This feast was to be pre-eminently an occasion of rejoicing. It occurred just after the great Day of Atonement,when the assurance had been given that their iniquity should be remembered no more. At peace with God, they now came before Him to acknowledge His goodness and to praise Him for His mercy. The labors of the harvest being ended, and the toils of the new year not yet begun, the people were free from care, and could give themselves up to the sacred, joyous influences of the hour. Though only the fathers and sons were commanded to appear at the feasts, yet, so far as possible, all the household were to attend them, and to their hospitality the servants, the Levites, the stranger, and the poor were made welcome.

Denne højtid skulle først og fremmest være en glædesfest. Den faldt lige efter den store forsoningsdag, da folket havde fået forsikring om, at deres synder aldrig mere ville blive ihukommet. De havde fred med Gud og kom for at takke og love ham for hans godhed og nåde. Nu var høstens travlhed forbi, det nye års hårde arbejde var endnu ikke påbegyndt, og folket havde ingen bekymringer, men kunne tage del i den hellige glædesfest med hele deres sjæl. Skønt det kun var fædrene og sønnerne, der havde pligt til at overvære festerne, skulle hele familien så vidt muligt rejse med dem, og tjenerne, levitterne, de fremmede og de fattige blev indbudt til at nyde deres gæstfrihed.