Sukkot next begins at sundown on Friday, September 25, 2026. Here is what it means and how it is observed, drawn from classic Jewish sources.
When is Sukkot?
Sukkot begins at sundown on the dates below (the Jewish day starts in the evening).
| Year | Sukkot begins (at sundown) |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Friday, September 25, 2026 (next) |
| 2027 | Friday, October 15, 2027 |
| 2028 | Wednesday, October 4, 2028 |
| 2029 | Sunday, September 23, 2029 |
What is Sukkot?
Sukkot is one of the three pilgrimage festivals in the Jewish calendar, beginning on the 15th of Tishrei (five days after Yom Kippur) and lasting seven days. It has two main meanings:
Historical Commemoration
Sukkot commemorates the time when the Children of Israel dwelt in temporary shelters in the wilderness after the Exodus from Egypt. By living in a sukkah (a temporary booth) during the festival, we relive and remember that wandering in the desert.
Harvest Festival
The holiday also marks the fall harvest season—it’s called the “Feast of Ingathering”—and was traditionally a time of pilgrimage to the Temple to offer special sacrifices.
How It’s Observed
The Sukkah: A temporary structure with at least a roof made of branches and leaves (covering more than it leaves open), through which you can see the sky. During Sukkot, meals are eaten in the sukkah, and ideally one dwells there throughout the holiday (or at minimum eats in it, if weather is severe).
The Four Species: We take up four types of plants—a citron (etrog), myrtle branches (hadasim), palm branch (lulav), and willows (aravot)—to celebrate the festival.
The festival combines remembrance of our ancestors’ desert journey with gratitude for the harvest, binding together history, faith, and gratitude to the Divine.
How Sukkot is observed
Sukkot is celebrated in two main ways: dwelling in a sukkah and taking the four species.
The Sukkah
A sukkah must be at least three-sided with a roof made of leaves and branches (schach) — the covering should be loose enough that it cannot withstand heavy rain, allowing you to see the sky.
The core obligation is to dwell in the sukkah during the seven days of the festival . This means treating it as your primary home: you bring your fine utensils, bedding, and drinking cups there to honor the mitzvah. You must eat bread meals in the sukkah; snacking on fruit or roasted grain outside is permitted, but festive meals belong inside.
The spirit of the mitzvah is to consider your regular home temporary and the sukkah permanent during those seven days — a reversal that embodies dependence and trust.
The Four Species (Arba’ah Minim)
The four species are:
- Etrog (citron)
- Lulav (palm branch)
- Hadasim (myrtle twigs)
- Aravot (willow branches)
You take them together and recite a blessing over them, typically during the morning service on each day of Sukkot (except Shabbat in many communities). The species are waved in all directions as an act of praise and gratitude.
The Overall Message
Both observances commemorate the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness and acknowledge God’s protection and provision — a perfect fit for the harvest season when gratitude is central.
Sources
Educational note: Rebbe.IO is an AI study companion, not a posek. For a personal halachic ruling, please consult your rav.
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