Greetings in the name of His & Her Imperial Majesties Qedamawi Haile Sellassie I & Itege Menen Asfaw,

This is Lidj Yefdi, here at Ras Tafari Renaissance Revelations, here again for yet another post.  Hopefully everyone is well and enjoying the High Holy Day Season.  As the completion of the Torah readings cycle comes to a close, we come to the festival of Simch’at Torah [“Rejoicing over the Torah“].

This day is usually observed with a festival, where there’ll more than likely will be, singing and dancing with Torah Scrolls, shouts of Hosanna and prayers.  SimKH’at Torah is observed on the 23rd of the Hebrew month of Tisrei.

The prayers on this commencement are for the restoration of the House of David, for the rebuilding of the Temple of Jerusalem, the MeSHIH(Messiah), and also there are Torah readings recited.

** Shemini Atz’eret = “the 8th day of the Assembly **

As we have completed a cycle of Torah reading/studies, we as Hebrew people, as well as they who choose to assemble again, to commemorate the Hebraic memorial of Sukkot.  As Sukkot, is an “Ingathering” for faithful Hebrews, this assembly on the eighth day of a seven day festival renders a Sabbath of completion of Torah readings and Hebrew Year. (also gathering of the harvest)

Some may include, Shemini Atz’eret with the days of Sukkot or regard them as one, but this is not the case.  Shemini At’zeret was to be a solemn assembly of its own.

Some Sukkot observances carry over into Shemini At’zeret; seeing as it is the closing the Sukkot memorial.  Readings, from the Torah & Nebi’im, along with services in most synagogues/temples of Hebraic peoples are read, where a Prayer/Psalm for Rain [Tefillat Gesham], for the year ahead, (for the crops, that were to be grown) may be recited.

NOTES:

Genesis 1: 1- 2:3 ; 48: 16

Leviticus 23: 33-43

Numbers 29:35-30:1

Psalms 27

Deuteronomy 29:35 ;  33:1 – 34:12

Isaiah 65: 17

Revelation 21: 1