TABERNACLES, FEAST OF (nizqrj loprb cruialo, oitaryfa), was the last of the three great annual festivals of the Israelites which required the presence of all the people in Jerusalem (Exod.
xxiii., 16; Levit. xxiii. 34 ; Numb. axis. 12 ; Dent. xvi. 13). Its object was to commemorate the dwelling of the people in tents during their journeys in the wilderness ; and it was also a feast of thanks giving for the harvest and vintage, whence it is called " the feast of ingathering." It was celebrated in the autumn, at the conclusion of the vintage, and lasted eight days, namely, from the 15th to the 23rd of the seventh month (Tisri, which corresponds to October). The first and last days were holy convocations, in which no work might be done, and the Last was the greatest day of all the feast (John vii. 27). In the opinion of many biblical antiquarians, the feast of tabernacles properly lasted only for seven days, the eighth being peculiarly " the feast of ingathering." (Nehem. viii. 13.) This feast lasted longer than either of the other great feasts ; it was kept with greater demonstrations of joy, and more sacrifices were offered during its continuance. (Levit. xxix. 12.384 During the feast the people dwelt in booths, which were made on the tops of their houses (is ehetn. viii. 16). These booths were made of the leafy branches of certain trees, which are mentioned in Levit., xxiii. 40, and include the citron, the palm, the myrtle, and the willow, though in Nehem., viii. ]5, the olive and the pine are also mentioned. These booths were meant to represent the tents in which the Israelites dwelt in the wilderness. In the sabbatical year, the law was read in
the presence of all the people at this feast. (Dent. xxxi. 10-13; Nahum viii.) Like many others of the institutions of the Mosaic law, the feast of tabernacles was neglected during the period from the settlement of Israel in Palestine to the Captivity. It was revived in the time of Ezra and Nehemiah. (Nehem. viii.) Plutarch (Sympos. iv. 6) gives an account of the feast of taber nacles, which ho supposed to be in honour of Bacchus.
The later Jews have added other ceremonies to those which are assigned to this feast in the law. 1. They carry a citron in the left hand, and a bundle of branches, namely, one of the palm-tree and two of the willow and myrtle, in the right, with which they walk in pro cession round the reading-desks in the synagogues, singing Hosannahs. This ceremony, which is repeated seven times on the seventh day, is said to be in commemoration of the taking of Jericho by such a repeated procession round its walls. (Joshua vi.) 2. On each of the seven days of the feast they pour out a libation of water. They assert that this was done anciently before the altar at Jerusalem, with water brought from Siloa. 3. Tbey assert that lights were burnt in the court of the women on the first evening of the feast. These lights were in large golden candlesticks, and their brightness was visible over all the city.