I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the biblical feasts and how much there is to discover when you actually stop and look at them in their original context.

Sukkot has really caught my attention. Not because I’m trying to recreate someone else’s faith or claim something that isn’t mine, but because these were part of the world Jesus Himself lived in.

And that matters to me.

Jesus was Jewish. The Scriptures He knew, the festivals, the prayers, the stories and the traditions around Him were Jewish.

So for me, learning about these ancient days isn’t about trying to become something I’m not, despite having Jewish ancestry in my family. But more importantly, I’m learning about the Jewish roots of the Messiah I follow.

Hoshana Rabbah, the final day of Sukkot, is traditionally centred around prayers for salvation, mercy, blessing and provision. Then comes the celebration of the Torah and the beautiful reminder that the story doesn’t simply finish — it begins again.

I can learn about these things. I can reflect on them. I can honour where they come from and pray in my own way, without pretending to be part of something I’m not.

I actually love discovering these layers of Scripture that I never really understood before.

The more I learn about the Jewish world of Jesus, the more I understand the context of the words I read every day.

I’m not trying to turn my faith into something complicated.

I’m simply going back to the roots and seeing what I find there.

Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach.