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Shemini Atzeret (????? ???? - "the Eighth [day] of Assembly") is a Jewish holiday celebrated on the 22nd day of the Hebrew month
Hebrew calendar

The Hebrew calendar or Jewish calendar is a lunisolar calendar used by Jews, now predominantly for religious purposes. It is used to reckon the Jewish New Year and dates for Jewish holidays, and also to determine appropriate Torah reading of Torah portions, Yahrzeits , and daily Psalm reading, among many ceremonial uses....
 of Tishrei
Tishrei

Tishrei is the first month of the civil year and the seventh month of the ecclesiastical year in the Hebrew calendar. The name comes from the Talmud....
. In the Diaspora
Diaspora

The term diaspora refers to the movement of any population sharing common ethnicity identity who were either forced to leave or voluntarily left their Settler territory, and became residents in areas often far removed from the former....
, an additional day is celebrated, the second day being separately referred to as Simchat Torah
Simchat Torah

Simchat Torah is a celebration marking the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings, and the beginning of a new cycle. Simchat Torah is a component of the Bible Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret , which follows immediately after the festival of Sukkot in the month of Tishrei ....
. In Israel
Israel

Israel officially the State of Israel , is a country in the Middle East located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its relatively small area....
 and Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism

Reform Judaism refers to the spectrum of beliefs, practices and organizational infrastructure associated with Reform Judaism in Reform Judaism and in 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
Sukkot

Sukkot , is a Hebrew Bible pilgrimage Jewish holiday that occurs in autumn on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei . The holiday lasts seven days, including Chol Hamoed....
, which occupies the seven preceding days.






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Shemini Atzeret (????? ???? - "the Eighth [day] of Assembly") is a Jewish holiday celebrated on the 22nd day of the Hebrew month
Hebrew calendar

The Hebrew calendar or Jewish calendar is a lunisolar calendar used by Jews, now predominantly for religious purposes. It is used to reckon the Jewish New Year and dates for Jewish holidays, and also to determine appropriate Torah reading of Torah portions, Yahrzeits , and daily Psalm reading, among many ceremonial uses....
 of Tishrei
Tishrei

Tishrei is the first month of the civil year and the seventh month of the ecclesiastical year in the Hebrew calendar. The name comes from the Talmud....
. In the Diaspora
Diaspora

The term diaspora refers to the movement of any population sharing common ethnicity identity who were either forced to leave or voluntarily left their Settler territory, and became residents in areas often far removed from the former....
, an additional day is celebrated, the second day being separately referred to as Simchat Torah
Simchat Torah

Simchat Torah is a celebration marking the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings, and the beginning of a new cycle. Simchat Torah is a component of the Bible Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret , which follows immediately after the festival of Sukkot in the month of Tishrei ....
. In Israel
Israel

Israel officially the State of Israel , is a country in the Middle East located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its relatively small area....
 and Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism

Reform Judaism refers to the spectrum of beliefs, practices and organizational infrastructure associated with Reform Judaism in Reform Judaism and in 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
Sukkot

Sukkot , is a Hebrew Bible pilgrimage Jewish holiday that occurs in autumn on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei . The holiday lasts seven days, including Chol Hamoed....
, which occupies the seven preceding days. In fact, Shemini Atzeret is a holiday unto itself. There is no use of the Sukkah
Sukkah

A sukkah is a temporary dwelling that Jews use during the holiday of Sukkot....
 in Israel on Shemini Atzeret and the lulav
Lulav

The lulav is a closed frond of the date palm tree. It is one of the arba'ah minim used in the morning prayer services during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot....
 and etrog
Etrog

Etrog refers to the yellow citron or Citrus medica used by Jews on the week-long holiday of Sukkot.In Hebrew this is the name for any variety citron, no matter for which use, but in English it is commonly applied only for those varieties and specimens typically used for the Jewish ritual as one of the Four species....
 are not waved, although, in the Diaspora, some sit in the sukkah on Shemini Atzeret; however, one of Sukkot's liturgical aliases ??? ??????, "Time of Our Happiness," continues to be used to describe Shemini Atzeret in prayers.

Furthermore, the Talmud
Talmud

The Talmud is a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Halakha, Jewish ethics, customs, and history. It is a central text of mainstream Judaism....
, Tractate Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah (Talmud)

Rosh Hashanah is the name of a text of Jewish law originating in the Mishnah which formed the basis of tractates in both the Talmud and the Jerusalem Talmud of the same name....
 4b mentions that Shemini Atzeret is a separate holiday unto itself in respect to six specific halakhic
Halakha

Halakha ? also Hebrew transliteration Halocho and Halacha ? is the collective body of Judaism religious law, including biblical law and later talmudic and rabbinic law, as well as customs and traditions....
 issues, but is considered the eighth day of an eight-day holiday regarding a seventh. There is a dispute amongst the commentaries regarding what those six issues are.

Since the Sukkah (and, by extension, pleasant weather) is no longer required, Jews begin to ask for rain during the Geshem
Geshem

Geshem is one of the Hebrew words for "rain," applied mostly to the heavy rains which occur in Israel in the fall and winter. This half of the year is called in the Mishnah "yemot ha-geshamin" ....
 prayer, which is recited in a distinctive plaintive melody during the cantor's repetition of the Musaf Amidah
Amidah

The Amidah , also called the Shmona Esre , is the central prayer of the Siddur. As Judaism's prayer par excellence, the Amidah is often designated simply as tfila in Rabbinic literature....
. In most synagogues, the cantor
Cantor

Cantor may refer to:...
 is clad in a kittel
Kittel

A kittel, also spelled kitl, is a white robe which serves as a burial shroud for male Jews. It is also worn on special occasions by Ashkenazi Jews Jews....
, a symbol of piety
Piety

In spiritual terminology, piety is a virtue. While different people may understand its meaning differently, it is generally used to refer either to religion or to spirituality, or often, a combination of both....
, owing to the vitality of a positive judgement for rain. A brief mention of rain continues to be inserted in the Amidah
Amidah

The Amidah , also called the Shmona Esre , is the central prayer of the Siddur. As Judaism's prayer par excellence, the Amidah is often designated simply as tfila in Rabbinic literature....
 until Passover
Passover

Passover is a Jewish and Samaritan holy day and festival commemorating God sparing the Israelites when He killed the first born of Egypt, and is followed by the seven day Feast of the Unleavened Bread commemorating the Exodus from Ancient Egypt and the liberation of the Israelites from Judaism and slavery....
.

The Yizkor memorial service is also recited this day. If there is no Shabbat
Shabbat

Shabbat or Shabbos , is the weekly day of rest in Judaism, symbolizing the seventh day in Genesis, after the six days of creation. Though it is commonly said to be the Saturday of each week, it is observed from sundown on Friday until the appearance of three stars in the sky on Saturday night....
 during the intermediate days of Sukkot, then the book of Ecclesiastes
Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes is a book of the Hebrew Bible. The English name derives from the Greek language translation of the Hebrew #Title.The main speaker in the book, identified by the name or title Qohelet, introduces himself as "son of David, and king in Jerusalem." The work consists of personal or autobiographic matter, at times expressed in aph...
 is also chanted on Shemini Atzeret.

In 2007, Shemini Atzeret was on October 4 (beginning at sunset the day before); this date caused the 2007 general elections
Ontario general election, 2007

The Ontario general election of 2007 was held on October 10 2007 to elect members of the 39th Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
 in the Canadian province of Ontario
Ontario

Ontario is a Provinces and territories of Canada located in the Central Canada part of Canada, the largest by population and second largest, after Quebec, in total area....
 to be rescheduled to October 10.

External links


See also

  • Jewish holidays 2000-2050
    Jewish holidays 2000-2050

    This is an almanac-like listing of major Jewish holidays from 2000 to 2050. All Jewish holidays begin at sundown on the evening before the date shown....