From Heaven to Earth  

1. How does Succos flow from Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur? How is it connected to these Yamim Tovim, both of which focus on the judgment of the world?
2. Why is it that Hoshana Rabbah, the seventh day of Succos, is also designated as a Day of Judgment, mandating that we circle the bimah seven times carrying lulavim and esrogim?
3. What is behind the special mitzvah of nisuch hamayim? Why is it performed only on Succos? And why is it celebrated with the immense joy of Simchas Beis Hashoeivah?

The insights we uncover will also help us answer more questions that revolve around Shemini Atzeres. These are:

1. Chazal say that Hashem grants us another day of Yom Tov because “kashah Alai preidas’chem— your departure is difficult for Me.” But how does delaying our departure one more day help?
2. The word atzeres means “stop” or “hold.” What is it that we’re trying to stop?
3. What is the connection between Simchas Torah and Shemini Atzeres? What does celebrating the completion of the Torah have to do with Shemini Atzeres?
4. In the Gemara, we find the Yom Tov of Shavuos referred to as “Atzeres” (see Pesachim 68b). Why would Chazal take a word used by the Torah to refer to Shemini Atzeres and apply it to Shavuos?

Divine Juggling

We can begin by exploring the Gemara in Succah (53b). There, the Gemara describes the incredible joy that infused the celebration of the Simchas Beis Hashoeivah.

The chachamim would dance with immense vigor under lights whose brilliance shone for miles. The narration takes note of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel. He would take eight torches of fire and throw them into the air one by one, catching each as they fell, without allowing any torch to touch another. The Gemara then tells us that Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel would “prostrate himself and dig his two thumbs into the ground, and then kiss the floor.”

If a holy Tanna such as Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel was engaged in such actions, they must hold particular significance. I would like to suggest an explanation based upon the words of the Alshich in parshas Emor. There, in Vayikra 23:39, the Torah refers to Succos as “chag Hashem.” The Alshich questions this expression. For every other Yom Tov, the Torah uses the term “chag la’Hashem — a holiday to Hashem.” But for Succos, it says “chag Hashem,” which means “holiday of Hashem.” How do we understand this? How is Succos a “chag Hashem”?