Shemini Atzeret - Observances and Customs - Carryover of Sukkot Observances

Carryover of Sukkot Observances

In Israel and in Reform Judaism, none of the unique observances of Sukkot (sukkah, lulav and etrog) carry over to Shemini Atzeret. Elsewhere, however, there is still a further question to reconcile – one that has proved very difficult and problematic over time, going all the way back to the Gemara:

• Shemini Atzeret is a holiday in its own right, without sukkah, lulav and etrog. At the same time,
• Outside Israel, by rabbinic decree one day is added to all holidays. Thus, just as Passover is described in the Torah as a seven-day holiday but is observed for eight outside of Israel, so Sukkot is described in the Torah as a seven-day holiday but is observed for eight outside of Israel.
• Therefore, the "eighth day of Sukkot" outside Israel coincides with the separate holiday of Shemini Atzeret.

The prevalent practice is that one eats in the sukkah on the eighth day, but without reciting the berakhah. However, one does not sleep in the sukkah on the eighth day, nor does one use the lulav and etrog on the eighth day. There are two parallel sets of explanation for this.

• Torah vs. Rabbinic Law. Dwelling in the sukkah is a Torah requirement during the seven days of Sukkot, while using the lulav and etrog is a (less-stringent) Rabbinical requirement after the first day of Sukkot. Because the eighth day is added to the seven because of doubt, the stringent, Torah requirement (sukkah) is continued into the eighth day, while the less-stringent, Rabbinical requirement (lulav and etrog) is not.
• Honoring the Festival Day (כבוד יום טוב): With very few exceptions, the second day of any Festival is to be observed exactly like the first. The previous reasoning seems to work contrary to this rule; otherwise, the eighth day should be treated just as if it were the seventh day (or, in the language of the Gemara, "shemini safek shevi'i" (שמיני ספק שביעי). But because Shemini Atzeret is also a holiday in its own right, certain things which should happen on the seventh day (ḥol hamoed) are not permitted on Shemini Atzeret. While the analysis is sometimes involved, the general practice is that anything that is permitted on yom tov and does not impinge on Shemini Atzeret carries over to Shemini Atzeret.
  • Lulav and Etrog. The lulav and etrog are muktzah; that is, one may not move them on a holiday where they are not needed). If someone sees a neighbor on the street with a lulav and etrog on the eighth day, the rabbis reason, s/he might mistakenly assume that it is still the seventh day (ḥol hamoed), when the lulav and etrog are still needed. S/he might then violate prohibitions of the yom tov of the eighth day. For that reason, the rabbis ruled that one should not use a lulav and etrog on the eighth day, even outside of Israel.
  • Sleeping in the sukkah brings a similar discussion. Additionally, most people would prefer to sleep indoors at this point in the year due to the weather, so sleeping in the sukkah may impinge on one's own joy during the festival. This is why the rabbis ruled that one does not sleep in the sukkah on Shemini Atzeret, even outside of Israel.
  • Eating in the sukkah does not cause a parallel problem because many people simply enjoy eating in a sukkah. Seeing someone eating in a sukkah does not per se lead one to assume it is still ḥol hamoed in the same way. Likewise, eating in the sukkah does not per se impinge on one's own celebration of Shemini Atzeret. Therefore, the prevalent practice is to eat in the sukkah on Shemini Azeret outside of Israel. However, one does not say the berakhah for sitting in a sukkah, as reciting it does "impinge" on the unique status of Shemini Atzeret.

Concerning eating in the sukkah, there are variations sometimes seen. The minhag (custom) of some is to make Kiddush in the Sukkah on Shemini Atzeret, but to eat the main meal inside. Others eat the evening meal of Shemini Atzeret indoors but the day meal outdoors. Each of these approaches addresses aspects of the dual nature of Shemini Atzeret.

Finally, there are some (mostly Chassidic or otherwise heavily influenced by Kabbalah) who eat indoors entirely on Shemini Atzeret, notwithstanding the Gemara's final ruling to the contrary.