Shemini Atzeres 5784
If you’re sitting down to work in one location for a while, it’s a good idea to keep your phone or laptop plugged in. If you’re stationary, why bother draining the battery? Ultimately, you’ll need to get up and go, and it’s worth making sure that the battery is fully charged while you can.
The Torah refers to Shemini Atzeres in highly particularistic terms: “ביום השמיני עצרת תהיה לכם—On the eighth day, it shall be a gathering for you.” Every Yom Tov is observed exclusively by the Jewish People, yet on Shemini Atzeres there is an emphasis placed on the holiday being for you—for the Jewish People specifically.
The Sfas Emes explains that during this time of year, the entirety of Creation receives an infusion of novelty. Rosh Hashana marks the judgment day of the universe and all its inhabitants—Jew and non-Jew, man and animal—and this process continues through Yom Kippur and into Hoshana Rabbah, the final day of Sukkos. The entirety of the universe benefits from the judgment and relaunching of the cosmos during this period of year. Upon its conclusion, at Shemini Atzeres, the Jew is highlighted as having processed this time of year in a unique manner.
The Sfas Emes notes that whenever a person receives a present, he benefits in two ways. The first, is from the gift itself and whatever function it serves. The second, far more profound way, is the gift within the gift, the very relationship that has been strengthened through the bestowing of the present.
Sukkos is the celebration of being invited into Hashem’s space—The “צילא דמהימנותא,” or, “Cover of Faith” as it’s referred to by the Zohar. As a present in of itself, the sukkah is a far cry from the penthouse of a posh hotel. But we do not rejoice in the sukkah because of its physical trimmings. We do so because Hashem has chosen to share His abode with us, and there can be nothing more meaningful or flattering than that reality.
Shemini Atzeres is the celebration of having a unique relationship with Hashem that no other nation enjoys. It is the culmination of this entire period of the year, one that greatly benefits all of humanity, but is unique to the Jewish People in terms of the relationship that exists behind it. It is that relationship we celebrate and that relationship that makes Shemini Atzeres “לכם—just for you.”
On Shemini Atzeres we transition from the Sukkah back into our homes, an experience that bridges the Yom Tov season with the lives we live the rest of the year. As we exit the sukkah, we are leaving Hashem’s home and entering our own. What happens when one leaves the home in which He is hosted? The halacha is clear; the host must escort the guest out. The Sfas Emes beautifully describes that this is exactly the phenomenon we enjoy on Shemini Atzeres. Hashem does not send us out of the sukkah unceremoniously; He escorts us a host escorts his honored guests. The unique relationship we enjoy with Hashem is on full display, and Shemini Atzeres becomes a holiday that is “לכם—just for you.”
The Yamim Tovim charge our spiritual batteries by making major deposits into our relationship with Hashem. Ultimately, we can’t stay plugged into the wall. Our year-round responsibilities don’t permit the rigorous schedule of shul-going, seudah-prepping, and other elements of the season of Yamim Tovim. But as this time draws to an end, it’s critical that we take a bit of time to reflect of how much Hashem has invited us into His space and how much time we’ve spent there. Our relationship is real, it is deep, and it can withstand the vicissitudes of the rest of the year, even as life transitions back to “normal.”
How do we best ensure that the relationship stays healthy and strong? How do we best ensure that the battery not die on us? The answer is embedded into the very way we’ve come to celebrate this upcoming Yom Tov. For Shemini Atzeres has morphed into a day with a different title altogether: Simchas Torah. The Sfas Emes suggests that we have come to associate Shemini Atzeres with Simchas Torah because it is the Torah that contains all the blessings—all the enhancements to our relationship with Hashem—that we’ve come to enjoy throughout the Yamim Tovim of the past few weeks.
When we daven, we speak to Hashem. When we learn Torah, Hashem speaks to us. A relationship doesn’t last when only one side gets a turn to speak. If we’re serious about holding on to the relationship we’ve developed with Hashem over the past few weeks, we need to give serious thought to how often we allow His voice to reverberate throughout our lives. Where can we open up another space for limud Torah in our lives? Where can we engage in a deeper conversation with Hashem throughout the year?
Simchas Torah is the natural conclusion of the couples’ retreat we’ve enjoyed with our Beloved for the past few weeks. How do we ensure that the joy of Torah is woven into the fabric of our lives all throughout the year? How can we ensure that we the conversation, the closeness, and the relationship with Hashem is not something only felt a few weeks of the year?