Shemini Atzeret
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Shemini Atzeret (שמיני עצרת - "the Eighth [day] of Assembly") is a Jewish holiday celebrated on the 22nd day of the Hebrew month of Tishri. In the Diaspora it is celebrated for two days, the second day being separately referred to as Simchat Torah. In Israel and Reform Judaism the holidays of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are combined into a single day and the names are used interchangeably.
Shemini Atzeret is mistakenly referred to as the eighth day of the Festival of Sukkot, which occupies the seven preceding days. In fact, Shemini Atzeret is a holiday unto itself. There is no use of the Sukkah, and the lulav and etrog are not waved. However, one of Sukkot's liturgical aliases זמן שמחתנו, "Time of Our Happiness" continues to be used to describe Shemini Atzeret in prayers.
Furthermore, the Talmud, Tractate Rosh Hashanah 4b mentions that Shemini Atzeret is a separate holiday unto itself, but only in respect to six specific issues. On the contrary, it is considered the eighth day of an eight-day holiday regarding a seventh issue, which is stated in the Talmud. There is a dispute amongst the commentaries regarding what those six issues are. Two of the main opinions are Rashi and Tosafot on the page of the Talmud.
Since the Sukkah (and, by extension, pleasant weather) is no longer required, Jews begin to ask for rain during the Geshem prayer, which is recited in a distinctive plaintive melody during the cantor's repetition of the Musaf Amidah. In most synagogues the cantor is clad in a kittel, a symbol of piety, owing to the vitality of a positive judgment for rain. A brief prayer for rain continues to be inserted in the Amidah until Passover.
The Yizkor memorial service is also recited this day. If there is no Shabbat during the intermediate days of Sukkot, then the book of Ecclesiastes is also chanted on Shemini Atzeret.
In 2007, Shemini Atzeret is on October 4 (beginning at sunset the day before).
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| Jewish and Israeli holidays | |
|---|---|
| Jewish holidays | Shabbat · Rosh Chodesh · Rosh Hashanah · Fast of Gedalia · Yom Kippur · Sukkot · Hoshanah Rabbah · Shemini Atzeret · Simchat Torah · Hanukkah · Tenth of Tevet · Tu Bishvat · Fast of Esther · Purim · Fast of the Firstborn · Pesach · Counting of the Omer · Lag Ba'omer · Shavuot · 17th of Tammuz · The Three Weeks · The Nine Days · Tisha B'Av · Tu B'Av |
| National holidays of Israel | Yom HaShoah · Yom Hazikaron · Yom Ha'atzmaut · Yom Yerushalayim |
