Shmini Atzeret

The songs

Each one is built from this parsha’s pesukim and the mefarshim further down the page. Tap the mic on any song for its words.

The parsha in brief

The whole parsha, aliyah by aliyah

All seven aliyos, in order, with the verse ranges as they are leined. The account of what happens stays to what the pesukim say; anything that explains why is quoted below.

1. 1

   1. The tithe eaten with joy

   Deuteronomy 14:22-14:29

   You must tithe all the produce of your planting, year by year. The tithe of your grain, wine and olive oil, and the firstborn of your cattle and flocks, are eaten in the presence of Adonoy in the place He chooses, so that you learn to fear Him all the years. If the place is too far to carry it all, you exchange it for coins, bundle them in your hand, go up, and spend them on anything you wish, cattle, sheep, wine, and eat there and rejoice, you and your household. The Levite in your city must not be abandoned, for he has no portion. At the end of three years the tithe is set aside in your own city, and the Levite, the proselyte, the orphan and the widow come and eat their fill, so that Adonoy will bless you in all your endeavors.

   וְנָתַתָּ֣ה הַכֶּ֡סֶף בְּכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁר־תְּאַוֶּ֨ה נַפְשְׁךָ֜ בַּבָּקָ֣ר וּבַצֹּ֗אן וּבַיַּ֙יִן֙ וּבַשֵּׁכָ֔ר וּבְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּֽשְׁאָלְךָ֖ נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ וְאָכַ֣לְתָּ שָּׁ֗ם לִפְנֵי֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ וְשָׂמַחְתָּ֖ אַתָּ֥ה וּבֵיתֶֽךָ׃

   You will spend the money for anything you desire—for cattle, sheep, wine, intoxicating liquor—and for anything that you wish; and you will eat there in the presence of Adonoy, your God, and will rejoice, you and your household.

2. 2

   2. Release, and an open hand

   Deuteronomy 15:1-15:18

   At the end of seven years you make shemitah: every creditor lets go of the loan he made to his neighbor. If there is someone destitute among your brothers, do not harden your heart or close your hand; you must surely open your hand and lend him enough for what he lacks. Beware of the thought that the seventh year is near and refusing him; give him, and let your heart not hurt when you give, for because of this Adonoy will bless you in all your work. A Hebrew servant serves six years and goes free in the seventh, and he is not sent away empty-handed but given generously from your flock, threshing floor and wine cellar, because you were a slave in Egypt and Adonoy redeemed you. If he says he loves you and your household and does not want to leave, his ear is pierced at the door with an awl and he stays on.

   כִּֽי־פָתֹ֧חַ תִּפְתַּ֛ח אֶת־יָדְךָ֖ ל֑וֹ וְהַעֲבֵט֙ תַּעֲבִיטֶ֔נּוּ דֵּ֚י מַחְסֹר֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יֶחְסַ֖ר לֽוֹ׃

   Rather, you must surely open your hand generously to him, and you must surely extend a loan to him to cover the wants which he lacks.

3. 3

   3. The firstborn animals

   Deuteronomy 15:19-15:23

   Every male firstborn of your cattle and flocks is consecrated to Adonoy; you may not work with a firstborn ox or shear a firstborn sheep. You and your household eat it before Adonoy, year by year, in the place He chooses. If it has a serious blemish, lame or blind, it is not offered, and it may be eaten in your own cities, like the deer and the gazelle. Only its blood is not eaten; it is poured on the ground like water.

   לִפְנֵי֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֤יךָ תֹאכֲלֶ֙נּוּ֙ שָׁנָ֣ה בְשָׁנָ֔ה בַּמָּק֖וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה אַתָּ֖ה וּבֵיתֶֽךָ׃

   Before Adonoy, your God, you must eat it, each year, in the place that Adonoy chooses, you and your household.

4. 4

   4. Pesach in the month of spring

   Deuteronomy 16:1-16:3

   Take heed of the month of spring and celebrate Pesach, for in the month of spring Adonoy took you out of Egypt at night. The pesach-offering is slaughtered in the place Adonoy chooses. No chometz is eaten with it; for seven days you eat matzos, bread of anguish, because you left the land of Egypt in haste, so that you remember the day of your exodus all the days of your life.

   לֹא־תֹאכַ֤ל עָלָיו֙ חָמֵ֔ץ שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֛ים תֹּֽאכַל־עָלָ֥יו מַצּ֖וֹת לֶ֣חֶם עֹ֑נִי כִּ֣י בְחִפָּז֗וֹן יָצָ֙אתָ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם לְמַ֣עַן תִּזְכֹּר֔ אֶת־י֤וֹם צֵֽאתְךָ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֥י חַיֶּֽיךָ׃

   Do not eat chometz on it; seven days are you to eat on it matzos, bread of anguish; since in haste you left the land of Egypt, so that you remember the day of your exodus from the land of Egypt all the days of your life.

5. 5

   5. The offering in the chosen place

   Deuteronomy 16:4-16:8

   No sourdough may be seen in all your borders for seven days, and none of the offering's meat may be left until morning. The pesach may not be slaughtered in just any of your cities, only in the place Adonoy chooses, towards evening at sunset, the time you left Egypt. You cook it and eat it there, and in the morning you may go home. Six days you eat matzos, and the seventh day is a day of withdrawal for Adonoy, when you do no work.

   שֵׁ֥שֶׁת יָמִ֖ים תֹּאכַ֣ל מַצּ֑וֹת וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י עֲצֶ֙רֶת֙ לַיהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לֹ֥א תַעֲשֶׂ֖ה מְלָאכָֽה׃ (ס)

   For six days you shall eat matzos, and on the seventh day, is one of withdrawal for the sake of Adonoy, your God, do not do work.

6. 6

   6. Seven weeks to Shavuos

   Deuteronomy 16:9-16:12

   Count seven weeks, beginning from the time the sickle first cuts the standing grain. Then celebrate the festival of Shovuos for Adonoy, with an open-handed gift as He has blessed you. You rejoice before Adonoy, you, your son and daughter, your servants, and the Levite, the proselyte, the orphan and the widow among you, in the place He chooses. Remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and keep these statutes.

   וְשָׂמַחְתָּ֞ לִפְנֵ֣י ׀ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ אַתָּ֨ה וּבִנְךָ֣ וּבִתֶּךָ֮ וְעַבְדְּךָ֣ וַאֲמָתֶךָ֒ וְהַלֵּוִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּשְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ וְהַגֵּ֛ר וְהַיָּת֥וֹם וְהָאַלְמָנָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּקִרְבֶּ֑ךָ בַּמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִבְחַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לְשַׁכֵּ֥ן שְׁמ֖וֹ שָֽׁם׃

   You are to rejoice in the presence of Adonoy, your God—you, and your son and your daughter, and your male slave and your female slave, and the Levite who is in your city, and the proselyte, and the orphan and the widow who are among you—in the place that Adonoy, your God, chooses to house His Presence there.

7. 7

   7. Sukkos, and three times a year

   Deuteronomy 16:13-16:17

   Celebrate the festival of Sukkos seven days when you gather in from your threshing floor and wine press. You rejoice in your festival with your son and daughter, your servants, and the Levite, the proselyte, the orphan and the widow in your city. For seven days you are festive for Adonoy, for He will bless you in all your produce and all your endeavors, and you shall be only joyful. Three times a year, on Matzos, Shovuos and Sukkos, every male appears before Adonoy in the place He chooses, and not empty-handed: each according to the gift of his hand, as Adonoy has blessed him.

   שָׁל֣וֹשׁ פְּעָמִ֣ים ׀ בַּשָּׁנָ֡ה יֵרָאֶ֨ה כָל־זְכוּרְךָ֜ אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י ׀ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ בַּמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִבְחָ֔ר בְּחַ֧ג הַמַּצּ֛וֹת וּבְחַ֥ג הַשָּׁבֻע֖וֹת וּבְחַ֣ג הַסֻּכּ֑וֹת וְלֹ֧א יֵרָאֶ֛ה אֶת־פְּנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה רֵיקָֽם׃

   Three times a year are all your males to be seen in the presence of Adonoy, your God, in the place that He chooses—in the festival of Matzos, and on the festival of Shovuos, and on the festival of Sukkos—and he shall not appear in the presence of Adonoy empty-handed.

8. 8

   8. Maftir: the eighth day

   Numbers 29:35-30:1

   On the eighth day there is a day of restraint for you, when no work of consequence is done. The burnt-offering is small: one young bull, one ram and seven yearling lambs, without blemish, with their meal-offerings and libations, and one he-goat as a sin-offering, besides the daily offering. These are the offerings of the festivals, aside from vows and dedications. And Moshe told Bnei Yisroel all that Adonoy had commanded him.

   בַּיּוֹם֙ הַשְּׁמִינִ֔י עֲצֶ֖רֶת תִּהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֑ם כָּל־מְלֶ֥אכֶת עֲבֹדָ֖ה לֹ֥א תַעֲשֽׂוּ׃

   On the eighth day shall be a [day of] restraint for you, when you shall not do any work of consequence.

From the mefarshim

Every one of these is the mefaresh’s own words, fetched and checked. Not a summary.

1. 1Sforno — why the tithe is eaten in that place

   למען תלמד ליראה, for the site chosen by G’d for the Temple also houses the Supreme Court, Sanhedrin, from where knowledge and understanding is dispensed.

   Sforno on Deuteronomy 14:23:1

2. 2Rashi — the hand that opens and then closes

   לא תאמץ. יֵשׁ לְךָ אָדָם שֶׁמִּצְטַעֵר אִם יִתֵּן אִם לֹא יִתֵּן, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר "לֹא תְאַמֵּץ". יֵשׁ לְךָ שֶׁפּוֹשֵׁט אֶת יָדוֹ וְקוֹפְצָהּ, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר "לֹא תִקְפֹּץ" (שם):

   לא תאמץ THOU SHALT NOT MAKE [THY HEART] OBSTINATE — There are people who painfully deliberate whether they should give or not, therefore Scripture states, “thou shalt not make thy heart obstinate”; there again are people who stretch their hand forth (show readiness to give) but then close it, therefore it is written, “thou shalt not close thine hand” (Sifrei Devarim 116:10-11).

   Rashi on Deuteronomy 15:7:4

3. 3Rashi — open it, even many times

   פתח תפתח. אֲפִלּוּ כַמָּה פְעָמִים (שם):

   פתח תפתח [BUT] THOU SHALT SURELY OPEN [THINE HAND] — even many times (Sifrei Devarim 116:13).

   Rashi on Deuteronomy 15:8:1

4. 4Rashi — rewarded even for meaning to give

   כי בגלל הדבר. אֲפִלּוּ אָמַרְתָּ לִתֵּן, אַתָּה נוֹטֵל שְׂכַר הָאֲמִירָה עִם שְׂכַר הַמַּעֲשֶׂה (שם):

   כי בגלל הדבר הזה BECAUSE THAT FOR THIS THING [THE LORD THY GOD SHALL BLESS THEE] — (the word is taken in its literal sense of “word”, for it would have sufficed to state כי בגלל זה suggesting): even if you only say (intend) to give but are later unable to do so you will receive a reward for the mere saying (intention) together with the reward for the action (Sifrei Devarim 117:8).

   Rashi on Deuteronomy 15:10:3

5. 5Rashi — I loaded you with gifts, so load him

   וזכרת כי עבד היית. וְהֶעֱנַקְתִּי וְשָׁנִיתִי לְךָ מִבִּזַּת מִצְרַיִם וּבִזַּת הַיָּם, אַף אַתָּה הַעֲנֵק וּשְׁנֵה לוֹ (ספרי):

   וזכרת כי עבד היית AND THOU SHALT REMEMBER THAT THOU WAST A SERVANT [IN THE LAND OF EGYPT] — and I loaded thee with good things, and did so a second time — from the spoil of the land of Egypt and from the spoil at the Red Sea; so you, too, load him once, and do it again for him (Sifrei Devarim 120:1).

   Rashi on Deuteronomy 15:15:1

6. 6Rashi — bread that remembers

   לחם עני. לֶחֶם שֶׁמַּזְכִּיר אֶת הָעֹנִי שֶׁנִּתְעַנּוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם (ספרי):

   לחם עני THE BREAD OF AFFLICTION — i.e. bread that calls to mind the affliction to which they were subjected in Egypt (Sifrei Devarim 130:5).

   Rashi on Deuteronomy 16:3:1

7. 7Rashi — four are Mine, four are yours

   לוי גר יתום ואלמנה. אַרְבָּעָה שֶׁלִּי כְּנֶגֶד אַרְבָּעָה שֶׁלְּךָ – בנך ובתך ועבדך ואמתך, אִם אַתָּה מְשַׂמֵּחַ אֶת שֶׁלִּי אֲנִי מְשַׂמֵּחַ אֶת שֶׁלְּךָ:

   לוי גר יתום ואלמנה THE LEVITE THE STRANGER, THE FATHERLESS, THE WIDOW — these four are Mine, corresponding to four that are yours, viz., בנך ובתך ועבדך ואמתך THY SON, THY DAUGHTER, THY MAN-SERVANT AND THY MAID-SERVANT; if you gladden Mine, I will gladden yours (Midrash Tanchuma, Re'eh 18).

   Rashi on Deuteronomy 16:11:1

8. 8Rashi — only joyful is a promise

   והיית אך שמח. לְפִי פְשׁוּטוֹ אֵין זֶה לְשׁוֹן צִוּוּי אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן הַבְטָחָה, וּלְפִי תַלְמוּדוֹ לָמְדוּ מִכָּאן לְרַבּוֹת לֵילֵי יוֹם טוֹב הָאַחֲרוֹן לְשִׂמְחָה (שם מ"ח):

   והיית אך שמח ONLY BE REJOICED — According to its plain sense this is not the expression of a command but expresses an assurance: “thou will be rejoicing”. But according to the Halachic interpretation they (the Rabbis) derived from here that the night before the last day of the festival (that preceding the eighth day) is to be included in the obligation of rejoicing (Sukkah 48a; cf. Sifrei Devarim 142:4).

   Rashi on Deuteronomy 16:15:1

9. 9Sforno — no sadness gets in

   והיית אך שמח, you will be completely joyful; no sadness will intrude on your happy frame of mind.

   Sforno on Deuteronomy 16:15:2

10. 10Rashi — make Me a small feast

    עצרת תהיה לכם ON THE EIGHTH DAY THERE SHALL BE A עצרת (RESTRICTION) FOR YOU — you are restricted in the doing of work. Another explanation of עצרת: Restrict yourselves from leaving Jerusalem: this teaches that this (the eighth day) requires that they should remain in Jerusalem overnight (that the pilgrims should not immediately at the termination of the seventh day begin their homeward journey) (Sifrei Bamidbar 151:1). And an explanation of it in the Agada is: because on all the seven days of the Festival they offered sacrifices corresponding in number to the seventy nations of the world, and they propose then to set forth on their way home, the Omnipresent says to them: ‘I beg of you make a small banquet for Me, so that I may have some pleasure from you exclusively” (Sukkah 55b).

    Rashi on Numbers 29:35:1

11. 11Rashi — stay one day more

    פר אחד איל אחד ONE BULLOCK, ONE RAM — these are an allusion to Israel who form one nation: “Stay with me a little longer”. And this conveys the idea of God’s affection for Israel — just like children who think to take leave of their father to whom he says, “Parting from you is very hard to me; stay one day more”. — A parable! It may be compared to the case of a king who made a banquet etc., as it is related in Treatise Sukkah 55b. And in the Midrash of R. Tanchuma 4:8:17 it states: The Torah teaches you a rule of conduct — that he who has a stranger staying with him should give him on the first day fattened poultry to eat, on the morrow he should give him fish to eat, on the next day animal flesh; on the following day he should give him pulse to eat, and on the next day vegetables, diminishing gradually, just as was the case with the bullocks on the Feast of Tabernacles.

    Rashi on Numbers 29:36:1

Vorts & shmuessen on this parsha

Good vorts and shmuessen on this parsha from around the Torah world: a taste of each, and the link to learn it properly. Every excerpt is verbatim, checked against the page itself.

• Vort, aish.com

  Shmini Azeret and Simchat Torah

  Rabbi Shraga Simmons

  “It is a day of great intimacy with our Creator, as He asks His Jewish children to remain with him for extra personal time together.”

  Learn it inside

• Vort, aish.com

  Shemini Atzeret: Don't Stop Holding Hands

  Rabbi Efrem Goldberg

  “One circle, one people, one community, one history and one destiny. That is the enduring image of this Jewish holiday, that is the message we take with us into the dead of winter and beyond.”

  Learn it inside

• Shmuess, aish.com

  Open Your Heart, Open Your Hand

  Rabbi Yehoshua Berman

  “Just imagine that it was indeed your own brother, your own flesh and blood—it would not be nearly as difficult to give (and with a joyful heart).”

  Learn it inside

• Vort, torasavigdor.org

  Rav Avigdor Miller on the Lost Theme of Hoshana Raba

  Rav Avigdor Miller

  “All of us are eighty percent water. That's what we are, eighty percent rain! So when it rains, generations are descending from the clouds.”

  Learn it inside