Shemini Atzeret links us to God and Israel

Torah study

RABBI ANDREW STRAUS
Shemini Atzeret

You have never heard of Shemini Atzeret? Don't feel bad. Shemini Atzeret has the misfortune of being close to the last in a long string of holidays, and one that easily gets lost.

With the new moon and the blast of the shofar, we celebrate Rosh Hashana, and just 10 days later comes Yom Kippur, and with the full moon we begin our celebration of Sukkot. Following Sukkot, we celebrate Simchat Torah. We read the very end of the Torah and before we can even catch our breath, we start all over with the story of creation.

Shemini Atzeret was right there between Sukkot and Simchat Torah.

Numerous explanations are given for why we celebrate this holiday. The reality is we do not really know. All the Torah tells us is "On the eighth day you shall observe a sacred assembly and bring a free offering to Adonai; it is a solemn gathering; you shall not work at your occupation." (Leviticus 33:36) We are also told, "On the eighth day you shall hold a solemn gathering; you shall not work at your occupations. You shall present a burnt offering." (Numbers 29:35) The Torah tells us to celebrate but it does not tell us why.

There are two hints, however, that we can get from the Torah text.

Throughout the week of Sukkot, while the Temple in Jerusalem stood, 70 bulls were sacrificed, but on Shemini Atzeret only one ram is to be offered.
Each one of the seasons has an agricultural festival associated with it, but winter seemingly has no holiday associated with it.

Arthur Waskow in his beautiful book, "Seasons of our Joy," states that these two facts point us to the meaning of Shemini Atzeret. Waskow teaches us that Sukkot is a universal celebration. We are celebrating the harvest that is enjoyed throughout the world. We bring 70 sacrifices representing the 70 nations of the world. But Shemini Atzeret is just for Israel and God. Before we end our great celebration, we take some private time as Jews towards God. Second, Waskow teaches that we welcome winter with Shemini Atzeret.

Rabbi Joshua Ben Levi explained that when the Temple stood, we could not wait until winter to make pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem because the roads would be impassable as a result of the winter rains. So the winter festival was placed right at the end of the fall festival, when the pilgrims were still at the Temple.

Today Shemini Atzeret remains a special day. Beginning with Shemini Atzeret, we add an extra line into the daily Amidah, a prayer for rains to fall on Israel, for if they do not fall between Shemini Atzeret and Passover, then drought will surely follow. This day also echoes back to Yom Kippur, for on this day the world is judged for how much rain will fall during the coming year. Yizkor is recited as we remember our loved ones who stood with us in years past and are no longer at our side. And like each of he festivals, it has a special book associated with it - the Book of Kohelet, or Ecclesiastes. This book, traditionally ascribed to King Solomon, is as modern a book as any book in the Bible. Its writer claims, " I have money, I have servants and a beautiful home, but what is the meaning of life."

We all know part of Ecclesiastes:

"To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose, under heaven: A time to be born, a time to die, a time to plant, a time to reap, a time to kill, a time to heal, a time to laugh, a time to weep." (Ecclesiastes 3:1-4)

Rabbi Andrew Straus is the spiritual leader of Temple Emanuel of Tempe.

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