The Chuppah is the Wedding Canopy used in the ancient Jewish Wedding Model and by members of the House of Israel now for their weddings. It is a temporary structure, as is The Sukkah, which is like a small tabernacle, booth, or tent. It is made to remember the 40 years of the wanderings in the wilderness of the House of Israel. We are at the end of Yom Kippur, a period ended of 40 days. A theme is of a COVERING in the blood of sacrificial animals, notably bull and goats. Each of these 2 structures has a COVERING.
The Chuppah and The Sukkah are remarkably similar in designs. How so?
There are 4 posts. The Chuppah covers the tops of the posts, which are free standing. They are often made of metal. The Sukkah has wood to connect the posts, which must be unattached to another structure and which must be made of wood to be Torah compliant.
The Chuppah has a COVERING in fabric, like linen, or veil, or velvet.The posts may be covered with fabric and/or flowers/vines. The fabric covering may have Hebrew written on the fabric covering.
The Sukkah has slats connecting the 4 posts, on the sides and top. Then boughs of vegetation are placed over the top slats to create openings like interstices through which the sunlight, moonlight, and rain can come in. One must be able to look up and see the moon and stars, the canopy of the Heavens. The vegetation included willow branches for Torah compliance.
Each one is temporary, is impermanent. The Sukkah is more flimsy with the wooden posts and is meant to sway in the wind.
The Covering of each reminds one of a tallit, the rectangular prayer shawl.
Each structure has a connection to The Messiah/Christ and The Wedding of the Ages.
How are they not similar in design? Fruits can be hung from the Sukkah as decorations, not so The Chuppah. Within The Sukkah there can be decorations like strings of lights and posters and handmade art works. The Succah is a 4 sided structure but open on the front. There can be a drape on this side. The Chuppah is open on all 4 sides, even if the chuppah fabric hangs over the 4 posts by several feet.
Really, it is amazing how similar in design The Chuppah is to The Sukkah! One is only for weddings. The other is for living in for 7 days, having meals, having tea, sleeping inside with sleeping bags during The Feast of the Lord called Sukkot. The Sukkah is used from Tishri 15 through 21, not for Shemini Atzeret or Simchat Torah.
Included are some links to let you see the differences and similarities for yourselves. There is a color photograph of The Chuppah at http://mosaicministries.homestead.com/glossary.html and a color photograph of The Sukkah beautifully decorated with hanging fruits at http://www.beitroaytovministries.com/sukkot-2010-part-a.html for you to enjoy. Might the designs of The Chuppah and The Sukkah give us hints as to The Season when The Groom of Grooms, under The Canopy of the Heavens, will arrive to spirit away The Bride of the Ages to His perfect Chuppah for The Wedding of the Ages? From 10-17-2011 there are 2520 days until The Feast of Trumpets in 2018. From 10-26, there are 2520 days until Yom Kippur in 2018. The Season of Our Joy is about to begin. We shall see. Come quickly, Lord...
With Love and Shalom,