Essay on “Tabernacles” Festival
Tabernacles is a Jewish festival which is observed all over the world from the 15th to 23rd of Tishri, ie, in the months of either September or October.
Historically, the festival is observed in commemoration of the time when Jews left Egypt and became wanderers in the search of Palestine, their religious home. At that time they were devoid of any name and had to spend days and nights in booths and tents made of leaves and boughs.
To commemorate those hard times, Jews still make tents of leaves where they stay even for a week. When going to attend the synagogue for worship, Jews carry a citron, a leaf of a palm tree, a branch of myrtle tree and willow from a stream. On the 7th day of the festival, they celebrate Torah pompously. On the last day, the sacred scriptures (scrolls of the law) are carried in procession round the central reading platform of the Synagogue). The day is celebrated as the day of rejoicing and Thanksgiving Day as well.
