Five Sukkot Traditions You’ve Always Wondered About
September 30, 2024 | Shabbat and Holidays
By Brenda Footer
Originally published September 2024 | Updated September 2026
Maybe you grew up celebrating Sukkot every year. Maybe you know the basics but have always wondered why we do certain things. Or maybe you’ve spotted a little hut in someone’s yard and thought, “What exactly is going on over there?”
Sukkot traditions are meaningful, memorable and, admittedly, a little unusual. From temporary outdoor dwellings to an oversized citrus fruit, here are five traditions you may have wondered about and the meaning behind them.
Why are they building that flimsy hut?
In the Torah we are commanded to celebrate the Festival of Booths, the holiday of Sukkot, which recalls how the Israelites wandered in the desert awaiting the Promised Land.
As part of the holiday, we are instructed to dwell in temporary structures. According to rabbinical texts, the hut should be sturdy enough to withstand wind, but not permanent (walls can be made of any material). The roof should allow in more shade than sun and be made of material that grows from, but is not attached to, the ground (bamboo, evergreen boughs, and palm leaves are popular coverings). Many say that you should still be able to see the stars at night, although that isn’t law.
No sukkah of your own? You can still experience the tradition by visiting a friend or community sukkah. Families can also have some fun building a miniature or edible sukkah together.
What is that giant lemon and collection of leaves? Why are they waving it around?!
We celebrate Sukkot by gathering the branches of three trees – willow, myrtle and palm – into a bouquet, or lulav, and holding them together with an etrog, or citron, and shaking them.
This instruction comes straight from the Torah. No one knows for sure why we do this, but there are lots of theories, ranging from masculine/feminine symbolism to the four letters that represent G-d’s name. Check out this PJ Library guide on how to shake the lulav.
Whether you’re doing it for the first time or have been shaking a lulav for decades, it’s one of those uniquely Sukkot experiences that’s hard to forget.
I heard there’s ghosts!
No, it’s not a séance, or a spooky Halloween project, but there is a tradition of welcoming our ancestors into the sukkah. These are called the Ushpizin (Aramaic for guests).
The first ancestor that we “invite” to our sukkah is Abraham, because he was the first biblical character to welcome strangers (we find out later his guests were actually angels and messengers of God). We then go on to invite one biblical patriarch each night (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron and David). Some people also include Sarah, Rachel, Rebecca, Leah, and other women from the Torah.
Each person reminds us of certain Jewish values. You can also make the tradition personal. Think about the people who have shaped your life, passed down wisdom or inspired you. Who would you symbolically invite into your sukkah? It’s a question that can spark meaningful conversations at any age.
Why is everyone going from sukkah to sukkah?
Friends, neighbors and community members often visit one another’s sukkot throughout the holiday. After all, one of the values we hold up during Sukkot is Welcoming Guests (Hachnasat Orchim in Hebrew).
Sometimes communities organize a sukkah walk or “hop” where people can take a tour of many members’ sukkot. Here’s your guide from Kosher.com to designing the perfect table for just such an occasion.
What does it look like in there?
A sukkah may only stand for a short time, but that doesn’t mean it can’t feel special.
Many people decorate their sukkot with artwork, lights, garlands, fruit and other personal touches. Some decorations have been passed down through generations while others are made fresh each year.
The Jewish value of hiddur mitzvah (beautifying the commandment) means that there is always room in the sukkah for one more decoration. Here’s some great ideas from Judaica.com to get you started.
At its heart, Sukkot is about much more than huts, branches and unusual-looking fruit. It’s a holiday about gratitude, hospitality, tradition and spending time together.
Whether you’ve celebrated Sukkot your whole life, are rediscovering the holiday at a new stage of life or are experiencing it for the first time, there’s always something new to discover and someone new to welcome in.