-And he's taking the kids.  No amount of begging helped.  I am alone in the house, and the quiet is...  well, actually, I hear giggling and my husband's low voice telling stories, through my upstairs bedroom window which is right next to and above the Sukkah that we built for the Sukkot holiday.  If I look out my bedroom window, through the palm branch roof of the sukkah, I can see slits of light from inside there shining through. I wonder what G-d thinks as he looks from above and sees His people sleeping in sukkot all over the Land of Israel.  It must be a very beautiful site. 

Our sukkah. Notice the green grass and our back yard's rock wall with a small water fall in the back.  Old torn couches were brought in agaisnt the temporary wooden wall of the sukkah. My kids placed their mattresses on the grass inside our sukkah, and the table and plastic chairs will be pushed towards the other wall to make room for a few more sleeping bags.

This is the time of year that Jewish families go out to the sukkah to 'dwell'.  Many men and children sleep there as well, and sometimes us mothers do too.  My kids were ecstatic when I slept out there with them last year.  Our sukkah at night turns into a 'wall to wall' sleep hall, with mattresses and old torn couches we use outside, on the grass.  The kids think of it as an adventure.  My husband is just a little less enthusiastic than the kids.  He feels more spiritual sleeping under the stars. 

Leaving the comforts of the home and baring the mosquitos and damp mornings is a small price to pay, to feel like a real Jew, connecting to the Land, the Torah and your nation.   Me?  I confess, I like having a mosquitoless sleep and having a nearby bathroom.  Maybe I will sleep in the Sukkah this year again though, but how could I ruin the father-kid bond?  heh heh --grin--   

Talking about leaving the boundaries of the 'norm', this last week on my show, I interviewed Rav Eliezer Sachs.  Rav Sachs has been working with an autistic young man named Binyamin Goldin.  Binyamin communicates, as I stated in my last blog post, through 'facilitated communication' (FC).  Binyamin seems to have some sort of ability to understand or see what is happening in the spiritual world and thus through FC is able to tell people in the physical world important messages.

Here are some interesting points to ponder of what Binyamin and others who are autistic are saying:

"Our world is really about to change."

"The war (of Gog and Magog) will soon begin, and we must prepare in Teshuva, (repentance). Work on every weak spot, return, do Teshuva.

Photo of Binyamin Goldin

Question: Is it possible to shorten the period of the harsh days?
Answer: No, it will soon begin. It will not be difficult for you if you are holding on to The Holy One Blessed Be He, don't be afraid of anything.
Tzaddikim (the Righteous) are not going to suffer.

Question: The white Russian bear is waking up, should we awaken Russian Jews to run away from there?
Answer:  ...To awaken them is not a simple matter. There is something funny there; there are messengers that went there and enjoy being there, making money. But not everyone, God forbid.   ...They are not so interested that everyone should return now. But truth is, we need to awaken them, but not in our way.

Question: What about American Jews?
Answer: The American Jews are so trapped, glued to materialism. To remove them from there is almost mission impossible. Whomever does not get out, at the end will understand that they need to get out. Oy to them, their fate will be with their nation.

....'the banks will be bankrupt (fall), money will not be worth anything...
 
Big wars...
The land (Israel) will not be destroyed... but complete countries will disappear from history, including their residents....
If, by this Rosh HaShana, Tishrei 5768, those will not do Teshuva (repentance) Oy to all...

This is the Day of Judgement, for the whole world, just as it is every year. But this year, we will reach the biggest changes, since our exit out of Egypt... Those that will not do sincere authentic Teshuva will disappear...
To hear this show, click HERE.

And so, on this holiday of Sukkot when we dwell in our sukkot, exposed to the elements, cold, heat and even missile attacks, may we let go of our materialism and appreciate the simpler life.  May we move from our multi-bedroom houses to the warm and loving 4 walls of the Sukkah.  May we give up the lavishness of the Exile, and trade it for the blessings and beauty of Eretz Yisrael (The Land of Israel).  
It is still, as it is every day, the awesome time for tshuva (repentance).  May we all merit it.

***  I've added and will be adding some photos of your sukkot.  See below...

Old City of Jerusalem, The Sukkah of Gutman Locks.  See his website: www.ThereIsOne.com

John and Gloria sitting in their Sukkah today, in Australia.

Ephraim's Sukkuzzi (double duties as a Mikvuzzi, too). 

Daniel D.'s backyard sukkah, from the USA.

A. Rogers - A new immigrant to Israel.  Maale Adumim.

The very talented artisit, Dr. Zvi Fenton, and his paintings on his sukkah wall, Jerusalem.

Jerusalem City Council Woman, Mina Fenton, in her sukkah with guests.  Ehud Olmert is in the center (red shirt) and was the mayor of Jerusaelm at that time.

"My Sukkah with my children gracefully posing.  All are invited!" Moshe Meir, San Carlos, California

H & E Bergstein sukkah outside their apartment, in Jerusalem.

Sukkah of Shlomo and Susie Benzquen on the front porch of their villa, Kochav Yaakov, Israel

Readers, send your photos in!  I will post them. :-)