THISMONTHINOURREFORMHERITAGE–OCTOBER2017

REFORMJUDAISMBROUGHTNEWMEANINGSTOSUKKOTANDSIMCHATTORAH

byRabbiHowardA.Berman

AstheHighHolyDayseasoncontinuesandconcludeswiththeFestivalsofSukkotand Simchat Torah during the first weeks of October, we can reflect on thedistinctivenewmeaningsthatReformJudaismbroughttotheseobservancesinthecourseofitsdevelopment.Reform’scharacteristicrecastingofthesignificanceofmany traditional celebrations, shifting the emphasis from ritual symbolism to afocusonexplicitethicalmessages,foundparticularexpressioninitsinterpretationoftheFestivalofSukkot.WhilereaffirmingthehistoricallinktothewanderingsofourancestorsinthewildernessfollowingtheExodus,theearlyReformersaddedtwo additional layers of significance to the festival. The ancient agriculturalsymbolismofSukkot,asacelebrationof the ingatheringof the fallharvest,hadbeenlargelylostinthecenturieswhenJewishlifehadbeencenteredintheurbancentersofEurope,cutofffromtherhythmsandcyclesofplantingandreapingthatwere at the heart of the Biblical consciousness. The Emancipation from theconfinesoftheGhettointhe18thcentury,andtheexperienceofthefrontiersofAmerica, both combined to reconnect Jewish consciousness to the land – anencounterthatwouldeventuallycriticallyshapetheemergingresettlementofthe

Land of Israel as well. The reclaiming of the fall seasonal harvest theme wasparticularlysignificantfortheAmericanReformMovement,whichidentifiedwiththe shared ideals and Biblical roots of the pioneering spirit embodied in theThanksgivingStory.

Thesecondmajor interpretation thatReformbrought toSukkotwas theethicalextension of the harvest symbolism. Rooted in the Torah’s “Holiness Code” ofLeviticus19,withitscallfortheequitablesharingofthebountyoftheharvest,theoriginalliturgythattheearlyReformerscomposedfortheFestivalemphasizedtheconcept that Sukkot‘s ultimate message was one of economic justice. ThispowerfulmoralchallengeoftheFestivalislyrically–andforcefully–expressedinthespecialreadingsforthisholidayfromtheUnionPrayerBook:

FORTHESABBATHDURINGSUKKOT

ThestarsintheircoursesandthechangingseasonstellofGod’sinfinitemight.Intheseautumndays,thewaningsummerandthefallingleavesbringnosadnessintoourhearts.TheseasonbeginsinjoywiththebountifulgiftsofGod’sunfailinggoodness.We behold the fruits of tree and vine and gather to celebrate theharvest,thejoyousfestivalofSukkot.The structures of stone and steel that our hands havewroughtmaymakeusboastfulofhumanstrength;but the fruitsof fieldandorchard re-awakenourthoughtsoftheEternalOne.When,onthisfestival,webringintothishouseofprayertheproductsofsoilandsunlight,ourthoughtstumtothemiracleoftheseed,themysteryofgrowth,therefreshingrainandtheripeningsun.Welearnanew that it isGodwhoblessesour toilwhereverwe labor.All thatwehavecomesfromtheEternalOne.God, Your bounty provides for all human needs if onlywewould bewise andgenerousinthesharingofYourblessings.TeachustouseYourgiftsforthewell-beingofallpeople.Lettherebenofamineorscarcity inanyhouseholdoranyland.Assoil,rain,andsununitetodoYourwill,somayallhumankindbecomeunitedthatwemaylivetogetherinmutualblessing.Spreadoverusthetabernacleofpeaceandunity,nowandforevermore.Amen.

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