Climate Control on Sukkot
Lost in the mists of history and buried amidst the rubble of the Temple in Jerusalem are the rituals of Sukkot that made clear that Sukkot is about water. In ancient Israel the pageantry of the festival reflected in the Hoshanot processional, which we continue still, was concluded with the kohanim pouring water on the altar accompanied by prayers asking for the blessings of water, raining down from heaven and bubbling up from under the ground to nourish the land.
Our ancient ancestors understood the Arba Mininm, the four species of Sukkot carried in the processional as being all about water as well. Each of these species represented one of the primary habitats of the land of Israel: the desert, the mountain, the lowland, and the river habitats. Each of these distinct habitats differed in both rainfall and groundwater. Seen together, the Arba Mininm, the four species captured in the minds of our forebears a bioregional map of the land of Israel; each species taking in the greatest abundance of the rains that fell in the habitat in which they grew.
The Lulav, the date palm, was the most water-loving plant of the desert; the Hadas (myrtle) needs the most water of the mountain plants; the Etrog requires the most rain among the agricultural trees to flourish; and the Arvei Nachal or Aravot (“willow of the streams”) as their name suggests are synonymous with the abundance of water, often growing with their roots right in the streams. In bringing these four species together, and waving them in all directions, our ancestors prayed that the coming year would bring enough water for each of these species to grow and thrive, and with them all the species of each habitat.
Recognizing the interconnectedness and the fragile balance of the forces of nature upon which they depended gave their prayers depth and urgency. Each day, the Hoshanot passages, pleaded with GOD to provide for the flora and fauna of the land and the whole world, meeting the needs of each. Every Hoshanah gave voice to both their dependence on GOD’s creation and their responsibility towards it. Even as our Sages crafted prayers articulating our appreciation of creation, they also developed laws rooted in the Torah, governing our behavior in GOD’s world; limiting and restricting our dominance.
As their descendants, we know that our prayers are not only for divine hearing but are intended for our hearing as well; reminders of our impact on our world and focusing our attention on the habitats and eco-systems that require our attention and intervention. Repeating the processionals, prayers and petitions of the festival of Sukkot guide us to fulfillment of the holiday’s ultimate purpose.
With blessings for a joyous festival –
Rabbi David M. Eligberg
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