Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah is ambiguous holiday. On the one hand, it is the completion of Sukkot and thus called “the 8th day.” Yet the rabbis also identify it as a regel bifnei atzmo – its own independent holiday. In the Diaspora, where we observe two days of Yom Tov, Simchat Torah has taken on its own identity as a day to rejoice in our relationship with the Torah and to mark the completion of the Torah reading cycle.
Sukkah
The prevalent custom is to eat in the Sukkah on Shemini Atzeret, though we do not say the bracha of leishev ba-sukkah. There are varying customs on the matter, but the normative practice is to eat in the sukkah unless someone knows their family custom to be different. There is also a custom to enjoy a final meal in the sukkah on Shemini Atzeret day in which we say “farewell” to the Sukkah. Please join us at 4:30pm Shabbat afternoon in the Sherman Sukkah as we say farewell to the sukkah (rain location in Levin Ballroom). If possible, candles should be lit in the Sukkah. We no longer wave lulav and etrog. We do not eat in the sukkah on Simchat Torah.
Candles
Candle lighting on Friday night is at 5:56pm. We say 2 blessings each of the first two nights of chag.
On Friday night we say:
Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech ha-olam asher kidshanu be-mitzvotav ve-tzivanu lehadlik ner shel Shabbat ve-shel Yom Tov. Blessed are You Hashem our God Sovereign of the universe Who has sanctified us through his commandments and commanded us to kindle the candles of Shabbat and of Yom Tov.
Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech ha-olam she-hechiyanu ve-kiyimanu ve-higi’anu la-zman ha-zeh. Blessed are You Lord our God, Sovereign of the universe, Who has kept us alive, sustained us
and brought us to this season.
On Saturday night, candles should be lit after 6:53pm. On Saturday night we say:
Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech ha-olam asher kidshanu be-mitzvotav ve-tzivanu lehadlik ner -shel Yom Tov. Blessed are You Hashem our God Sovereign of the universe Who has sanctified us through his commandments and commanded us to kindle the candles Yom Tov.
Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech ha-olam she-hechiyanu ve-kiyimanu ve-higi’anu la-zman ha-zeh. Blessed are You Lord our God, Sovereign of the universe, Who has kept us alive, sustained us
and brought us to this season. On Saturday night one should first say Baruch ha-Mavdil bein kodesh le-kodesh before lighting candles as means of formally marking the end of Shabbat.
Kiddush
Kiddush should be made and the meal should begin after tzeit ha-kochavim which is 6:54 PM. During the second night of chag we include havdallah as part of the kiddush.
Kohelet
On Shabbat morning we read the book of Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) before Torah reading.
Yizkor
We recite yizkor (memorial prayer for immediate relatives who are deceased) on Shemini Atzeret morning. We will say yizkor at approximately 10:30am.
Geshem
On Shemini Atzeret we begin to mention rain as part of our prayers, as this marks the beginning of the rainy season in Eretz Yisrael. Beginning with Musaf we insert the line Mashiv ha-ruach u-morid hageshem (He makes the wind blow and He makes the rain descend) in the second blessing of the Amidah. During the Chazan’s repletion of Musaf we say a special prayer for rain. Seudah Shlishit
Opinions vary on the obligation of seudah shlishit when yom tov coincides with Shabbat. Great care must be taken to ensure we will not ruin our appetites for the yom tov meal at night.
Different positions include:
• Include an extra dish or type of food at lunch to represent seudah shlishit
• Have a light snack in the afternoon of Shabbat without washing.
• Wash over bread and have a light meal but be sure to do so in the afternoon not too close
to yom tov.
As mentioned above, BOO will be sponsoring a “farewell to the sukkah” with snacks in the Sherman sukkah at 4:30pm (rain location Levin Ballroom). This is an opportunity to also fulfill the mitzvah of seudah shlishit.
Simchat Torah
On Simchat Torah we celebrate our love for the Torah. We dance and sing with the Torah. Our community is deeply committed to living a life of Torah observance and to intensely studying and
learning Torah. Our dancing together during the hakafot is a beautiful expression of that love. Another way in which we show our love for the Torah is through our love and commitment to all of our
fellow Jews. One of the most special moments of Jewish life at Brandeis is the communal hakafah when all minyanim join together in Yakus Plaza to express our joint love for and commitment to the Torah. The communal hakafot will be at 8:15pm Saturday night and 10:45am Sunday morning. In the spirit of community, we will join together for a communal kidush immediately following the communal hakafah on Sunday morning.
Aliyot to the Torah
Another way in which we express our love to the Torah is that every male is called up for an aliyah to the Torah. We will begin giving the process of everyone getting an aliyah at approximately 12:30pm Sunday afternoon. We have developed another beautiful custom at Brandeis. During the time when the men are receiving their aliyot the women of the community symbolically complete the Torah by sharing brief divrei Torah on each parsha. Everyone – men and women – is encouraged to join the women’s siyum, which will also begin at approximately 12:30pm.
A Word on Alcohol
While Simchat Torah is a holiday in which we celebrate and express our joy for the Torah, it is not a day of frivolous partying. One would hope and expect that the happiness and excitement we hold for the Torah can be expressed without the aid of alcohol Students who choose to drink alcohol as part of the festivities are potentially putting themselves and others in a dangerous or unhealthy situation. It’s imperative that we take responsibility for ourselves and take care of others so that no one gets hurt. Students must not hesitate to seek help from the Hillel staff or other campus staff (including BEMCO) if there is any question about anyone’s health or safety!
Havdala:
Yom Tov ends at 6:53pm Sunday night. We say Havdallah over wine/grape juice (no flame or
spices).