Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah: Celebrations of Hope and Holiness

This weekend we celebrate the combined holidays of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. Shemini Atzeret falls annually on the day after the 7th day of Sukkot. This year the holiday falls on Shabbat.

Shemini Atzeret 

The Torah readings for Shemini Atzeret are Devarim (Deuteronomy) 14:22 - 16:17 and Bamidbar (Numbers) 29:35 - 30:1. We pause to enjoy one last day of joyous connection with the Almighty after Sukkot, a week to restore our dependence on Him. We know peace of mind and soul once more. We can take these gifts of the Covenant with us into a troubled world as we depart the Sukkah.

The Deuteronomy reading for Shemini Atzeret continues a harvest theme by commanding the Israelites to show faith in God’s Providence by annually sacrificing the first fruits of their crops on the Temple altar. 

Every year they must select the most fertile seed grain, the most perfect firstborn livestock, the most delicious wine, the sweetest honey, the most fragrant oil, and the finest wool. Sacrificing these precious commodities to God goes against all instincts for survival in an agrarian society, thus demonstrating great dependence on a Supernatural source of loving support.

The Almighty insists on selfless giving to those in need. Every three years farmers must tithe a generous amount of high quality harvest items to the Levite priests and the strangers, orphans and widows living in the community. God holds to account those who refuse to tithe to those in need. He blesses those who give generously.

The portion continues to highlight self sacrifice in the seventh year of the harvest cycle. Setting slaves free, forgiving debtors, providing interest free loans to the needy, and resisting the urge to borrow, ie, depend on human sources for survival, develops a humble, faithful person who merits God’s blessings. 

The Number reading describes the rituals and sacrifices for the Passover and Sukkot festivals.

A Wise King's Message

The Haftorah reading for Shemini Atzeret, I Melachim (Kings) 8:54-66, opens as King Solomon hosts the Festival of Sukkot pilgrimage in the recently completed Temple of God.  After a labor of love over a 13 year period, the House of God receives the Ark of the Covenant. Pilgrims bring thousands of sacrificial livestock and meal offerings to inaugurate the new Temple. 

King Solomon takes the opportunity on this momentous occasion to remind the faithful multitude that they are responsible for their future success or failure. The spiritual law of cause and effect applies to every decision they make. When bad things happen, they need only look to see where they have failed to keep the holy covenant and repent. God will always forgive and restore for Israel’s sake, and to demonstrate the power and mercy of God to the nations of the world.

And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands towards heaven.. And he said, "Lord God of Israel, (there is) no God like you, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, Who keeps covenant and mercy with Your servants that walk before You with all their heart.  I Kings 8:22-23.

Simchat Torah

Simchat Torah celebrates the annual ending and beginning of the Torah reading cycle. We sing and dance while carrying the Torah around the synagogue in a heartfelt display of appreciation and gratitude for God’s moral authority and loving concern as represented in the 5 books of Moses. 

The Torah readings for Simchat Torah are Devarim (Deuteronomy) 33:1 - 34:12, Bereshit (Genesis) 1:1 - 2:3, and again, Bamidbar (Numbers) 29:35 - 30:1.

In the Deuteronomy portion, the last reading of the Torah cycle, Moses petitions God to bless the 12 Tribes of Israel. He passes leadership to Joshua. He ascends Mt Nebo to view the Land of Promise. Moses has done his best to prepare his flock to inhabit this promised land. God buries him in the land of Moab in a secret place.

We begin the Torah reading cycle again with the Genesis portion covering the first seven days of creation.

Divine Guidance and Purpose

The Haftorah reading for Simchat Torah, Yehoshua (Joshua) 1:1-18, begins with preparations for a challenging journey of conquest and nation building. Warriors and families must be imbued with confidence in Joshua’s leadership, courage in battle, and commitment to the word of God in Torah.

Just be strong and very courageous to observe and do in accordance with all of the Torah that Moses My servant has commanded you. Do not stray there from right or left, in order that you succeed wherever you go. Joshua 1:7.

The reading reprises the theme of total surrender to God’s instructions as conveyed by His appointed ambassadors, Moses and Joshua. 

So they answered Joshua, “Everything you have commanded us we will do, and everywhere you send us we will go. Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. And may the LORD your God be with you, as He was with Moses. Joshua 1:16-17.

Real World Application

We encounter the Divine during the Festival of Sukkot and receive an extra spiritual infusion during Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. We are reminded that the Torah is the foundational basis of Judaism.

We are cautioned over and over again to respect its specificity, its holiness, its authority.  We find joy in its eternal truths and its Author.

Prophets and Kings explain, teach, repeat and foretell of the blessings that happen as a result of following the moral truths in Torah. They warn of the certain curses that result from disregarding the moral truths.

We are living in a time of curses. Many people lack the awareness that we ourselves, through the grace and mercy of God, are responsible for changing the trajectory of human history for the better.

How do we bring holiness into a troubled world? Can we apply and demonstrate Torah's moral truths with confidence and courage? Must we be willing to sacrifice self interest and selfish pursuits to prevail in a depraved society that legalizes shedding innocent blood for profit and politics? 

Yes, we can and we must.  Let us pray God deliver us.

May the Lord our God be with us, as He was with our forefathers; let Him not leave us, nor forsake us. That He may incline our hearts to Him, to go in all His ways, and to keep His commandments, and His statutes, and His judgments, which He commanded our forefathers. And may these words of mine, with which I have made supplication before the Lord, be close to the Lord our God, day and night, that He sustain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel, each day's need granted on its day.  I Kings 8:57-59.

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Cecily Routman 

May there be abundant peace from Heaven, and good life upon us and upon all Israel. Amen.

Cecily Routman is the founder and president of the Jewish Pro-Life Foundation. She opposes abortion homicide in general and among Jews in particular and laments secular policy making in Israel that results in loss of Jewish life and delays the messianic redemption. She envisions a Torah based holy Land of Israel and a world that respects the life of every human being from conception.

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