Shemini Atzeret

Shemini Atzeret is one of the more puzzling festivals in the Jewish calendar, and nowhere more so than in the Torah itself. In the list of the festivals in Leviticus, we are commanded to celebrate Succot for seven days, and on the eighth day have a Yom Tov. This is different wording to that found in connection with Pesach, where we are commanded to celebrate Pesach for seven days, with the seventh day being a Yom Tov. In other words, the seventh day of Pesach is part of the festival of Pesach, while the eighth day of Succot, is not part of the festival of Succot, that has only seven days. This idea is reinforced by the fact that in the repetition of Succot in the same section, as well as in the list of pilgrim festivals in Deuteronomy, the eighth day is not mentioned at all. This caused the Rabbis to definitively designate Shemini Atzeret as a separate festival. Yet it has no special name in the Torah, only described as the eighth day of Succot, even though Succot only has seven days. One way the Rabbis solved this conundrum, was to see Shemini Atzeret in relation to Succot, like Shavuot in relation to Pesach. Though Shavuot and Pesach are two separate festivals they are connected historically, liturgically, (by the Omer count), and thematically. The freedom we achieved on Pesach was only made complete by the acceptance of the Torah on Shavuot. In a like manner, we could perhaps look at Shemini Atzeret. During the days of Succot we dwell in the shadow of the Divine Presence. For seven days we learn to trust in G-d for our needs. On the eighth day, at G-d’s request, we reciprocate by agreeing of our own volition to stay another day. We do this without the Succah, the symbol of Divine protection. Rather, it is us that now take the initiative by completing the Torah and beginning again. We learn that G-d’s protection and care is not a one way street but that we can also take a part in the bettering of the world. That is, of course, a lesson taught in the beginning of Genesis. The first humans got everything from G-d but gave nothing in return. This ingratitude led to the expulsion from Eden, and eventually the destruction of humanity by the flood. Shemini Atzeret teaches us the importance of giving not only taking. It is thus, though a separate festival, an integral part of the celebration of Succot with its theme of Divine bounty. A good lesson for the long winter ahead.

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Sidra Statistics

Parshat Bereishit

·               is the  1st  in Genesis,  1st  in the Torah

·               5th longest in Genesis,  7th  longest  in the Torah  

·                has  no mitzvot