Shmini Atzeret
Shmini Atzeret is a significant Jewish holiday that occurs on the twenty-second day of Tishri, the month following the Jewish New Year. It takes place the day after the final day of the week-long festival Sukkot, and is observed as a day of rest dedicated to devotion to God. Historically, Shmini Atzeret marked the onset of the rainy season in ancient Israel, and prayers for rain and good harvests were an integral part of the celebration. The observance is characterized by special meals, candle lighting, prayers for the deceased, and Torah readings. In modern Israel, Shmini Atzeret is a public holiday, while practices may vary between different Jewish communities. Some, particularly Reform and Israeli Jews, celebrate it alongside Simchat Torah, while Orthodox and Conservative Jews often observe them as distinct events. In the Diaspora, those who separate the two celebrations may still enjoy meals in the sukkah, even after Sukkot has concluded.
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Shmini Atzeret
Shmini Atzeret
This Jewish commemoration takes place on the twenty-second day of the Hebrew month of Tishri (also spelled Tishrei). Because it is based on a lunar calendar, Shmini Atzeret (or Shemini Atzeret) is a movable event.
Shmini Atzeret is the day after the seventh day of the festival Sukkot. Strict observance requires that Shmini Atzeret be a day of rest, out of devotion to God. In fact, the day is a public holiday in modern Israel. This holiday marked the beginning of the rainy season in ancient Israel, and special prayers were made for rain and good crops. In ancient times, proper, penitential observance of Rosh Hashanah (the new year), Yom Kippur (the day of atonement), and Sukkot were thought to prepare the Jewish people spiritually before they petitioned God for the blessing of rain at Shmini Atzeret. Today, Shmini Atzeret is honored with a special meal in the evening, the ritual lighting of candles, prayers for the dead and for rain, and recitations from the Torah. The rabbi dresses in white for the occasion.
Many Reform Jews and Israeli Jews celebrate Shmini Atzeret jointly with Simchat Torah (also spelled Simhat Torah), another observance. However, Orthodox and Conservative Jews, particularly in the Diaspora, generally continue to observe them separately. Among those who observe each celebration separately, the meal is taken in the sukkah, a tent-like structure built for Sukkot, despite Sukkot having ended; in Israel, no further meals are taken in the sukkah after Sukkot ends.
Bibliography
“A Deeper Look at Shemini Atzeret / Simchat Torah.” Chabad.org, Chabad-Lubavitch Media Center, Sept. 2010, www.chabad.org/library/article‗cdo/aid/1288162/jewish/A-Deeper-Look-at-Shemini-Atzeret-Simchat-Torah.htm. Accessed 8 Apr. 2020.
Chandler, Sarah. “Why Shemini Atzeret Is the Pinnacle of the High Holidays Season.” Jewish Telegraphic Agency, 1 Oct. 2015, www.jta.org/2015/10/01/lifestyle/why-shemini-atzeret-is-the-pinnacle-of-the-high-holidays-season-2. Accessed 8 Apr. 2020.
Green, Aryeh. “Shvil Israel and Shmini Atzeret: Walking the Path of Contemplation.” The Jerusalem Post, 20 Sept. 2018, www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/svhvil-israel-and-shmini-atzeret-walking-the-path-of-contemplation-567619. Accessed 8 Apr. 2020.
“The High Holy Days 2019.” Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 8 Oct. 2019, mfa.gov.il/MFA/AboutIsrael/Spotlight/Pages/The-High-Holy-Days-2019.aspx. Accessed 8 Apr. 2020.
“How to Celebrate Shemini Atzeret.” Chabad.org, Chabad-Lubavitch Media Center, 2019, www.chabad.org/library/article‗cdo/aid/1288672/jewish/How-to-Celebrate-Shemini-Atzeret.htm. Accessed 8 Apr. 2020.
“Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah.” Jewish Virtual Library, www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/shemini-atzeret-and-simkhat-torah. Accessed 8 Apr. 2020.
Westbrook, Caroline. “What Is Shemini Atzeret about and Why Do Jewish People Pray for Rain?” Metro, Metro.co.uk, 20 Oct. 2019, metro.co.uk/2019/10/20/what-is-shemini-atzeret-about-and-why-do-jewish-people-pray-for-rain-during-the-festival-10950740/. Accessed 8 Apr. 2020.