Sukkot, As Intended

Sukkot in Israel.

The dream is being realized,
Speedily, in our time.

The ancient rites of pilgrimage,
Recreated,
All over a land.
Journeys to Jerusalem,
A time for tiyulim,
To the woods, the shore, the grove.

Seeing friends not seen since the last journey,
Spring-time.

We come together,
Flimsy roof overhead,
Pious in devotion,
An intense day of feast.

But then we set free.
To roam the land.
6 days, a country on vacation,
Chol Hamoed.

Relaxing in sukkot
As erstwhile
As the American Christmas Tree.
The sukkah, in Israel
Knows no Jewish boundaries.

The ushpizin nod proudly.

The weather concurs.
Sun shines,
The wind blows soothingly,
Clouds receive a hero’s welcome,
The rain pipes in,
Sprinkling in its time,
Returning from its long vacation.

Nature is happy.
The season's change is happening,
And we know it.

Sukkot is here
As it is not in Chul.

The tircha of two-day feasts,
Cumbersome, tiresome.
A chol without a moed,
To most of the people,
And our people.
A time sadly unknown.

It all ends tomorrow night
With one day of chag,
Simchat Torah, Shemini Atzeret, and Shabbat,
Rolled into one.

And then an extra day to celebrate, on Sunday.
Eesru chag,
A time to reside with God,
On the road,
Just one more day.

It is a time for blessing,
This Sukkot.
A time of shuva.
A time we know we have returned.

United our scattered people,
O God,
Gather our dispersed from the ends of the earth.

Vikarev pizuraynu miben hagoyim,
Oonifutsotaynu kanes meyarkitay aretz.