What do Shemini Atzeret and Egged have in common? (and dont forget the Eruv Tavshilin again!)

Image from here

Tonight (Wednesday night) is the start of Shemini Atzeret, which is followed by Simchat Torah (Thursday night).

What is Shemini Atzeret?

Shemini Atzeret is a Chag (festival) in its own right, immediately after Succot. As the Torah states in Vayikra 23:36 '...on the eighth day, there is a holy time for you; you shall offer up fire offerings to G-d, it is an atzeret...'

As always, we need to understand the meaning, rather than the translation, of the words in the pasuk/verse.

Let's concentrate on the meaning of the word 'atzeret' (we understand shemini as this means 8 and clearly refers to the day after Succot).

Here's how some of the explanations line up:

• Onkelos and Ibn Ezra write that atzeret means a gathering
• Rashi, rather than simply explaining the word, offers a further explanation. He writes that atzeret means that G-d stopped us - remember those 'atzur' stop signs on Egged buses which are from the same word root as atzeret (now you know what Shemini Atzeret and Egged have in common!). This means that G-d stopped us from leaving the Beit Hamikdash (Temple) after Succot.

Succot was one of the Shalosh Regalim (pilgrim festivals) so many Jews would be in Jerusalem. Succot includes prayers for the entire world, not just for the Jewish people, to the extent that 70 cows were offered as sacrifices in the Temple on behalf of the 70 nations of the world. G-d said to the Jewish people, as if it were, that He wanted them to stay for an extra day so that there could be a special day of celebration just for the Jewish people, as the end of the festive season in the Beit Hamikdash was 'hard' for G-d.

Seforno's explanation is in a similar vein.

• Rashbam states that atzeret simply means that we are 'stopped' (or should I stay 'estopped' - I'll leave that to the lawyers) from doing any melacha (creative labour). However, since this is the case on any Shabbat or Yom Tov (other than certain specific exceptions on Yom Tov) and is stated explicitly in the pasuk, it is not clear why Rashbam takes this view.
• Ramban takes a different view, although somewhat akin to Rashi. He writes that the word atzeret also applies to Shavuot, the festival that comes in the 8th week from the start of Pesach - you can already spot the parallel to Shemini Atzeret being on the 8th day from the start of Succot. Just as Shavuot, commemorating the giving of the Torah, is a Chag (festival) which stresses the uniqueness of the relationship between G-d and the Jewish people, expressed for example by the covenant of the Torah, so too does Shemini Atzeret express this uniqueness, in distinction to the universality of Succot.

This is why the Talmud in Tractate Moed Katan, page 18a, emphasises that Shemini Atzeret is a Chag independent of Succot with several specific Mitzvot, such as those described in the piece we read from the Torah for Maftir on Shemini Atzeret (Bemidbar 29:35 - 30:1).

Atzeret can therefore be understood as a separate festival.

This understanding is amplified by Tosafot on the spot.

Conclusions

• Shemini Atzeret is a separate festival to Succot. It emphasises the unique relationship between G-d and the Jewish people through a Chag to celebrate this specifically without focusing on Yetziat Mitzrayim (the Exodus) or Matan Torah (the Giving of the Torah) for example.
  
• The highlight of the prayers is Tefilat Geshem, the prayer for rain, which is part of Musaf and heralds the season for saying 'Mashiv haruach u'morid ha'gashem' in the Amida prayer.
• Tefilat Geshem is recited as on Succot, the world is judged for water (see Mishna, Tractate Rosh Hashana, 1:2). Since rain on Succot stops us from fulfilling the mitzva of using the Succah, we postpone the prayer for rain until Shemini Atzeret.
  
• On Shemini Atzeret, the most widespread minhag (custom) is to eat in the Succah but without reciting the beracha of leishaiv basuccah. Ask me if you want to know why.

Any finally, dont forget the Eruv Tavshilin, or indeed your toothbrush.

Latest time for candle lighting tonight (Weds 3 October 2007) is 6.19pm. Remember to light a 48hour candle as well so that you can light candles for Simchat Torah and Shabbat. Mincha tonight is at 6.19pm.

Chag Sameach!

Ps (for those who want a little extra to think about, why do we have Chol Hamoed if Succot and Shemini Atzeret are separate festivals?)