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Shemini Atzeret “The 8th day of Assembly.” Sukkot is officially over, one of the 3 great festivals that everyone went to Jerusalem to celebrate and it is said that God enjoys the rejoicing and celebration of Sukkot so much that he asked everyone to hold back one more day before leaving to return home. So unofficially Sukkot is one day longer and some still celebrate in the Sukkah, all still do the candle-lighting, it is considered a separate holiday.

Shemini Atzeret is most famous for the “prayer for rain” which is said after the morning service. In Israel crops planted in the spring depend on rainfall that occurs in the autumn, which is just beginning in Israel. The word ‘Atzeret’ comes from ‘atzar’ which means ‘to collect or store’. This is a time to store the memories of the good time you had celebrating Sukkot.

Tonight at sunset Simchat Torah begins - the celebration of the Torah, this should be a joyous day when we rejoice with the Lord and as commanded pray for the peace of Jerusalem.