The name of the holiday Shmini Atzeret raises some intriguing questions.
בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי עֲצֶרֶת תִּהְיֶה לָכֶם כָּל־מְלֶאכֶת עֲבֹדָה לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ
On the eighth day you shall hold a solemn gathering; you shall not perform creative work. [Numbers, 29:35]
"שְּׁמִינִי" literally means “the eighth”, indicating that this brand-new holiday follows the seventh and final day of Sukkot. The word "עֲצֶרֶת" means “stop”, and Rashi explains that it refers to the commandment to cease melacha (prohibited creative activity) on this day.
עצרת תהיה לכם. עֲצוּרִים בַּעֲשִׂיַּת מְלָאכָה
On the eight day there shall be an עצרת for you — you are restricted in the performing of creative work. [ Rashi, Numbers, 29:35]
However, since melacha is prohibited on all Torah-level holidays, why does the Torah specifically label this day Atzeret?
I believe we can uncover a meaningful connection between Shmini Atzeret and Shavuot by examining how they are both referred to as "Atzeret," since the Talmud refers to Shavuot as simply “Azteret.” This shared designation might subtly suggest a link between these two holidays.
For one thing, both Shmini Atzeret and Shavuot place significant emphasis on the Torah. On Shavuot, we commemorate the pivotal moment of receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai through all-night study. Similarly, during Shmini Atzeret, we also honor the Torah by engaging in unique practices like celebrating and dancing with physical Torah scrolls as part of Simchat Torah (which coincides with Shmini Atzeret.)
Furthermore, on Shmini Atzeret, we are prohibited from shaking the lulav, and in Israel, we are not even allowed to sit in the Sukkah. This restriction is in place because Shmini Atzeret is distinct from Sukkot, and adding to the observance of Sukkot is forbidden (the requirement to sit in the Sukkah on Shmini Atzeret in Chutz la’aretz is due to technical reasons.) Nevertheless, in some respects, we do consider Shmini Atzeret as the eighth and final day of Sukkot.
We find a comparable pattern on Shavuot. The Maharal MiPrague looks at Shavuot as the final day of Pesach, even though Shavuot occurs fifty days later. This connection is rooted in the fact that the pinnacle of our freedom from Egypt, commemorated during Pesach, took place when we received the Torah on Shavuot and became truly free.
Moreover, as some commentators explain, Shmini Atzeret and Shavuot stand out as the only two holidays without a dedicated mitzvah, such as the shofar on Rosh Hashana, the five prohibitions of Yom Kippur, the sukkah and lulav on Sukkot, or matza on Pesach. Therefore, both Shavuot and Shmini Atzeret are holidays simply referred to as “Atzeret,” during which the only distinctive aspect of these holidays is refraining from melacha.
These special Atzeret holidays stand out as transitional days - the final days to bid farewell to an important period of time and carry on with our daily lives. Shavuot represents the conclusion of the period rooted in the freedom of Pesach, and Shmini Atzeret marks the pinnacle of this holiday season which extends from Rosh Hashana through Succot.
Therefore, Shmini Atzeret lacks a specific mitzvah because its main purpose is to serve as a transition from Sukkot to our daily routines. When this holiday concludes, it's time for us to return to our regular lives.
During Sukkot in the Beit Hamikdash, we offered a total of seventy bulls as sacrifices, symbolizing the seventy nations of the world. However, on Shmini Atzeret, we offered only one bull. Our Sages teach that this shift symbolizes a final, intimate gathering, exclusively for the Jewish people, emphasizing our unique relationship and special connection with God.
מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם שֶׁאָמַר לַעֲבָדָיו: עֲשׂוּ לִי סְעוּדָה גְּדוֹלָה. לְיוֹם אַחֲרוֹן אָמַר לְאוֹהֲבוֹ: עֲשֵׂה לִי סְעוּדָה קְטַנָּה כְּדֵי שֶׁאֵהָנֶה מִמְּךָ.
[Shmini Atzeret] is likened to a parable about a king of flesh and blood who said to his servants: Prepare me a great feast that will last for several days. When the feast concluded, on the last day, he said to his beloved servant: Prepare me a small feast so that I can derive pleasure from your company alone. [Sukkah 55b]
Like Rosh Hashana and Sukkot, Shmini Atzeret falls out on Shabbat this year. And as we explained on those holidays, this timing gives us yet another opportunity to appreciate that we have this special intimate with God, every single week.
That is also one reason we read Kohelet on Shmini Atzeret this year. Typically, we read it on Shabbat Chol Hamoed Sukkot, but there was no such day this year. Since we associate Kohelet with Sukkot, it may seem odd to read it on Shmini Atzeret (in chutz la’aretz). But perhaps it is fitting, because after all, Kohelet warns us about the transience of this world, something we need to consider on Shmini Atzeret, as we are about to transition to the temporary world.
As we pivot from this special season of holidays to the more mundane days ahead, and it is inevitable that we will face challenges during the year, we are reminded that we can get through the hardships by embracing the special and intimate connection with God that we celebrate on this holiday, and every Shabbat.
This could also shed light on why we pray for rain on Shmini Atzeret. Rain, in essence, carries both blessings and potential curses. It nurtures our crops and supplies drinking and utility water, yet it can also bring about floods, loss, and devastation. Its course is unpredictable. Shmini Atzeret serves as a reminder that, regardless of the developments of the upcoming year, we hold an enduring, deep connection with God that will navigate us through favorable and trying times.
This could also be why we recite Yizkor on Shmini Atzeret. In the Yizkor prayer, we reflect on the legacy of our loved ones and come to understand that they are in a better place. But at the same time, Yizkor evokes a bittersweet feeling because we miss them dearly. On Shmini Atzeret, we experience this same bittersweet sensation as we bid farewell to God, even as we realize that He has granted us the gift of one extra holiday.
As our extended series of holidays comes to a close, we naturally contemplate the challenges facing the world. Shmini Atzeret offers us guidance through the ups and downs of the year ahead. It reminds us that, with faith and determination, we can find God's love shining through even in the face of difficulties, ultimately fostering a positive outlook on what lies ahead in the new year.
Shabbat shalom. Chag sameach.
Eliezer Hirsch