The Eternal Return

 

Within the land of Israel, the end of the seven-day Sukkot festival is followed by a special, one-day festival, Shemini ‘Atzeret, the “Eighth Day of Solemn Assembly.” But since Jews living outside of Israel must observe an extra day for festivals, this one-day Shemini ‘Atzeret became, in practice, a two-day festival outside of Israel. This extra day eventually acquired a separate name in the Diaspora, Simḥat Torah (“The Rejoicing of the Torah”)—altogether apt, since its Torah reading included the last chapter of Deuteronomy and the opening chapter of Genesis.

 

Whether one or two days, this festival nowadays carries with it a highly significant message. After all, its Torah reading could have consisted only of the last chapter or two of Deuteronomy, followed, like an old Hollywood movie, with a great “The End” sign on the screen. Then next week’s Torah reading could have started with the first chapter of Genesis.

 

But that isn’t how it works. This festival is not just an end; it’s the end and the beginning combined, and this, when you think about, makes for an important difference. It says that studying and living the life of Torah—its laws, its history, and its traditional interpretations—are intended to be a process never ended. Especially in times like these, with the whole world threatened by the coronavirus, we can still seek to turn to the Torah as a constant in our lives, and in the hope these difficult days will eventually end—or rather, that their end will lead into a new beginning.

 

Happy Festival!