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By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal
 SAN DIEGO--In the evening festival kiddush each holiday is accorded its own unique descriptive phrase. Pesach is called "the season of our freedom," Shavuot is called "the season of the giving of the Torah," and Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret, "the season of our rejoicing."
This definition of Sukkot as "the season of our rejoicing" comes directly from the Torah: "On the first day you shall take the product of hadar (citron) trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days." (Lev. 24:40)
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Sukkot is most appropriate successor and one might even say antidote (!) to Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur is one of the most solemn days on the Jewish calendar, a day dedicated to prayer, fasting, and introspection. Sukkot, on the other hand, is a holiday dedicated to celebration, laughter, thanksgiving, and enjoyment of the world which God has given us.
Living in modern western society, it is easy to become disconnected from the world of nature. We buy our fruits and vegetables wax coated and in sealed containers, and a lot of that which we eat is processed beyond recognition. (I, for one, have never seen a tater-tot tree!) We spend most of our days and nights inside climate controlled permanent structures. Sukkot helps us to become more connected to nature and reminds us our world's beauty and fragility.
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