complete rest and the eighth day is to be a complete rest. 40 On the first day you are to take choice fruit, palm fronds, thick branches and river-willows, and celebrate in the presence of Adonai your God for seven days. 41 You are to observe it as a feast to Adonai seven days in the year; it is a permanent regulation, generation after generation; keep it in the seventh month. 42 You are to live in sukkot for seven days; every citizen of Isra’el is to live in asukkah, 43 so that generation after generation of you will know that I made the people of Isra’el live in sukkot when I brought them out of the land of Egypt; I am Adonai your God.’”
A seven day celebration! Leaving home to be in Yah's presence we camp out, with a complete Sabbath on the first day and then the day after the event. Gathering together as believers to celebrate what is commonly believed to be the prophetic symbolance of either the Wedding Feast or the Millenial Kingdom! The commands beyond the two sabbaths are to celebrate with branches (Palm, Leafy green and Willow, not so available in Alberta in October) and fruit on the first day, gathering with believers on the last day (at least), and to live in temporary housing for the seven days as a reminder of how Israel lived after fleeing Egypt and of the place Yeshua has gone to prepare for us.
So essentially, and the part my husband loves, is a commanded camping trip! Many believers do large group campouts but we don't have a large group around us, instead going out with just a few and being close enough that those who need to can commute back during the non-sabbath days of the Holy Days. As we do a lot of camping and want this even to be special for our children to learn we've decided that rather than camp with our fifth wheel this is a trip with our canvas hunting tent and the wood stove that we set up inside it. This way we have a tent, more fitting for the tradition of the Holy Days, and it sets it apart from other times. The stove is necessary however for the week as camping in October in Alberta sure gets cold! Because the first day is a Sabbath we need to be setup before hand, and the day after being a Sabbath means we don't take down until after, so it ends up needing a little more than the actual seven days. We also do a large meal for the kick off and the end of the event, What is a celebration without Feasting?
For those who don't go camping many go to stay with family, or go on a trip. I've even heard of some families setting up a tent within their home and living in it for the week depending on their situation at the time. So long as it is temporary housing, and you follow the two shabbats, meeting with believers on the last day you have met the requirements!
We also bring the Menorah, lighting it's candles one for each night of the week as we go through our celebration of what was done by bringing Israel from Egypt and what is to come when we go to the place prepared for us by the Groom, Yeshua.
We have incorporated one more factor for the children. As a special time we wanted one more thing to make it seem that much more special, and to mark out the days that tend to fall into the lesser category. To fix this for them we brought the hannukah pockets into Sukkot; eight pockets, one for each morning including the Holy Convocation day afterwards, with a special tiny toy or a candy in it for the child each morning.
A wonderful time to study scripture, worship Elohim and gather with believers! Teaching our children with the Holy Days as they learn who Yahweh is and how to express their love for him. May we all continue to grow in our faith and knowledge and enjoy this last of the Biblically commanded Feast Days.
