Welcome back to the Jewish Congregation of Mason City, Iowa. It has been quite the month with Rosh Hashannah, Yom Kippur and now the holiday of Sukkot. This is the time of year many Jews ask for lots of time off from work.
This Shabbat is known as Shabbat Chol HaMoed or the "Sabbath Between the Holidays". We've just celebrated the two days of Sukkot and coming up we will celebrate Shemini Atzeret (Sunday evening the 30th) and then Simchat Torah (Rejoicing in the Torah) on Monday evening the 1st of October. (Photo: Our shul just after Break the Fast on Yom Kippur)
A few words about these holidays:
Shemini Atzeret is like an "extra" day to celebrate Sukkot. Rashi, the great Biblical commentator, explains that atzeret is an expression of affection, as would be used by a father to children who are departing from him. The father would say, "Your departure is difficult for me, tarry yet another day." The Jewish people prayed and brought offerings all the days of Sukkot so that the 70 nations of the world would have rain in the coming year. The Torah and the Almighty keeps us one more day for a special holiday to make requests just for ourselves. That's Shemini Atzeret.
Simchat Torah is the day when we celebrate the giving of the Torah...the road map to life and we rejoice. This is the celebration of completing the yearly cycle of Torah reading and beginning it again. The evening and again the next morning are filled with dance and songs rejoicing in the Torah and thanking G-d for our being Jewish and that the Almighty gave us the Torah! We read the last Torah portion in Deuteronomy, Vezot Habracha and then begin immediately with Bereshit, starting the book of Genesis. We, once again start the yearly cycle.
So...why?
In Exodus 33:12 to 34:26 we have quite a personal story. Moses pleads to the Almighty to "make known to me Your ways." The Almighty commands Moses to carve two stone tablets to replace the Tablets that Moses destroyed bearing the 10 Commandments. Moses carves them and ascends Mt. Sinai. The Almighty descends in a cloud and reveals to Moses the 13 Attributes of Divine Mercy which are constantly repeated in the Yom Kippur prayers. Moses asks the Almighty to "forgive our transgressions and make us Your Heritage". The Almighty responds that He shall seal a covenant with us. The Almighty then warns the Jewish people against idol worship (idolatry is believing that anything other than the Almighty has power). The reading ends with the Almighty commanding us to keep the Festivals -- Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot.
May you have a blessed Shabbat, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah!
See you in Shul!