Shemini Atzeret (Eighth [day of] Assembly)

Biblical Shemini Atzeret is celebrated on Tishrei 22, immediately after the 7-day festival of Sukkot. In today’s Land of Israel, the biblical holiday of Shemini Atzeret and the rabbinic holiday of Simchat Torah are celebrated simultaneously; in the Diaspora, the rabbinic holiday of Simchat Torah is celebrated on Tishrei 23, the day after Shemini Atzeret. In Bible times, Shemini Atzeret was a holy assembly complete with a day of rest and “an offering made by fire” like the seven offerings during Sukkot, but without the requirement to live in booths.

According to jewishtimes.com, “During Shemini Atzeret, Jewish people add the prayer for geshem, rain, to the Shemona Esrei or Amidah, the daily prayer central to Jewish practice. This is not only added on Shemini Atzeret to mark the changing of the seasons but is said at the end of Sukkot to make sure that rain doesn’t fall while we’re dwelling in a sukkah and eating outside.”

Bible Verses

Leviticus 23:33-36
33 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 34 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say, ‘On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the feast of booths for seven days to the LORD. 35 On the first day shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no regular work. 36 Seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. On the eighth day shall be a holy convocation to you. You shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. It is a solemn assembly; you shall do no regular work. ( WMB)

Leviticus 23:39-43
39 “ ‘So on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruits of the land, you shall keep the feast of the LORD seven days. On the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest. 40 You shall take on the first day the fruit of majestic trees, branches of palm trees, and boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. 41 You shall keep it as a feast to the LORD seven days in the year. It is a statute forever throughout your generations. You shall keep it in the seventh month. 42 You shall dwell in temporary shelters for seven days. All who are native-born in Israel shall dwell in temporary shelters, 43 that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in temporary shelters when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.’ ” (WMB)