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Why do Jews build a sukkah during Sukkot?

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Circular diagram of the Jewish religious year showing Hebrew months around the outer ring and Gregorian months inside, with major holidays and fasts such as Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Hanukkah, Passover, and Purim labeled with their dates. — Jewish religious year The months and holidays of the Jewish religious year.

Jews build a sukkah during the festival of Sukkot primarily to commemorate the historical period when the Israelites lived in makeshift huts or booths while wandering in the wilderness for 40 years following their Exodus from Egypt.123

Beyond this commemorative purpose, the festival is also rooted in the agricultural cycle. Known in the Hebrew Bible as the Festival of the Ingathering (Hag ha-Asif), it celebrates the end of the harvest season, serving as a time of thanksgiving to God for the fruitfulness of the land.123

During the seven-day holiday, observant Jews construct these temporary, roofed structures—typically decorated with branches, thatch, and harvest-themed ornaments—to eat their meals and, in many cases, spend time or sleep, thereby physically connecting with the history and traditions of their ancestors.23