The origins of SUKKAH HOP!!!!!!

When Bnei Israel were traveling through the desert, around 2500 years ago, there was a young israelite kid named nachshon ben amitai. Nachshon was an all around regular kid – he liked listening to moshe’s speaches, as he taught the nation what to do on this topic and that issue. Him and his friends used to sit by moshe’s sit in the Bet Din (court) and listen as he rendered judgment. He loved the mun – waking up everyday, rolling out of bed (which was in a tent of course) and finding breakfast at the doorstep. He would go on early morning walks with his father to admire the sea of mun around machane Israel (Israel’s camp) and watch as his neighbors would get up to pick their food for the day. He found it fascinating. He found a great cave in a the rocks overlooking the camp on one of his travels around the area; He used to go to sleep sometimes in that secret hiding spot; a spot where nobody could bother him, where he could just go and play.

It happened on a morning like any other: nachshon got up, after sleeping at his hiding spot for the night, and looked over the camp. It was gone.

 Nachshon blinked, rubbed his eyes, and looked again. It was still gone. Nachshon literally started to freak out – he was going nuts. “what in the name of Har Sinai am I going to do????” he began to cry. He wanted to get back to his family, his friends, his warm bed… but wait a minute, he thought, if they left me, maybe they don’t care about me – they didn’t forget, they left me behind on purpose! However, instead of becoming angrier and more bitter, he started to form a plan: he would set out by himself, to a place where he could start his own camp; he doesn’t need anybody, his friends, his family, anybody… he was his own man (or boy). But wait, he thought, what about my pet-rock! It’s the only thing in the world that truly relies on me! As a man, I have responsibilities, and I will fulfill them… or die trying!!!

So, nachshon decided to follow camp – but where was it?!?!?! Nachshon had not the slightest clue… but he knew where to begin. He knew that the annanei kavod can be seen from miles away, and that anyone who does not reside inside the camp can follow the camp through the movement of the annanei kavod. Aside for that, he could also try and spot the huge garbage trail that is left after 600,000 men women and children have walked through the desert. No, just kidding – but he did use his expert tracking skills.

Traveling through the desert was hard for the 10 year old nachshon. He looked around and around, until he got dizzy of walking in circles. Just then, he spotted something moving in the distance; something large, white and fluffy.

He realized it could be one of two things: either the biggest popcorn he had ever seen, or the annanei hakavod. He figured the second choice was right. He walked and walked and walked, until, after about an hour, he began to wish it was the popcorn. No, just kidding – but he was getting kind of hungry. He was much closer now to the annanei hakavod – he could practically feel the comfotable feeling of being inside the annanei hakavod; of being near his poor, helpless pet-rock; of being at home. Suddenly, he spotted a large squirrel with abnormally sharp teeth dragging an acorn across the sand.

Wow, that’s a really weird looking creature, thought nachshon and turned around and kept walking.

            He was still traveling when he realized that he didn’t have a drink all day. Suddenly everything started to seem slower, hotter, and more difficult. He knew he’s starting to feel the absence of food and water, and he knew he must get to camp soon. He was already approaching the boundaries of the camp when suddenly, the grouhd shook.

An earthquake!!!! No, wait, it was that squirrel with the big acorn. No, no, it  was an earthquake. The ground was splitting faster than he could say the whole bracha of “leishev basukkah”! he had to make a decision – to jump or not to jump. He decided neither – he hopped! (no, seriously, it’s much better to hop since you use the power of both legs, and toes) he stepped back – about 30 feet at least, to gain momentum – and started running, as fast as he could! He ran, and ran and ran – and HOPPED! And fell. On the other side! Rejoicing in his own private miracle, he ran as fast as he could back to his tent (which was much much closer now), to see his pet-rock, to eat and drink, but more importantly – to tell everybody about that freakish squirrel! No, just kidding, to tell everybody about how he hopped over an earthquake!

            Since then, every year, he commemorated his miracle by stopping, for one day out of the year, and hopping wherever he went. Later on, as we were commanded the holiday of sukkot, and his great grandchildren understood the connection between the sukkah and annanei hakavod, they kept the minhag of hopping from sukkah to sukkah in memory of the great miracle that occurred to nachshon ben amitai.    

Trivia game questions and answers:

1. who are the 7 ushpeezin?  avraham, isaac, yakov, yoshef, moshe, aharon, david

2. what are the 4 species?  lulav, hadas, aravot, etrog

3. why do we sit in a suka on sukkot?  to remind us of leaving eygpt.

4. what is the law about schach?  That there has to be more shade than sun.

5. Can you build a two story sukka?  no

6. what do you add into birkat hamazon on sukkot?  ya'ale veyavo, shir hamaalot, harachaman hu yakim..., meegdal

7. What are you happy about on simchat torah?  that we finished the torah cycle

8. sing yad achim by heart  i think there are sheet in the leishka i'll make sure you have them by shabbat

9. why are simchat torah and shmeini atzeret on different days?  because we live in chutz laaretz in israel they are on the same day.

10.what are some of the names of sukkot?  chag hasukkot, chag haasief, and if you can remember the other to great because i can't.

11. what is the difference between the white and blue tilboshet?  the white tilboshet is for shabbat and chaggim(kodesh) and the blue one is for chol.