Shemini Atzeret and Simkhat Torah
Tishri 22, the day after the seventh day of Sukkot, is the holiday Shemini Atzeret. In Israel, Shemini Atzeret is also the holiday of Simkhat Torah. Outside of Israel, where extra days of holidays are held, only the second day of Shemini Atzeret is Simkhat Torah. These two holidays are commonly thought of as part of Sukkot, but that is technically incorrect; Shemini Atzeret is a holiday in its own right and does not involve the special observances of Sukkot.
Shemini Atzeret literally means "the assembly of the eighth (day)." Rabbinic literature explains the holiday this way: G-d is like a host, who invites us as visitors for a limited time, but when the time comes for us to leave, He has enjoyed himself so much that He asks us to stay another day.
The annual cycle of weekly Torah readings is completed at this time. We read the last Torah portion, then proceed immediately to the first chapter of Genesis, reminding us that the Torah is a circle, and never ends. This completion of the readings is a time of great celebration. There are processions around the synagogue carrying Torahs and plenty of high-spirited singing and dancing. As many people as possible are given the honor of carrying a Torah scroll in these processions. This aspect of the holiday is known as Simkhat Torah, which means "Rejoicing in the Torah." As I said before, Simkhat Torah and Shemini Atzeret are separated in areas that observe an extra day of holidays, so outside of Israel, Shemini Atzeret is Tishri 22 and Simkhat Torah is Tishri 23.
In some synagogues, confirmation ceremonies or ceremonies marking the beginning of a child's Jewish education are held at this time.
(In Israel, Simchat Torah is the same day as Shmini Atzeret )Imagine you throw a huge party and invite everyone you know. But this is no "regular" party: It's one solid week of food, music and fun. Eventually things wind down and people begin to leave. As the host, you quietly go over to a few of your best friends and whisper: "Stick around after everyone else leaves -- that's when I'm breaking out the good stuff."<simbar.jpg>Each year G-d has a weeklong celebration called "Sukkot." In ancient times in Jerusalem, the service in the Holy Temple during the week of Sukkot featured a total of 70 bull offerings. This, the Talmud explains, corresponds to each of the 70 nations of the world. Despite what you might think, the Temple was not just for the Jewish People. When King Solomon built the Temple, he specifically asked G-d to heed the prayer of the non-Jew who comes to the Temple. (see 1-Kings 8:41-43) The prophet Isaiah refers to the Temple as a "House for all nations" (Isaiah 56:7).
The Temple was the universal center of spirituality, a concentrated point where G-d-consciousness filtered down into the world. In fact, the Talmud says that if the Romans would have realized how much benefit they themselves were getting from the Temple, they never would have destroyed it!
And then, at the end of Sukkot, G-d added a special eighth day. It's called Shmini Atzeret (lit: "Eighth Day of Assembly") and on that day ONE bull -- representing the Jewish People -- was offered. It is a day of great intimacy with our Creator, as He asks His Jewish children to remain with him for extra personal time together. (see Talmud, Sukkot 55b)
Shmini Atzeret is a full public holiday, as described in Leviticus 23:36. Even though it immediately follows the seven-day Sukkot festival and is often considered part of Sukkot, it is, in fact, a separate holiday. (i.e. the obligation to sit in the Sukkah does not apply.)<simbar.jpg>Nachmanides (12th century Spain) explains a beautiful kabbalistic concept: Seven is the number of the natural world. There are 7 days in the week, 7 notes on the musical scale and 7 directions (left, right, up, down, forward, back and center). "Seven" -- represented by the 7 days of Sukkot -- is the world of nature. "Eight" -- represented by Shmini Atzeret -- is that which is beyond nature.
The
Jewish People, says the Talmud, are beyond nature. We have survived every imaginable
persecution, exile, hardship and expulsion. And still, we have achieved and
thrived far beyond our numbers. As Mark Twain wrote: "All things remain
mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret
of his immortality?"
The "secret," as we well know, is the special gift that G-d gave to
the Jewish People: The Torah. As Rabbi Emanuel Feldman writes in his book, "On
Judaism:"
"Torah
is the mysterious bridge which connects the Jew and G-d, across which they interact
and communicate, and by means of which G-d fulfills His covenant with His people
to sustain them and protect them."
Shmini Atzeret, as the number 8 transcending the bounds of this physical world
-- is the day reserved especially for the Jews. Therefore it is no coincidence
that on Shmini Atzeret we also celebrate the completion of the yearly cycle
of Torah readings and the beginning of a new cycle. This event is lovingly referred
to as "Simchat Torah," literally "Rejoicing of the Torah."
Why are we accustomed to both finish and re-start the reading of the Torah on the same day? The Sages explained, "To show that the Torah is beloved to us like a new object and not like an old command which a person no longer treasures. Since it is brand new to us, we all run to greet it." We sing and dance for hours around the "bima" (the platform where the Torah is read), carry the Torah Scroll, and express our joy at having the opportunity to come so close to G-d.
On Shmini Atzeret, as we complete this holiday season, we offer a special prayer to G-d for rain. Rain represents the blessings of growth and abundance. Through all the hard work of Elul, Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur and Sukkot, we have come a long way. Our task now is to carry that energy throughout the year.
TAPESTRY
OF SEVENS
Nachmanides (12th century Spain) explains a beautiful kabbalistic concept: Seven
is the number of the natural world. There are seven days in the week, seven
notes on the musical scale and seven directions (left, right, up, down, forward,
back and center). "Seven" -- represented by the seven days of Sukkot
-- is the world of nature. "Eight" -- represented by Shmini Atzeret
-- is that which is beyond nature.
The
Jewish people, says the Talmud, are beyond nature. We have survived every imaginable
persecution, exile, hardship and expulsion. And still, we have achieved and
thrived far beyond our numbers. As Mark Twain wrote: "All things remain
mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret
of his immortality?"
The "secret," as we know, is the special gift that God gave to the
Jewish people: The Torah. As Rabbi Emanuel Feldman writes:
"Torah is the mysterious bridge which connects the Jew and God, across which they interact and communicate, and by means of which God fulfills His covenant with His people to sustain them and protect them."
Therefore it is no coincidence that on Shmini Atzeret we also celebrate the completion of the yearly cycle of Torah readings and the beginning of a new cycle. This event is lovingly referred to as "Simchat Torah," literally "Rejoicing of the Torah." (Outside of Israel, Simchat Torah is celebrated the day after Shmini Atzeret.)
Why are we accustomed to both finish and re-start the reading of the Torah on the same day? The Sages explain: "To show that the Torah is beloved to us like a new object and not like an old command which a person no longer treasures. Since it is brand new to us, we all run to greet it." We sing and dance for hours around the bima (the platform where the Torah is read), carry the Torah Scroll, and express our joy at having the opportunity to come so close to God.
On Shmini Atzeret, as we complete this holiday season, we offer a special prayer to God for rain. Rain represents the blessings of growth and abundance. Through all the hard work of Elul, Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur and Sukkot, we have come a long way. Our task now is to carry that energy throughout the year.