Sukkot Prompt 2023: Elevate the Ordinary
“On the first day [of Sukkot] you shall take the fruit of the goodly tree, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before God seven days.” (Leviticus 23:40) These items, collectively known as “The Four Species” (arba minim) are gathered together in honor of the holiday. Apart from being singled out for the holiday these four species are not considered particularly special, or even unusual. What happens when we focus our attention on something “ordinary” and see it as special, or even as holy - when we find sanctity in the ordinary, extraordinary, beauty of the world? In the words of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, “This is one of the goals of the Jewish way of living: to experience commonplace deeds as spiritual adventures, to feel the hidden love and wisdom in all things.”
MATERIALS
Timer, Ballpoint pen, Pencil, Scrap paper
CREATIVE PROMPT (15 minutes)
Set your timer for 15 minutes. Create using only these three basic materials (paper, pen, pencil). Start by making marks on the page. Continue embellishing and elaborating in a way that is pleasing to you until the time is up.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
What was it like to work with such basic materials? A good challenge? Frustrating? Freeing? Boring? Something else?
Did your relationship to the materials change as you went? If so, how?
How might working with what you have (rather than what you wish you had) be helpful in a time of challenge and change?
What might it mean to rediscover sanctity in the “ordinary” aspects of your life?
