The Ushpizin: Who’s Who and What They Do in the Sukkah!

Ever wonder who crashes your  meals in the Sukkah every year? Then it’s time to get acquainted with the Ushpizin – those celestial guests who make Sukkot the star-studded event of the Jewish calendar. Think of the Ushpizin as a VIP guest list, with each day of Sukkot featuring a different headliner from our spiritual ancestry. Here’s the lineup:

Day 1 - Abraham

Day 2 - Isaac

Day 3 - Jacob

Day 4 - Moses

Day 5 - Aaron

Day 6 - Joseph

Day 7 - David 

“Ushpizin” is Aramaic for “guests,” but let's be honest, calling them “guests” is like calling the Avengers “some folks who hang out.” These Ushpizin aren't just any guests; they're essentially the founding fathers of the Jewish people, each bringing their own unique spiritual quality to your Sukkah. We keep the term Ushpizin because it comes straight from the pages of the Zohar – the most classic text of Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism).

Let's break it down. Each night of Sukkot, one of these legendary figures takes center stage, though all seven of the Ushpizin are said to grace your Sukkah every day. It's like having a band where each member gets their solo, but still all play together throughout the festival. Here's what each of the Ushpizin brings to your Sukkah:

Abraham: Love and benevolence.

Isaac: Discipline

Jacob: Adds harmony and truth

Moses: Endurance and victory

Aaron: Splendor and humility

Joseph: Connection and foundation

David: Sovereignty and leadership

For those who don’t want to mix up their mystical guests, decorative Ushpizin charts are a lifesaver, listing the nightly visitors so you can always welcome the right patriarch to your Sukkah.

For more on Sukkah-decorating without breaking the bank , check out our handy guide on Sukkah Decorating. 

Jewish hospitality is legendary. Some folks wouldn’t sit down to a meal unless they had a guest, preferably someone in need. Sukkot takes this to a whole new level. On festival days, it’s not just about filling our bellies with delicious food. There's actually also a divine commandment to share the joy.

The Mishneh Torah tells us, “One who locks the doors of his courtyard and doesn't feed the poor and the embittered soul – this is not the joy of a mitzvah , but the joy of his belly.” In other words, hogging all the challah for yourself isn't the way to go. Deuteronomy 16:14 lays it out even more clearly for us: “You shall rejoice in your festival – you, your son, your daughter, your manservant, your maidservant, the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow who are within your cities.” Translation: Everyone's invited! 

The Talmud even suggests that it’s fitting for all Jews to share one giant Sukkah . While logistics might thwart this plan (imagine the seating chart!), we show our intent to fulfill this communal Sukkah experience by packing our Sukkahs with as many guests as possible, embodying the  spirit of unity.