What is Shemini Atzeret?

Shemini Atzeret is the bookend to the festive week of Sukkot.

Shemini (eighth) Atzeret (stop, pause, solemn gathering)

Scripture says it’s a holy convocation (the action of calling people together for a large formal assembly):

“For seven days you are to bring an offering by fire to ADONAI. The eighth day will be a holy convocation to you, and you are to bring an offering by fire to ADONAI. It is a solemn assembly—you should do no laborious work.” Leviticus 23: 36 TLV

I like to think of this day as if an important speaker is about to address a large crowd that’s been celebrating for a whole week. The speaker is standing quietly on stage with a microphone in his hand while one by one the crowd takes notice and begins to quiet their conversations, bringing their complete attention to the stage.

The speaker brings the celebration to a close and focuses everyone’s hearts on what’s about to happen next.

A Torah Scroll is unveiled before him, and he begins rolling it all the way back to the beginning of time. With a stillness in his voice, he reads the words, “In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth…”

In that moment, we’re carried back to the sacred space walking with our Creator in the Garden of Eden.

That’s what Shemini Atzeret means to me.

It’s the pause.
The bookend to a year's worth of stories.
The end of a season and the beginning of a new one.

Did you know Yeshua addressed the large gathering of people on Shemini Atzeret?

“On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Yeshua stood up and cried out loudly, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture says, ‘out of his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” John 7:37-38 TLV

Traditionally, the Rabbi’s prayed for rain on Shemini Atzeret. Yeshua proclaimed, “... if you are thirsty, come to Me and drink.”

It’s as if God is saying on this day, “Pause. Come back to the garden with me.”

Yeshua is saying, “Pause. You’re thirsty. Come to Me and drink the living water.”

Today is a day to refocus our hearts and minds after almost a month of observances and celebrations and bring us back to center with God.

Tonight we roll back the scrolls (Simchat Torah) and begin anew in Bereshit, Genesis chapter one.

May you be blessed by the reading of the Word.