SHEMINI ATZERET
Shemini Atzeret Is "The Assembly Of The Eighth Day"
Starts At Sundown... |
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Shemini Atzeret IS a Sabbath but is NOT a High Holy Day!
The Shemini Atzeret Sabbath, the day after the end of Sukk'ot, is known as "The Last Great Day" because it is the final annual Holy Day that was God-established. The next Holy Day on God's calendar is the next Passover, in the following Spring.
This means that Simchat Torah, Hanukkah (Chanukah) and Purim, are NOT either Biblical holy days or Sabbaths. They are not God-established and they are not God-ordained.
The three High Holy Days established by God are:
1 - The first day of the Feast Of Unleavened Bread (Chag Ha Matzoh) - 15 Nisan - The day after The Passover.
2 - Pentecost (Shavu'ot) - On a Sunday, very late in spring, fifty days from the first Sunday following (after) The Passover.
3 - The first day of the Feast Of Tabernacles (Sukk'ot) - 15 Tishri - Five days after Yom Kippur and fifteen days after Rosh haShanah.
These three God-ordained High Holy Days are Annual High Sabbaths, "Pilgrimage" Sabbaths.
On God's ecclesiastical calendar, there are no OTHER High Holy Days!
About which, see: Ex. 23:14-17 --- Lev. Chapter 23 --- Deu. 16:16
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But, remember that
there actually are NO Hebrew or Jewish Holy Days,
for there are only GOD'S Holy Days
which the Sons of Israel were commanded to faithfully observe
as their form of worship of The God Of Abraham.
Leviticus 23:1-2 |
The Old Testament Holy Days were ordained by God as
"Appointed Times" which He considers Holy unto Himself
How could today's "cultural" Hebrews
be in so much confusion about the timing of their OWN Annual High Sabbaths
(High Holy Days), the God-ordained "Pilgrimage" Sabbaths?
Click Here - Read About Pharisees -vs- Sadducees
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On this "EIGHTH DAY" Ye-shu'a (Jesus) was circumcised ("Bris" or Brit Mila) according to the Scriptural command. This is when a name is given and, for a male, circumcision is what accomplishes a full Hebrew birth.
Since the first-day-Sabbath of Sukk'ot and this "EIGHTH DAY" Sabbath could fall on any day of the week, along with the routine, weekly, Saturday Sabbath, there could be up to three Sabbaths during this eight-day-period.
Shemini Atzeret is mistakenly referred to by Hebrews as the eighth day of the Festival of Sukk'ot, which occupies the seven (7) preceding days.
In fact, Shemini Atzeret stands alone from Sukk'ot and is a separate minor Holy Day unto itself.
While, in the Bible, this "EIGHTH DAY" Sabbath lasts for only one day, modern "cultural" Hebrews follow the dictates of Orthodox Jews (today's Pharisees) and IMAGINE that Shemini Atzeret is celebrated for two days.
As a result, today's traditional Hebrew custom is to add a second day to Shemini Atzeret called Simchat Torah, meaning "Rejoicing in the Torah", which they falsely believe to also be a Sabbath day.
Apparently, Orthodox Jews labor under the delusion that mere men are authorized to establish and inaugurate a Sabbath day where none had existed before, where God had NOT specified a Sabbath.
WHO are YOU going to believe? God, MAYBE?
This misdirected emphasis gives cause to suspect that modern Hebrew religious authorities, the Orthodox Jews, have never even read their OWN Holy Scriptures.
Among scripturally astute individuals, much amusement is derived from noting the differences between the beliefs and practices (the customs and traditions) of modern-day "cultural" Hebrews as opposed to what The God Of Abraham has revealed to them in the Holy Scriptures.
The Hebrews possess the "Oracles Of God", yet the Hebrews cannot make any sense out of them at all.
For even if Hebrews actually DO read their own Holy Scriptures,
it is obvious that they do not understand what they are reading.
About which, SEE: Second Corinthians 3:14-16
Rabbinic traditions and customs have produced literature which explains the holiday this way: Our Creator is like a host, who invites us as visitors for a limited time, but when the time comes for us to leave, He has enjoyed himself so much that He asks us to stay another day.
Another related traditional explanation: Sukk'ot is a holiday intended for all of mankind, but when Sukk'ot is over, the Creator invites the Jewish people to stay for an extra day, for a more intimate celebration.