Tabernacles

Tabernacles is a term used in religious contexts to refer to two related, but distinct, concepts: the portable sanctuary described in the Hebrew Bible, and the annual Jewish festival associated with that sanctuary, commonly known as the Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot. The word tabernacle comes from Latin tabernaculum, meaning a tent or dwelling; the Hebrew term Mishkan likewise denotes a dwelling place for God.

The tabernacle of the wilderness, or Mishkan, was built by the Israelites under Moses during their journey in the desert. Described in the books of Exodus and Leviticus, it consisted of a movable structure with an outer courtyard, a holy place, and the Most Holy Place where the Ark of the Covenant resided. It functioned as the visible dwelling place of God among the people until the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem.

Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, is one of Judaism's major pilgrimage festivals. It occurs in the autumn on or around the 15th day of Tishrei and lasts seven days in Israel; many communities outside Israel observe additional festival days as part of the observance. Ritual practices include living in sukkahs (temporary booths), waving the lulav and etrog, and special prayers; the festival commemorates the Israelites' wanderings in the wilderness and celebrates agricultural harvests.

In Christian usage, tabernacle refers to the sanctuary or sacred tent noted in the Old Testament, and, in many denominations, to a fixed sacred container within a church that houses the consecrated Eucharist. The term has thus been used both to describe a setting for divine presence and as a metaphor for God dwelling among people.