Sefirotic Sukkah Kit
Footprint: 8’-3” x 8’-3” / Height: 7’-1”
Cedar wood, Fabric netting, Plastic and metal connectors
The SukkahSoul sukkah is influenced by traditional texts and sources renewed with a delicate spiritual energy. The form of this sukkah is inspired three imaginative ideas that are interwoven during Sukkot: the Kabbalah’s Sefirot, the ushpizin or guests we welcome at Sukkot and specific Psalms read during the holiday.
Through the language of the Sefirot, G*d is expressed in ten manifestations or emanations, as it were, like kindness, strength and beauty. All of these manifestations have avenues of connection to one another. We imagine these energies in triangles forming triads of relationships.
Seven of these manifestations coordinate with the seven hakafot-circuits on the seventh day of Sukkot when the scrolls are carried around the bima. Each circuit of the ark is honored with the reading of a Psalm related to a Sefirotic emanation. The seven manifestations are also paired with our patriarchs, who serve as ushpizin-guests.
The diagonal connections of the energies of the Sefirot offer stability to the sukkah structure.
Sitting in the sukkah, you can imagine that the triangular forms of the sukkah symbolize the Sefirot / the guests / the Psalms. You may feel surrounded by the Sefirotic triads while you dine and study and imagine being part of these energies.
Susan Shender, a native of Chicago, lives in St. Louis, Missouri. She is a retired architect and had a practice for over thirty years. Susan started Sukkah Soul with the design of the sukkah kit in response to the study of Jewish texts and sources. For Susan, text study leads to visual and spatial concepts and interpretations. Various Judaica designs along with a pendant series based on Jewish sources and photo-Hebrew are the result of study. Travel and study continue to inspire more projects. Susan honors her design teacher, Professor Leslie Laskey, with her work.
Susan Shender is based in St. Louis, Missouri USA