There is an allusion to Shemini Atzeret’s connection to Chanukah. Huh? Well, this last day of Succot is translated “the eighth day of convocation.” The Maccabees weren’t able to celebrate Succot so – and this is going to wreak havoc with those who have fallen for the miracle of the light lasting more than one day – they turned their celebration into an eight-day holiday! Who knew?

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There’s a NINTH day as well, but technically not connected to Succot as Shemini Atzeret is. The rabbis added it; you know it as Simchat Torah. It celebrates the completion of the Torah cycle, the end of the reading of Deuteronomy and the immediate reading of Genesis. In Israel and in Reform Judaism it is celebrated with Shemini Atzeret because neither the nation or our movement has the added day of the festivals of Succot, Pesach and Shavuot. Guess which wins the day…Simchat Torah or Shemini Atzeret? Yup, you’re right.

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It was on Shemini Atzeret that King Solomon sent the pilgrims home to the far reaches of the Land after they had come to Jerusalem to bring their Succot offerings as well as the hangers-on from Yom Kippur. Why? Well, there is good reason that the prayer for rain should occur on Shemini Atzeret. The dry season is, or will soon be, over. The roads weren’t paved and the journey could be treacherous. We were smart cookies, our ancestors were, and good weather forecasters as well.

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Unlike any other festival the only rule connected to Shemini Atzeret is that “no manner of work shall be done,” so it is in the same Sabbath-rules-prevail category as its fraternal twin, Succot. Our Festival of Succot, however, as well as Pesach, have rituals tied to them which are enumerated right in the Torah.

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Shemini Atzeret…well, now you know. Knocked your socks off, right?