Shemini Atzeres will mark the first Yahrtzait of Hamas’ October 7th vicious, inhumane and barbaric attack, that killed, maimed, and wounded – both physically and psychologically – so many of our brothers and sisters in Israel. We feel the pain of the hostages, their families and the grieving, and pray for the courageous IDF soldiers and their families. May Hashem heal, comfort, console and bestow Shalom upon His beloved nation.
That G-d allowed such an attack on His nation on the sacred day of Shemini Atzeres certainly sent us a message. And we as a nation responded by reaffirming the unity amongst us. The many Jews who added some type of observances to their lives, their charity, caring and Chesed, both monetary and through volunteering, are too numerous to capture.
When we, the Jewish people, are pushed against the wall, our response shows who we really are!
What makes the Holiday of Shemini Atzeres so unique? The Torah spells out that over the course of the seven days of the Holiday of Succos, there are to be 70 bulls offered on the Temple’s Altar. Our Sages tell us that each of these seventy bulls represented a non-Jewish nation of the world. These offerings directed blessings to all the nations so that they did not have the need to go to war with each other.
Our Sages tell us, “Had the nations realized the blessings these sacrifices afforded them, they would have sent legions to protect the Temple from those who destroyed it.”
Shemini Atzeres comes immediately after Succos and about it G-d says, “It’s hard for Me to leave you after such a festive holiday; I therefore want an intimate day with just you. My focus will be only on My Nation Israel!” Shemini Atzeres has no Mitzvah of Succah or Lulav and Esrog, no elaborate Sacrifices – a single bull that represents the Jewish nation.
The Shem Mishmuel asks an interesting question. How does having an intimate day with G-d make His departure any easier? It should only make it harder for Him to let go.
He explains that when the natural course of things occur, it is fertile ground for forgetfulness to set in. The number seven is associated with the natural weekly cycle, however, the number eight represents what is beyond nature – the supernatural.
Something that has the ingredient of the supernatural has permanence. Mitzvos that are associated with the number eight have this permanent element to them. For example, we are commanded that the Mitzvah of Bris Mila / Circumcision is to be performed on the eighth day of a boy’s life. This imprint is permanent, and stands to protect a person’s soul from entering into gehennom. For our Sages tell us that our forefather Avraham stands before the doors of gehennom and does not allow any of his descendants who had a Bris to enter its portals.
Says the Shem Mishmuel, Shemini Atzeres is the eighth day of the holiday and the imprint of its holiness has a permanent effect on our souls. Therefore, even though G-d, so to speak, is taking leave after the day, its holy impression is permanent and eternal and no feelings of forgetfulness result from this experience, and the deep connection remains even when G-d takes leave after the Holiday.
We can now appreciate why we celebrate Simchas Torah within Shemini Atzeres. It is our intimate time with G-d and the experience has a unique permanent impression. On Simchas Torah we complete the Torah and we begin the Torah anew. Through our continuous learning, observance and loyalty to the Torah, a Jew displays the intimate connection we have with the Almighty who gave it directly and exclusively to us.
The joyful spirit that we display when we sing and dance with the Torah at the Hakofos / circuits on Simchas Torah at night and during the day, is due to our elevated feelings having gone through our service and receiving His atonement on the High Holidays and the festivities we have during Succos.
This final stamp at the end of the Holiday enables us to head into the long winter with the warm spiritual energy that we have gained, along with a greater appreciation that we are the treasured and chosen nation of G-d!
Hoshana Rabah – 7th day Wednesday October 23rd – The Land of Israel is very much dependent on rainfall. The Torah tells us that the Hand of G-d is always visible in Israel through the amount of rain that falls. The Talmud relates that G-d’s judgment for the amount of rainfall is conducted on Succos, just as Rosh Hashana is the day of judgment for people.
In fact, during the times of the Holy Temple, a complex water drawing and libation service on the Altar in the Temple was performed during the Holiday of Succos as a supplication for G-d’s mercy to give water to the land.
On the Seventh day of Succos, the Judgment for water is sealed. This day is called Hoshana Rabah – the great plea for water. A longer prayer service is recited and we circle the Bimah in Shul with our four species, seven times. (On each of the other days of the holiday we circle the Bimah only once.)
We then recite special prayers while holding five willow branches and then they are hit on the ground several times.
Our Sages explain that while our Judgment was sealed on Yom Kippur, it is not ‘sent out and delivered’ until Hoshana Rabah. This means the extra Mitzvos that we perform over the course of Succos can impact positively on our final Judgment!
Shemini Atzeres – 8th day – Thursday October 24th – The eighth day of Succos is actually not part of Succos. The Torah calls it the eighth day of assembly. There is no Mitzvah of sitting in the Succah or taking and waving the four species.
The explanation for this is that during the seven days of the Holiday of Succos, the Torah relates that aside from other sacrifices offered, seventy oxen are sacrificed in the Temple during the course of Succos. The seventy oxen correspond to the original seventy nations of the world who descended from the sons of Noah. These offerings were brought as atonement for the nations to make them meritorious of G-d’s blessing for water.
As the Holiday season draws to a conclusion, G-d reserved a day, the eighth day – Shemini Atzeres, set aside as a special day between Him and His nation of Israel to the exclusion of all other nations. G-d said, “Please remain with Me for one more day, without a special Mitzvah, just to reflect on what we have gained spiritually during the Days of Awe and throughout the Holiday of Succos.”
On Shemini Atzeres we begin mentioning G-d’s power of providing rain in our Amidah prayers, and Yizkor – the memorial prayer, is recited.
Simchas Torah, 9th day Friday October 25th – We celebrate the completion of the public synagogue readings of the Torah with great rejoicing in prayer, song and festive dancing in honor of the Torah.
We read the final Parsha of the Torah called, V’zos Habracha. Although we normally do not repeat the Torah portion to call additional people to the Torah, Simchas Torah is the exception. Just as we show our endearment to the Torah with song and dance in honor of completing the public reading of the 54 Torah portions, each person is given an Aliyah as well.
In addition, one of the Aliyahs is called Kol Hane’arim – all the children. A man is called to the Torah with all the children gathered while a Talis is spread above them like a Chupah. The children say the blessings along with the person who has the Aliyah. This is done to educate our children to yearn to come close to the Torah through its study and practice.
The person who gets the final Aliyah to complete the Torah, is called Chasan Torah, the groom of the Torah. The person who gets the next Aliyah, is called Chasan Beraishis, a title associated with the privilege of being the one who is called to begin the Torah anew. At this point the Baal Korah reads from a Sefer Torah beginning from Beraishis through the six days of creation, and concludes with the verses describing how G-d ‘rested’ on the seventh day – the Holy day of Shabbos.
Starting the Torah immediately after its conclusion, indicates that the wisdom, knowledge and study of the Torah is never ending and is also a display that we are not satisfied with what we have accomplished; we eagerly wish to continue to study and continually grow in our knowledge and appreciation of
G-d’s holy Torah.
