Sukkah in the country

Jerusalem has grown out so much that the once-rural moshav of Beit Zayit has almost become a contiguous part of the city now. Still, as we sat with Minna's classmates in Rabbi Michael Schwartz's sukkah there tonight it really did feel like we were out in the country. My favorite part of the evening was when Minna and her friends sang a tune she knows that uses the words of a Mishnah that celebrates an ancient water libation ceremony and the great lights of fire that were lit high above the Temple courtyard during it:

ולא היה חצר בירושלים שאינה מאירה מאור בית השואבה
And there was not a courtyard in Jerusalem that was not illuminated by the light of the beit hashoeivah.
--Mishnah Sukkah 5:3

[Beit hashoeivah is the name of the water libation ceremony.]

Tomorrow (well, really since sundown tonight) is Hoshanah Rabbah, which will be our last chance to sit in a sukkah this holiday.

We had a great time, tonight. It's been a great Sukkot!