As mentioned previously, the first day of Sukkot is a festival day [yom tov], which means that all the restrictions of Shabbat, in the manner in which they apply to any yom tov (see p. 466), are in effect. Before the holiday, one should perform all the necessary tasks of any festival eve, including preparing fire for use during the festival and for candle lighting.

When a yom tov day occurs on any day of the week other than Shabbat, it is recommended to light a long-burning candle in advance, so that it can be used to transfer fire for cooking and other uses.

When the festival begins on a weekday, some are accustomed to light the candles just before the festival begins at sunset, whereas others light them after sunset, close to the beginning of the meal. Those who light after the festival has already begun should use only an existing flame; as it is prohibited to produce a new fire on yom tov, one lights the match from a fire that was burning from before the festival. It is also prohibited to extinguish a flame, and thefore the match should be left to burn out on its own. When the first day of Sukkot falls on a Shabbat, one must, of course, light the candles before the start of Shabbat (and the festival), at the times indicated in synagogue calendars.

When lighting the candles, one recites two blessings:

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who sanctified us through His commandments, and commanded us to light a candle for the festival (on Shabbat: for the Shabbat and for the festival).”

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has given us life, sustained us, and brought us to this time.”

For more details regarding the halakhot of candle lighting, see p. 381.

The congregation recites the festival evening prayer, which can be found in most prayer books.

When the first day of Sukkot occurs on Shabbat, the congregation recites before the evening prayers an abbreviated version of Kabbalat Shabbat, beginning with Psalms 92, “A psalm, a song for the Sabbath day” [Mizmor shir leyom haShabbat], or in some communities, with Psalms 29, “A song by David” [Mizmor leDavid]. At the end of the prayer service, the following sections are added: the passage beginning: “The heavens and the earth” [Vaykhulu hashamayim veha’aretz] (Genesis 2:1–3), the Magen Avot prayer, and in some communities Psalms 23, “A psalm by David” [Mizmor leDavid]. References to Shabbat are also inserted in the Amida prayer, as indicated in the prayer books.

Further reading: For more information on the festival of Sukkot, see A Concise Guide to the Torah, pp. 318, 472; A Concise Guide to the Sages, p. 290; A Concise Guide to Mahshava, p. 72.

According to kabbalistic tradition, on each evening of the Sukkot festival the spirit of one of the illustrious forefathers of Israel, as detailed below, visits every sukka. In Aramaic, a visitor is called an ushpiza, or ushpizin in the plural. This is the meaning of the custom of ushpizin practiced in many communities, wherein the daily guest (ushpiza) is invited to the sukka each night before the meal.

According to the custom of the Arizal, one recites:

“I invite to my meal the exalted guests Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joseph, and David.”

According to the custom of some Ashkenazim, one also recites the following:

“Enter exalted, holy guests, enter holy, exalted forefathers, to sit in the shadow of the exalted faith,” which is a kabbalistic designation for the sukka.

Next, according to both versions one recites:

“Please, (here one adds the name of that day’s guest) my exalted guest, may it be that all the exalted guests (here one lists all the other guests, apart from the guest for that day) will (come and) sit with me and you.”

There are also two opinions regarding the order of the guests. According to the Arizal, the order is: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joseph, and David. This order is based on kabbalistic concepts. According to the accepted practice in the non-hasidic Ashkenazic community, the order corresponds with the historical chronology: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, and David.

Further reading: On Sukkot, as on all festivals, it is important to remember those who are less fortunate. See A Concise Guide to the Sages, p. 242.

As on the night of every festival and Shabbat, Kiddush is recited over a cup of wine at the beginning of the meal. The Kiddush must be performed in the sukka.

When the festival begins on a Friday night, the Kiddush starts with this paragraph:

For Ashkenazim:

(Quietly: “It was evening and it was morning,) the sixth day. The heavens and the earth and their entire host were completed. God completed on the seventh day His works that He had made; He rested on the seventh day from all His works that He had made. God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it; because on it He rested from all His works that God created to make” (Genesis 1:31–2:3).

When Sukkot occurs on a weekday, one starts here:

“Attention, masters, rabbis, teachers:

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has chosen us from all nations, and raised us above all tongues, and sanctified us through His commandments. And You have given us, Lord our God, in love, (on Shabbat add: Shabbatot for rest and) appointed times for joy, festivals and seasonal holidays for gladness, this day of (on Shabbat add: Shabbat and this day of) the festival of Sukkot, the time of our rejoicing (on Shabbat add: with love), a holy convocation, in commemoration of the exodus from Egypt. For You have chosen us and sanctified us above all nations, and (on Shabbat add: the Shabbat and) Your holy festivals (on Shabbat add: in love and favor,) in joy and in gladness You have given us for an inheritance. Blessed are You, Lord, who sanctifies (on Shabbat add: the Shabbat,) Israel and the seasonal holidays.”

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who sanctified us through His commandments, and commanded us to reside in the sukka.”

When reciting the following blessing (called Sheheĥeyanu), one should have in mind that this blessing should apply to the mitzva of dwelling in the sukka as well:

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has given us life, sustained us, and brought us to this time.”

For Sephardim:

On a weekday one starts here:

“It was evening and it was morning, the sixth day. The heavens and the earth and their entire host were completed. God completed on the seventh day His works that He had made; He rested on the seventh day from all His works that He had made. God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it; because on it He rested from all His works that God created to make” (Genesis 1:31–2:3).

“These are the appointed times of the Lord, holy convocations, that you shall proclaim at their appointed time” (Leviticus 23:4). “And Moses spoke to the children of Israel the appointed times of the Lord” (Leviticus 23:44).

“Attention, masters.”

The listeners respond: “To life!”

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has chosen us from all nations, and raised us above all tongues, and sanctified us through His commandments. And You have given us, Lord our God, in love, (on Shabbat add: Shabbatot for rest and) appointed times for joy, festivals and seasonal holidays for gladness, this day of (on Shabbat add: Shabbat and this day of) the festival of Sukkot, this festival day of holy convocation, the time of our rejoicing, with love, in commemoration of the exodus from Egypt. For You have chosen us and sanctified us above all nations, and (on Shabbat add: the Shabbatot and) Your holy festivals (on Shabbat add: in love and favor,) in joy and in gladness You have given us for an inheritance. Blessed are You, Lord, who sanctifies (on Shabbat add: the Shabbat,) Israel and the seasonal holidays.”

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who sanctified us through His mitzvot, and commanded us to reside in the sukka.”

When reciting the following Sheheheyanu blessing, one should have in mind that this blessing refers to the mitzva of dwelling in the sukka as well:

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has given us life, sustained us, and brought us to this time.”

On the first night of Sukkot it is obligatory to eat a meal in the sukka. One must recite Kiddush and eat at least an olive-bulk of bread in the sukka.

(With regard to the procedure when it rains on the first night of the festival, or if other factors cause sitting in the sukka to be uncomfortable, see the section on the mitzvot of the festival, p. 190).

As on every Shabbat and festival, one recites the blessing of HaMotzi, “who brings forth bread from the earth,” over two whole loaves of bread, and then slices one of them. Some have the custom to dip the slices of bread in honey, as on Rosh HaShana.

At the conclusion of the meal, Grace after Meals is recited, with the addition of the Ya’aleh VeYavo section (a special prayer for festivals and Rosh Hodesh). When the festival falls on Shabbat, before Ya’aleh VeYavo one adds the Retzeh prayer, which is recited as part of Grace after Meals every Shabbat.

It is important to remember that although the sukka is used as a dwelling on Sukkot, it has a sacred status. Therefore, it should be treated with reverence, and one should refrain from any activities or behaviors that display a lack of respect for the sukka.