Philo of Alexandria (a Jewish philosopher who lived in Egypt at the beginning of the first century AD)
Sukkot certificate to recall poverty by our wealth
Section 204 – “About the laws”
The last festival of the festivals of the year is called the Festival of Sukkot and it begins on the winter equinox. From this we learn two things: the first that we must honour the equinox (ie integrity) and to hate inequality. (Non-integrity) pursuant to the first is the start and the source of the origin of justice, and the second – the start and the source of the origin of injustice. The first is close to the light and the second close to the darkness. And secondly, after the end of the ripening of all the fruits we must thank God who allowed them to ripen and He is the source of everything good.
The Sukkot certificate is to remind us of our wealth over poverty, as Man must remember poverty by his wealth, in the days of glory over degradation, in his greatness – the simplicity in days of peace – the danger of war across the continent – the storms of the sea, and in the city – the desert, as if you have nothing that could make us happier than the memory of the evil days by many more good days. You can find here also great benefit as regards education toward good acts: as one who sees before him both the good and the evil...certainly will be filled with thankfulness...