Five Fun Facts for Sukkot

1 RUSTIC ROOTS–Archaeologists have unearthed 5,000-year-old etrog seeds in ancient Mesopotamia (modern Iraq). An etrog is one of the four species that the Torah commands us to use in celebration of Sukkot (Vayikra 23:40).

2 BEDTIME BLESSING–The Talmud explains that if we see an etrog in a dream, it means that God considers us precious.

3 RITUAL RECYCLABLES–Pieces of dried etrog can be combined with cloves to enhance the spices used during Havdalah. Also, the lulav–palm, willow, and myrtle branches–can be lit as kindling when we burn hametz before Pesach.

4 SMALLEST SUKKAH–Jewish legal scholars determined that a sukkah should be no smaller than 27″x27″–the smallest space a person could occupy while sitting or crouching at a table.

5 LOTSA LIGHTS–The Jerusalem Municipality and Israel Electric Company built the world’s largest sukkah last year, stringing 2.5 miles of electrical wiring, which lit 144,000 miniature light bulbs.