What is Shemini Atzeret?

Shemini Atzeret is the holiday that follows immediately after the seventh day of Sukkot, known as Hoshana Rabbah. Shemini Atzeret is a time when prayers or celebrations for rain and a good harvest are made for the coming year in the Jewish calendar.

Where is Shemini Atzeret in the Bible?

Shemini Atzeret is mentioned there only in verses 36 and 39. The Hebrew word shemini means eighth. This refers to the date of Shemini Atzeret relative to Sukkot; it falls on the eighth day. It is therefore often assumed that Shemini Atzeret is simply the eighth day of Sukkot.

How do you say Happy Shemini Atzeret?

If you want to give greetings to someone celebrating the festival, you can wish them the standard festival greeting of ‘Chag Sameach – pronounced CHAG sah-may-ach – which means simply ‘happy holiday’ and can be used for any Jewish festival.

What is the difference between Simchat Torah and Shemini Atzeret?

Shemini Atzeret literally means “the assembly of the eighth” day in Hebrew. Simchat Torah simply means “rejoicing in the Torah.”

Is Shemini Atzeret a Yom Tov?

Shemini Atzeret is a hard holiday to understand. It has its own identity and its own name. It is Shemini, the eighth day of Sukkot, and it is a day of “atzeret,” of gathering.

Is Shemini Atzeret in the Torah?

Shemini Atzeret is mentioned in the Torah but its meaning is unclear. Vayikra (Leviticus) 23:36 states, “On the eighth day you shall observe a sacred occasion and bring an offering by fire to the LORD; it is an atzeret: you shall not work at your occupations.”

What does Simchat Torah say?

The greeting for Simchat Torah is simply “Chag Sameach!” (Happy Holiday).

Do you say Yizkor on Shemini Atzeret?

yizkor, (Hebrew: “may he [i.e., God] remember”), the opening word of memorial prayers recited for the dead by Ashkenazic (German-rite) Jews during synagogue services on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), on the eighth day of Passover (Pesaḥ), on Shemini Atzeret (the eighth day of Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles), and on …

How do we celebrate the Torah?

How is Simchat Torah celebrated? Simchat Torah is celebrated by taking all the Torah scrolls out of the ark in synagogue and spending the evening dancing, singing, and rejoicing. The scrolls are carried around the sanctuary in seven circles called hakafot.

Do you wish someone a happy Simchat Torah?

Chag Sameach Meaning Or if you are really sophisticated, Moadim l’simcha, which means “festivals for joy.” You may also hear “gut yuntuv,” same for “gut yom tov” meaning happy holiday in hebrew. This is typically said on Sukkot and Simchat Torah, Purim and Shavuot. It can really be said for any holiday, however.

What prayer do you say for Yahrzeit?

Kaddish is also said each year on the anniversary of the death (Yahrzeit) and at Yizkor. The rhythmic cadences of Kaddish are soothing to us both in mourning and over the years as we say it at Yahrzeit and at Yizkor to remember our loved ones. We say the prayer as a community because none of us is alone in mourning.

After the seven-day holiday of Sukkot, we celebrate an independent one-day holiday, called ” Shemini Atzeret .” Outside of Israel, as is the case with almost all Biblical holidays, an extra day is added to this holiday (see Why are holidays celebrated an extra day in the Diaspora? ), and this day is known as ” Simchat Torah .”

Are Simchat Torah and Shemini Atzeret celebrated simultaneously?

In the Land of Israel, both these holidays, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, are celebrated simultaneously on the same day. As such, all the customs of Simchat Torah are observed together with those of Shemini Atzeret.

Do we eat in the sukkah on Shemini Atzeret?

Normative halachah (Jewish law) therefore requires eating in the sukkah 5 on Shemini Atzeret. 6 We do not, however, recite the blessing for sitting in the sukkah, 7 for that would be a blatant indication that we are still in Sukkot mode.

Why do we pray for rain on Shemini Atzeret?

The prayer for rain ( tefilat geshem) is recited beginning on Shemini Atzeret since the day marks the start of the rainy season in Israel. (Until Passover, the phrase “ masheev ha’ruach u’moreed hagashem ,” “Who causes the wind to blow and the rain to fall” is recited in the Amidah prayer.)