Sukkah Inspiration for the Feast of Tabernacles

Who needs ideas for their temporary dwelling? Scripture instructs us that during Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles we are to live in temporary dwellings or booths (Leviticus 23:42). While Judaism has many, many rules for how a sukkah should look and be, Scripture doesn't give specifics. So I have no doubt that YHWH expected us to each put our own spin on how we keep this commandment. I love getting to share sukkahs from several different feast keepers so you can see the range of possibilities. Your temporary dwelling could be a tent or a camper or a homemade canopy. Hopefully this inspiration sparks and idea that is doable for you.

From @blooming_light - What a pretty set up for a Sukkot dinner party! Simple two by fours can definitely be dressed up to look elegant.

From @blooming_light - After the party!

From @elysamary - The lights add such a festive touch to this elegant sukkah!

From Land of Honey - This is my yarn sukkah from a few years back. The structure is really easy to do. The yarn takes a little persistence but is definitely doable, or you could put curtains or a tarp up to make more protective walls.

A friend send me this picture of a more traditional sukkah in Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia. You can get kits for sukkahs similar to this.

Another friend made this using the structure from an old swing set, and then some furniture and decor that she had. It looks like a great place for Bible study!

From @taliacarbis of The Climbing Tree - I love that she took comfy furniture and a rug (a plant even!) to make this temporary dwelling more like home. These touches make for an inviting atmosphere for your friends and family to spend time in.

From @taliacarbis of The Climbing Tree - Decorative touches like Talia's pomegranates can be a great activity for kids or yourself.

From Land of Honey - See the whole post for this here. It's made out of bamboo rods and thrifted curtains.

From @blooming_light - Here's a woodsy temporary dwelling made from tree branches and pine boughs.

From Asherah Cinnamon, displayed at the Oregon Jewish Museum Sukkah exhibit in 2014 - the branches in this one are so pretty!

From Love Sarah Schneider - I love the idea of a canopy right over the table! Absolutely beautiful for a Sukkot dinner party or Scripture study.

A big thank you to everyone who allowed me to share their work and photos; you guys are inspiring others to keep the feasts of YHWH! #sukkahgoals for sure!

More sukkah inspiration here. And here.

Scripture Reading for the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot)

Here is a list of Scriptures to read during and in the time leading up to the Festival of Sukkot. This set apart time is also known as the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths, the Festival of Ingathering, and the Season of Joy, so there are certainly lots of Scriptures that would be appropriate for this time of year! This time is a reminder that YHWH dwells with us, and calls to mind both Yahusha's life and also his return when he will once again be physically present with us.

Scriptures to read for Sukkot:

Exodus 23:16 - the first mention of Sukkot in Scripture, before the Israelites even got to the Promised Land.
Leviticus 23:34 - details on Sukkot.
Deuteronomy 16:13-15 - talks about rejoicing during the Festival of Booths.
Psalm 27:5 - a promise that YHWH will secure us in his sukkah.
Ecclesiastes - this is a traditionally read during Sukkot.
Ezra 3:4 - the celebration of Sukkot after the Temple was rebuilt.
Nehemiah 8:14-18 - the Torah is read after many years of neglect and the people see the instructions on keeping the feast.
Zechariah 14:16-20 - a prophecy of the feast of Sukkot being celebrated in the millennium.
Luke 2 - the story of the birth of the Messiah, which is evidenced to have happened at this time of year.
John 7 - Yahusha's time at the festival of Sukkot.
Revelation 21:3-5 - when the sukkah of YHWH comes and dwells with us.

More on Tabernacles:
The Feast of Tabernacles: Everything You Should Know
8 Things Scripture Says About the Feast of Tabernacles
Activities for Tabernacles

Printable for Yom Kippur

Are you ready for Yom Kippur? I thought a printable was in order to remind us all of the Messiah's sacrifice for us. Not to write off the significance of this set apart time, but to see how it points to Yahusha and YHWH's plan for our redemption. Of course this verse could easily stay up year round.

I made it in black and white so it's easy to print off at home, so it makes for a simple last-minute decoration. I hope you have a very meaningful Yom Kippur this year!

Click here to download this printable for Yom Kippur. It is free for your personal use.

The Meaning of Yom Teruah (Spiritual Significance of the Feast of Trumpets)

Have you ever wondered about Yom Teruah, the Hebrew name behind the Feast of Trumpets and wanted to know what this special time is all about? Yom Teruah is a significant Biblical event that happens on the first day of the seventh month in the Biblical calendar. It translates something like Day of Sounding or Day of Awakening Blasts. It's commonly called Feast of Trumpets, which is a pretty good name but it doesn't quite describe the significance of the day, or the Hebrew word teruah. Let's delve a little more into the meaning of 'teruah' to get a better idea of what this set apart time of YHWH is.

If we read Scripture in Hebrew, 'teruah' would be a common word to us. It is used something like 36 times just in the Old Testatment. Strongs defines it as: alarm, signal, sound of tempest, shout, shout or blast of war or alarm or joy.

Where do we see teruah in Scripture?

Teruah is what Israel did that brought down the walls of Jericho. (Joshua 6:20) 

There was a great teruah when the Ark of the Covenant was brought into the Israelite camp when they were battling the Philistines. (1 Samuel 4:5)

Moses sent Pinchas the priest to war with an instrument to teruah with. (Numbers 31:6)

When King David moved the Ark of the Covenant, it was with great teruah from himself and all Israel. (2 Samuel 6:15)

There was a teruah for joy when the Temple foundation was rebuilt. (Ezra 3:12)

Job described the face of someone accepted by God as teruah. (Job 33:26)

Music and singing to worship YHWH is teruah. (Psalm 150:5, Psalm 33:3)

Offerings were restarted to YHWH on Yom Teruah. (Ezra 3:6)

The great day of YHWH is a day of teruah. (Zephaniah 1:16)

The Creator himself shall go up in teruah to the sound of a shofar. (Psalm 47:5)

Does this help set the stage a little bit better? We can see that teruah is a word that goes with big things: the presence of God, conquering enemies, rebuilding the Temple, and the joy that comes from worship and obedience to YHWH. (Also the significant consequences of not worshiping or being obedient to the Creator.)

While the Leviticus 23 description of Yom Teruah is brief, we are told that this day is, "a remembrance of teruah." A day to remember the amazing things that YHWH did for Israel throughout Scripture, and what he has done in your personal life! Times we have faced warnings or gone to war, seen walls torn down, remembered covenants, and seen giants conquered. The Feast of Trumpets is a day of teruah, and is a time we are to remember all of that.

It is cool that all of these things were done with teruah - that music, joyful shout, alarm cry - because that really shows how powerful what you listen to is. For years I worked at a Christian radio station and we would hear from listeners all the time about what a difference listening to our station made to their spiritual, mental, and emotional health. That's how powerful truth is - it can totally transform every aspect of your life.

And see how this fits with the prophetic significance of the return of the Messiah on the Feast of Trumpets? While teruah covers some different meanings (alarm and joy don't usually go together), they all fit so well with what I imagine it will be like when the Messiah returns. What could be more joyful or alarming, depending on your relationship with him?

Blessed are the people who know that joyful teruah. -Psalm 89:15

More posts on the Feast of Trumpets:
The Beginner's Guide to the Feast of Trumpets
The Significance of the Shofar During Yom Teruah
Feast of Trumpets Bible Verses