On the festival of Sukkot, seven Ushpizin (Aramaic for guests), come to visit Jews in the sukkahs (the branch-covered huts). A different one is greeted each night. They are supernal guests, the founding fathers of the Jewish people.
Can you recognise each one of them in my painting?
1st Day: Abraham. He is looking up at the stars. He is told by G-d to “Look at the sky and see if you can count the stars. That’s how many descendants you will have.” (Genesis 15:5)
2nd Day: Isaac. ‘And Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father…..’. (Genesis 26, 18-26)
3rd Day: Jacob. He is asleep at the foot of the ladder which appeared in his dream, with its top reaching to heaven. (Genesis 28:10-17)
4th Day: Moses. With his face aglow, he is holding the two tablets. “Moses came down from Mount Sinai.
When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him’. (Exodus 34:29-34)
5th Day: Aaron. The Cohen Hagadol (High Priest) is wearing his priestly attire.
6th Day: Joseph. He is wearing the multi-coloured robe given to him by his father. He is looking upwards, dreaming.
7th Day: King David. You can see him wearing his crown whilst playing his harp.