Uncovering the Mitzvot of Sukkot

The mitzvot of Sukkot are rich in  meaning and give us a tangible way   to express our gratitude for our  close relationship with Hashem. 1. The Sukkah Let's start with the sukkah, a temporary  hut that we eat, sleep, and spend our time   in throughout Sukkot. The sukkah commemorates  how Hashem sent clouds of glory to surround and   protect the Jewish people after leaving Egypt. A  kosher sukkah should have at least three walls,   which can be made of any material, and be  constructed so that a normal wind won't knock   it over. Then there's the roof, or s'chach,  it has to be made from something that grew   from the ground and is no longer attached to  it, like palm branches or bamboo. There should   be enough s'chach to provide more shade than  sunlight while ideally still leaving enough   space to see the stars at night. By deliberately  leaving the comfort and security of our homes   and surrounding ourselves with the sukkah, we  remind ourselves that ultimately it's Hashem   who protects and provides for us, just as he  protected the Jewish people in the desert. 2. The Arbah Minim While we often call this mitzvah shaking the lulav  and the etrog, there are actually four different   species involved. First, we need an etrog, which  is a very specific species of citrus. A kosher   etrog should be intact on both ends and held with  the pitum facing up. Then there's the lulav, a   palm branch. Its central spine should be straight  and the tips of its leaves intact. Finally,   we take three myrtle branches, called "hadasim,"  and two willow branches, called "aravot." Each   day of Sukkot, except for Shabbat, we bring  all four species together, recite a bracha   and wave them in all six directions as a form of  prayer that we be protected from harmful forces. 3. Hoshanos Each day we gather our Arbah Minim together once  again and follow the chazan around the shul,   reciting the prayer called Hoshanos, the order of  which changes every day based on the calendar. The   last day of Chol Hamoed is called Hoshanah Rabbah.  This is the cutoff for finalizing the decrees that   were written on Rosh Hashanah and sealed on  Yom Kippur. On this day, we recite all of the   Hoshanos and then beat a bundle of aravot on the  ground to symbolize our rejection of evil ways. On Sukkot, we don't just remember Hashem's  protection, we physically experience it.   Each mitzvah serves as a reminder that  Hashem is with us wherever we are.