A Shabbat Message
10/03/2025 04:58:47 PM
Dear Friends,
What a week! This Yom Kippur has left me spiritually uplifted in the best possible way—standing with so many of you, working through the hardest parts of this past year, feeling lighter for what's ahead. This spiritual high doesn't come from the prayers alone, it comes from showing up together, being present, and striving to do better.
All this spiritual work, however, has me craving some physical work– some movement, some lifting, some tinkering. And, Judaism's got us covered: Sukkot is coming, which means there’s a mitzvah that needs to be tackled: building a sukkah!
It’s a good thing I’m looking forward to it, as our tradition teaches us that we should start building immediately after Yom Kippur. The great rabbi Moses Isserles (16th century Poland) wrote that when a mitzvah comes to your hands (literally or figuratively), you shouldn’t delay–you go from one mitzvah straight into the next, keeping the momentum of sacred efforts.
Full disclosure: the first thing I did after Neilah wasn't building the sukkah—I joined my family for the break fast, went home, and slept. I do, however, plan on building it first thing after Havdalah tomorrow night.
There's nothing like waking up on a crisp fall morning, coffee in hand, sitting in that sacred temporary shelter with my family, knowing we built it ourselves, but also feeling like there’s more than just us in that space, keeping us safe and warm. The air's different in the sukkah. Cooler and warmer. Quieter yet humming with joy, with comfort, with holiness.
If you haven’t yet built a sukkah, consider making this the year. It's a perfect Sunday family project, and all you need is a trip to the hardware store and a couple of hours. Here are the basics:
Minimum three walls (two can be permanent, like sides of a house, and at least one is temporary)
The roof must be s'chach—natural materials like bamboo or pine branches—loose enough, so that you can see the stars, but dense enough to give you more shade than sunlight during the day.
And, there’s no need to stress about one’s construction skills, it just has to stand for eight days! Either you can design it yourself (or wing it) or you can find instructions online, like these:
And please—come celebrate Sukkot with us at Temple B'nai Abraham. Family Sukkot Harvestfest & Breakfast this Sunday, 10–12, open to the community. First Day morning services Tuesday at 10 am. We'll also gather Tuesday at 6 pm in the Ross Sanctuary to mark the second anniversary of October 7. Please check our website for the full holiday schedule of events.
May this year bring sweetness, goodness, health, and peace to all of us.
Shana tova. Shabbat shalom.