Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah
The Eighth Day of Assembly and the rejoicing that completes—and immediately restarts—the annual Torah reading cycle: the end of Deuteronomy and the beginning of Genesis, celebrated with singing, dancing, and public honor given to the Word of God.
Shemini Atzeret — “The Eighth Day of Assembly”
Shemini Atzeret (שמיני עצרת — “the Eighth [day] of Assembly”) is celebrated on the 22nd day of Tishrei, following seven days of Sukkot. Leviticus 23:36 commands: “For seven days present food offerings to the Lord, and on the eighth day hold a sacred assembly and present a food offering to the Lord. It is the closing special assembly; do no regular work.”
In the Diaspora, an additional day is observed; the second day is commonly referred to as Simchat Torah.
Not Technically Part of Sukkot
Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are commonly thought of as part of Sukkot, but that is technically incorrect. Shemini Atzeret is a holiday in its own right and does not include certain special Sukkot observances.
Simchat Torah — Rejoicing With the Torah
These days mark the end of the annual cycle of weekly Torah readings and the beginning of the new cycle. In synagogue, the last parashah of Deuteronomy is read, followed by the first chapter of Genesis—ending and beginning the Torah. Simchat Torah is celebrated with joyful dancing, singing, and rejoicing as Torah scrolls are taken from the ark and carried in seven circles (hakafot) around the sanctuary. Though seven circles are required, celebrations often continue much longer. In many places, people also take Torah scrolls into the streets and dance publicly as a demonstration of pride and love for Torah.
Pilgrimage Pattern and “Stay One More Day”
Much of the liturgy is similar to Passover and Shavuot. Along with Sukkot, these feasts formed the three pilgrimage festivals during which people would travel to Jerusalem to participate in Temple worship and communal celebration. These were large social gatherings—camping, fellowship, and shared rejoicing.
It has been said: it is as though God is a host who invites His visitors for a limited time, but when it is time to leave, He has enjoyed Himself so much that He asks them to stay another day.
The Haftorah Reading
The haftorah for this event is 1 Kings 8, relating King Solomon’s blessing of the people at the dedication of the Temple— an event often understood to have occurred on the eighth day of Sukkot, known as Shemini Atzeret.
Jews say: “On Simchat Torah, we rejoice in the Torah, and the Torah rejoices in us; the Torah, too, wants to dance, so we become the Torah’s dancing feet.”
During today’s reading, everyone— including children under Bar Mitzvah age—is called up to the Torah. The reading is repeated multiple times so that everyone can recite the blessing over the Torah. Each collective calling is given to many individuals.
The Eighth Day Festival — Time Beyond Time
Numbers 29:35 commands: “On the eighth day hold a closing special assembly and do no regular work.” Rabbis interpreted atzeret (from a root meaning “to hold back”) as God asking pilgrims to tarry with Him one additional day. From this, Shemini Atzeret is understood as an independent festival.
The festival cycle gives a pattern: Passover’s seven days are followed by counting the omer for 49 days, culminating in Shavuot (Pentecost) on day 50. Thus, Passover’s liberation links to Sinai’s revelation and Torah-giving at Shavuot. In similar fashion, Shemini Atzeret functions like a conclusion to Sukkot: just as Shavuot (one day) concludes Pesach (seven days), so Shemini Atzeret (one day) concludes Sukkot (seven days).
Seven signifies a complete unit of time. The eighth day is the day after “seven”—a day after time—pointing not merely to the promise of redemption, but to the moment of it: “Remain with Me… an extra day,” a time beyond time.
Yeshua, Shemini Atzeret, and Simchat Torah
Tishrei 22 (Shemini Atzeret) and Tishrei 23 (Simchat Torah) were, in ancient times, considered one long day, celebrated on Tishrei 22. John 7:37 states: “On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.’” This “last great day” is often identified as Hoshana Rabbah (Tishrei 21).
John 8:1–2 records that the next day, “Jesus… appeared again in the Temple courts… and sat down to teach.” This day attached to Sukkot is Shemini Atzeret—also associated in ancient practice with Simchat Torah. Thus, in John 8:5, Yeshua—presented here as the author of the Torah—is questioned about the Torah on the day of “rejoicing in the Torah.”
Sabbath Year, Release, and the 7,000-Year Pattern
The seventh year is the Year of Release, the Sabbath Year (Deuteronomy 31:10). Debts were to be forgiven (Exodus 21:2; Leviticus 25:1–4; Deuteronomy 5:1–12; Jeremiah 34:8–22). The seven-year pattern is also framed as a picture of the 7,000-year plan of God (Psalm 90:4; 2 Peter 3:8), with the Sabbath Year picturing the seventh day—the Messianic age and the millennial delay of judgment.
Yeshua referenced this in Isaiah 61:1–3 and Luke 4:16–21. The phrase “liberty to the captives” speaks of the Year of Release. In this framing, Yeshua is saying, in essence: “I am that release. Trust in Me and you will be free.”
The Future “Simchat Torah”
In the future, the real Simchat Torah is portrayed as occurring during the wedding of the New Jerusalem to Messiah, as the great multitude of all nations enter the City and rejoice in the Word of God. This is “the season of our joy,” the time of the Messianic kingdom of Heaven. The reading, teaching, and understanding of Torah is envisioned at its height during the millennial delay in Heaven, during rest from sin and suffering.
Simchat Torah Prophetic Event — October 13, 2017
During the annual celebration of Simchat Torah (with Scripture scrolls raised and danced with in synagogues worldwide), President Donald Trump made a major announcement: decertifying the JCPOA Iran deal and targeting the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps. This section frames that moment through Daniel’s language about a leader who “will do as he pleases” (Daniel 11:3–4), and connects it with the imagery of a “large horn” broken and replaced by four conspicuous horns (Daniel 8:3–8), interpreted here as America’s power being dispersed toward the four corners of the globe.
In this framing, celebration will give way to sorrow: trials ahead, the downfall of the U.S. as the world’s superpower, and the approach of catastrophic conflict. “May God cover us with His grace as we trust in Him, moment by moment.”