Volumne 15 Number 1
September/October 1998
Elul/Tishrei/Cheshvan 5758/5759

Shemeni Atzeret-Abiding in G-d's Blessing.

By Barney Kasdan, Messianic Rabbi

"For seven days you shall present an offering by fire to the L-rd. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation and present an offering by fire to the L-rd; it is an assembly. You shall do no laborious work" [Leviticus 23:36]

It is a wonderful and busy season indeed during the High Holy Days. After the days of repentance of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we enter the joyous period of Sukkot.  For seven days we dwell in the Sukkah/booth and rejoice in the reality that G-d dwells with us in a special way.  Yet, right when you might think it is all over, the Torah exhorts us to celebrate one final day called "Shemini Atzeret". Although we are not told much about why this day is so important to G-d, some insight can be gleaned from the very name of the feast, "the eighth day of assembly", or more literally, "waiting, tarrying or abiding." Why an eighth day of abiding?  The rabbinic commentator Rashi relates a story that the day is reminiscent of a King who held a weeklong banquet for his friends.  As the joyous festivities were winding down, the King expressed to his friends how he really did not want them to leave but to abide one more day in his presence.  That is what Shemini Atzeret is all about; our Heavenly Father and our King doesn’t want to leave us when the holy days end.  He desires that we would abide with Him and enjoy His blessings.

It seems that our Messiah Yeshua may have had this concept in mind as he taught His Jewish disciples on one occasion.  As He was facing His imminent death, Yeshua was concerned that the talmidim understood the vital importance of abiding in the Father’s blessings.  How could this be accomplished?  "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love" (Yochanan/John 15:10).  If they wanted to abide in the good things of G-d’s kingdom, they must go beyond simply hearing the Word. Memorizing the Torah is commendable, but that is not what necessarily keeps us in the Father’s blessing.  We hear so many important truths during our high holy day services but Shemini Atzeret reminds us that the biggest challenges actually begins after all the sermons.  If believers are to enjoy the continued blessing of G-d, we must "keep"; that is obey and apply the Scripture to our personal lives.  Sometimes we may wish it was something more glitzy or complex.  But, as those great theologians at the Nike Shoe Company remind us, "Just do it!" Shemini Atzeret is a call for all believers in Yeshua to abide in His precepts.

Secondly, our Messiah exhorts us to abide in the power of G-d.  "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing" (Yochanan 15:5).  One would think that this message would be very clear through the course of all the High Holy Days.  It is with much prayer and tshuvah/repentance that we come before the King at this season.  Yet how many people struggle during the year with the frustration of trying to please G-d in our own strength?  If we are honest, we must admit that even our best, most sincere efforts fall short of the high standard of our King.  For us Messianic Jews, we have come to realize that without Yeshua we can do "bubkis" (nada, zilch, nothing!)  Shemini Atzeret is a special time for us to reflect on our desperate need for G-d’s power in our lives.  If we are to take some spiritual steps forward through the Holy Days, we must abide in the power which Messiah offers.  Only then can we produce true, eternally lasting fruit in our lives.

Thirdly, Yeshua teaches us great joy when be ours as we abide in His presence.  "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be make full" (Yochanan 15:11).  This world is often seeking a joy and happiness that seems so elusive.  Yet, many have missed the very source of deep, abiding joy.  The High Holy Days call us back to a vibrant, personal relationship with G-d through Yeshua HaMashiach.  Maybe it is not so surprising that the capstone of the Holy Days is this eighth day of assembly.  The King does not want you to depart from His presence.  As one bumper sticker states, "Feel far from God?  Who moved?"  Shemini Atzeret is our call to remain in the Father’s blessing throughout this new year of 5759.  What are doing to ensure that you will abide in the blessings of G-d?  Maybe it’s time to raise the bar in our spiritual lives and see what good fruit will result. L’shana Tova u-metukah!  May you have a sweet year abiding in Messiah!

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Last Modified May 10, 1999