Sukkot 2026: How the Sukkah and Four Species Unite Israel
As Israel prepares for Sukkot 2026, the holiday brings two distinctive mitzvahs that carry a powerful message for these challenging times: the sukkah and the Four Species. While one commands personal ownership and individual spiritual growth, the other calls for communal unity, a lesson that resonates deeply as the nation heads toward a critical election after three years of war.
What do the Sukkah and Four Species symbolize?
The sukkah serves as our physical home during the seven-day festival, where families gather for meals and often sleep under the stars. The Four Species, the lulav (palm branch), etrog (citron), hadassim (myrtle), and aravot (willow), provide spiritual focus during prayer. Together, they frame the holiday's dual nature: personal devotion and collective responsibility.
Why must every Jew own their own Four Species?
The Torah commands us to take the Four Species personally, as stated in the verse V'lakachtem lachem, meaning they shall be taken for you. This emphasis on individual ownership teaches that spirituality cannot be borrowed. Each person must acquire their own lulav set, reflecting the deeply personal nature of faith. What works for one Jew may not work for another, and our diverse paths to God strengthen the nation as a whole.
How does the Sukkah teach communal unity?
In contrast, the sukkah can be shared. The verse Kol ha'ezrach b'yisrael yeishvu basukkot, every citizen of Israel should sit in sukkot, uses the plural form to convey a profound teaching: it would be fitting for all of Israel to sit in one common sukkah. This does not mean physically, but spiritually, highlighting that communal institutions must be embraced collectively. We cannot build separate armies, political parties, or medical systems for every splinter group. History shows that societies fracture when each faction demands its own sukkah.
What do the Sages teach about the Four Species?
The Sages compared the Four Species to different types of people. The etrog, with its inviting scent and taste, represents those who are accessible and sociable. The arava, lacking both, reflects less personable figures. These traits extend beyond behavior to spiritual character, reminding us that diversity is a strength. Yet alongside this individualism, we must maintain shared institutions that bind us as one people.
How does this apply to Israel's current challenges?
Israel now faces a critical and likely divisive election after three years of painful war and deep social crisis over judicial reform. Campaign strategists often exaggerate divisions, presenting false black-and-white choices. As a nation that has overcome so much, we cannot fall victim to forces that widen our gaps. A different path is possible.
Remember that we are one family
First, we must remember that a family remains a family in good times and bad. We share one Father in Heaven, and we all belong to the same Jewish family. No family is without fights, but countless stories show that divisions are overcome when we recall the power of one nation.
Set aside the fear of the other
Second, we must accept that our internal divides, however bitter, do not mean one side seeks to destroy the other. A Tzohar study found that most haredi respondents believe secular Israelis want their enlistment and education reforms to weaken their community. Conversely, most secular Israelis fear greater Jewish studies in schools will influence their children's religious practice. We are a nation instilled with fear, not only of enemies like Hamas and Iran, but of spiritual destruction from fellow Jews across the hall. Amid such suspicion, building our communal sukkah becomes nearly impossible.
Embrace a new vision for the future
Finally, we must find ways to embrace a new and original vision for a common future. Our unity cannot rest solely on physical survival or national defense. While we have proven more united under external threat, that cannot be our main source of peoplehood. The time has come to create new paths based on common values, acceptance of the other, and a community that celebrates differences while thriving together.
Once we accept these truths, with God's blessing, we will merit the chance to finally live together under one sukkah.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Sukkot called the Festival of Unity?
Sukkot emphasizes communal dwelling in the sukkah, symbolizing the shared institutions and collective responsibility that bind the Jewish people. The holiday's mitzvahs teach that while spirituality is personal, national survival requires unity under one figurative sukkah.
What is the halachic difference between the Sukkah and Four Species?
The Four Species must be personally owned, based on the verse emphasizing the word lachem (for you). The sukkah, however, can be shared, as the Torah speaks of all citizens of Israel sitting in sukkot, highlighting the communal nature of the mitzvah.
How does Sukkot relate to Israeli elections?
The holiday's message of shared institutions and collective unity directly applies to election cycles, which often create internal walls. The article urges Israelis to remember their common family bonds and reject efforts by political forces to exaggerate divisions.
What did the Tzohar study reveal about Israeli society?
The study found that most haredi respondents believe secular Israelis want to weaken their community through enlistment and education reforms, while most secular Israelis fear religious influence in schools. This mutual suspicion underscores the need for trust-building.