SHABBAT CHOL HAMOED - SUKKOTH

Saturday 3 October 2015                                          Tishrei 20 5776

SHABBAT CHOL HAMOED - SUKKOTH

The Shabbat that falls within Sukkoth                                                                                             Herschel Raysman

This Shabbat (3rd October) is a special Shabbat that is called Shabbat Chol Hamoed – Sukkoth. Throughout the Jewish year, there are several Sabbaths that are considered to be special Sabbaths and they have designated names. For example, the Shabbat that occurs during the 10 day period between Yom Tr’uah (Rosh Hashana) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) is called Shabbat Shuvah, the Sabbath of Return. The name Shabbat Shuvah comes from the first word of the Haftarah that is read on that day which is from Hosea 14:2-10. It is appropriate that the Shabbat that falls just before Yom Kippur is called Shabbat Shuva – the Sabbath of Return (Repentance).

Tishrei – 7th month in the Hebrew calendar

     1st                                              10th                14th                      21st            22nd           23rd

  Rosh                Yomim                 Yom              Sukkoth             Hoshana      Sh’mini       Simchat
Hashana            Nora’im               Kippur                                        Raba           Atzeret         Torah

Yom T’ruah                                    Day of       Tabernacles    Day of the      8th Day of      Rejoicing
  Feast of                                    Atonement                                Great         the Solemn        In the
Trumpets                                                                                    Hosanna      Assembly         Torah

Now, because both Pesach and Sukkoth are celebrated for 7 days, a weekly Shabbat falls within its observance. Furthermore, only the first and last day of the festivals is treated as a weekly Shabbat where no work is permitted. The same halacha or regulations that applies to the weekly Shabbat applies to the first day of all the festivals. The intermediate days are called Chol Hamoed or half holidays where the regulations are less stringent and normative work is permitted.
Lev 23:33-36
33 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
34 "Speak to the children of Israel, saying:'The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for              seven days to the LORD.
35 On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it. 
36 For seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. On the eighth day you shall have a holy                            convocation, and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. It is a sacred assembly, and you shall do no                  customary work on it

The Shabbat that falls during the 7 day observance of Passover and Tabernacles is called Shabbat Chol Hamoed. So we have Shabbat Chol Hamoed – Pesach. And this Shabbat- on Friday 2nd October - we observe Shabbat Chol Hamoed – Sukkoth. The regular Torah portion is not read; instead, there are special Torah readings based on the uniqueness of each holiday. The Torah and haftarah reading for Shabbat Chol Hamoed – Sukkoth are as follows: Exod. 33:12-34:26 (Maftir Num. 29:17-22), Ezek. 38:18-39:16, Rev. 19:1-16

A brief outline of the portion for Shabbat Chol Hamoed – Sukkoth is as follows:
G d agrees to Moses' request that His presence dwell amongst Israel. Moses requests to be shown G d's glory. G d agrees, but informs Moses that he will only be shown G d's "back," not G d's "face." HaShem also instructs Moshe to carve new tablets upon which G d will engrave the Ten Commandments. Moses takes the new tablets up to Mt. Sinai, where G d reveals His glory to Moses while proclaiming His Thirteen Attributes of Mercy.

He instructs Israel to destroy all vestiges of idolatry from the land, not to make molten gods, to refrain from making any covenants with its current inhabitants, to sanctify male firstborn humans and cattle, and not to cook meat together with milk.

The Jews are commanded to observe the three festivals -- including the holiday of Sukkot, "the festival of the ingathering, at the turn of the year." All males are commanded to make pilgrimage to "be seen by G d" during these three festivals.

The maftir (the additional Torah reading), from the Book of Numbers, discusses the public offerings brought in the Temple on this day of Sukkot.

This will be discussed in greater detail at our Torah service on Shabbat 3rd October at Beit Ariel. Place: 58 Loop Street. Time: 10h00. Here, we will discuss the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy as well as examing the Early and Latter rains.