Igniting the flames of the Sacred Feminine: Ushpizot in the Sukkah

There are many holidays in the Jewish Calendar that I find special, but in terms of religion in the home, none are as important as Sukkot or "The Feast of Booths."  In Biblical times, during the autumn harvest when the moon is brightest in the sky, the Lord commands His Chosen People to build booths at the edge of their fields.  In these booths, the Israelite men would take all of their meals and naps in a sukkah (a three sided booth) so that they may watch over their fields during the harvest time. 

Today, it is customary among Jews to build a sukkah in their yards to commemorate this important time of the year.  It is large enough for tables and chairs for meals, decorated with art and the fruits of Israel, and thatched so that you can see the stars from the inside of the booth.  I see it as the Jewish version of Thanksgiving.

During this period of 8 days, it is important to invite guests into the sukkah to join the family for meals, rest, and study.  This seems easy enough.  But Judaism has a way of making even the most mundane task into a spiritual endeavor.  Seven patriarchs of the Jewish people are invited to join in the feast in order to bring their virtues into the home and touch the lives of all those within. 

However, with the women's liberation movement, gender equality, and the traditional roles of women keeping the religious flames in the home, many Jewish women (and men) invite seven matriarchs of Israel into the sukkah to bring their special traits to the women of the household.  We call these spiritual female guests Ushpizot.  The seven Ushipzot in Judaism are Eve, Sarah, Leah, Miriam, Deborah, Esther, and Ruth.  Just as Jewish lineage is passed on through the mother, without these important women, the Israelites would have never become the powerful nation that G-d promised to Abraham.

So, what aspects of spirituality are brought forth through these women?  Let us take a brief look:

1- Eve, mother of all = passion and a deep connection to the earth
2- Sarah, wife of Abraham = nation-building and destiny
3- Leah, first wife of Jacob = motherhood, giving, and selflessness
4- Miriam, sister of Abraham and a prophetess = prophetic vision, initiative, and expressiveness
5- Deborah, judge of Israel = leadership, strength, and power
6- Esther, Jewish queen of Persia = courage, strength, and personal sacrifice
7- Ruth, daughter-in-law of Naomi = unconditional love and the ultimate expression of the Diving presence

As a liberated woman, I wish to possess all of these spiritual traits.  Who would not want that for their daughters, sisters, mothers, nieces, etc.?  Each of these traits brings us closer to the Lord, our family, our community, and our own Divine spark.  Without these spiritual matriarchs, would we even have the Judeo-Christian society in which we live?

So, in honor of the Ushpizot, I would encourage you to take the time to honor at least one virtuous woman for the next two weeks.  We need to keep their memory alive to pass on to the next generation.  Perhaps these feminine virtues will ignite your inner flame and brighten the world for millenia to come.

"Passover" Me

Tonight was the first time that I thought about this blog in years.  It seems that I have been in a state of "Passover" for almost 6 years now instead of just 7 days.  I have had time to think and reflect on life as I have lived it, and I have come to the conclusion that I, like the Israelites, have been wandering through the desert longing to see the Promised Land.

I have been "passed over" for relationships, jobs, family, good health, and friendship for almost two decades.  Every attempt to take a step forward in my situation leads to two steps backwards...or so I thought.  The past two years have been some of the darkest and most enlightening years of my life.  After moving to Georgia for a Latin teaching job, I quickly became sick with a 3-month long migraine which caused me to have to quit teaching again.  However, little did I know that I was needed at home in North Carolina.  Both of my maternal grandparents were diagnosed with cancer and placed in Hospice at the same time.  They could not care for themselves, so I became their daytime caregiver.   After my grandmother passed, I moved into the house with my grandfather.  We had always been kindred spirits, but the last year of his life was exceedingly special to me.  He and I had many adventures together, told each other stories, dabbled in art, shared books, and had many conversations on religion, history, and the importance of each in one's life.  After growing so close to him, I was devastated when he passed on to his Tiny House in Heaven.  However, I knew that he was no longer in pain and that life goes on long after we return to dust.

I soon learned that I had my own health concerns with which I had to live.  I was diagnosed with Lupus and Occipital Neuralgia along with my Chronic Daily Migraines, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and everything that those illnesses entail.  It was time to find my way back into the world from which I had retreated two years earlier.  Since then, I have found new friends, reacquainted myself with old ones, engaged in art, began keeping a bullet journal, started reading the Torah along with various books everyday, applied for online teaching positions, and am enrolled in a class to learn how to teach gifted students online.  I am also a freelance marketing director for a local business.  I have been biding my time and trying to live my best life with debilitating illnesses.

This Passover was one of the first that I have celebrated entirely on my own.  I have seen it with new eyes and a new found dedication.  I have been bereft of leavening for almost 6 years as I struggled with my lot in life.  But, the Lord has now given me manna from Heaven to allow me to subsist until I cross into the land that was meant for me.  I can see it just over the Horizon   There will be struggles, battles, famine, and feasts, but it will all be mine for the taking.  All I have to do is embrace it as it comes to me and live each day to the best of my ability.