Bid You Farewell

Chazal were Mesaken the Haftoros of Yom Tov with much intent: we are meant to use the selections of Neviim to learn about the Yom Tov and enhance our Avodas HaYom. Sometimes, we must endevor to understand the connection between the Haftorah and the Yom Tov, seeking meaning beyond the words. Other times, the link is overt but we must still try to understand what Chazal wished for us to learn about the day itself through the Pessukim.

The Haftorah for Shmini Atzeres comes from Sefer Melachim, and is actually connected to the Haftorah we last read, on the second day of Sukkos. In the earlier Haftorah we learned about the beginning of the Chanukas HaBayis made when Shlomo completed the Binyan Hamikdash, and now we learn about the end.

After describing all that transpired on the first day of the Chanukas Habayis, the Navi tells us: “V’Yaas Shlomo B’Es HaHi Es HaChag V’Chol Yisroel Imo…Shiva Yamim V’Shivas Yamim Arbas Esrei Yom.” The entire Klal Yisroel, drawn from all corners of the land, joined Shlomo Hamelech for a “Chag” which lasted for two periods of seven days. Rashi explains that the initial Chanukas Habayis was seven days, but the celebration lasted for the next days as well, for those were the days of Sukkos.

Then, the Passuk tells us: “B’Yom HaShmini Shilach Es Ha’Am V’Yivarchu Es HaMelech”. On the eight day the nation took leave of the king and went home “Semachim V’Tovei Lev”, with joyful spirits as they recognized all the good that Hashem had done. As can be deduced from the earlier words of Rashi, Metzudos points out that the Yom HaShmini mentioned in the Passuk was in fact the Yom Tov of Shminin Atzeres itself.

We can certainly understand why these Pessukim are Leined on this day, then. The Haftorah mentions a story that took place on Shimini Atzeres, making this an appropriate selection. But what are we to take from this Passuk? What do these few words that mention the Yom Tov teach us about the day? How is this Passuk to inform our Avodah of Shmini Atzeres? To answer these questions, we must of course have a better undersadning of what happened on that day, and for that we turn to Chazal.

The Gemara in Moed Katan examines these Pessukim at length, painting a much more vivid picture of the events. For example, the Gemarah points out that if the “Chag” mentioned in the Passuk lasted a total of fourteen day, culminating on Shminin Atzeres, the festivities included Yom Kippur. That year, concludes the Gemarah, those attending the Chanukas HaBayis did not fast on Yom Kippur. The decision to take this most unusual step, and its rami factions, are discussed in the Gemara. After further discussion about these Pessukim, and the Chag of Shlomo Hamelech, the Gemara relates a story.

R’ Yonasan ben Asmai and R’ Yehuda ben Gerim learned the Halachos of Nedarim in the Bais Medrash of R’ Shimon bar Yochai. When they finished that Limud they took leave of their Rebbi. The next morning, however, they were back, bidding farewell once again. R’ Shimon asked them: “Did you not already take my leave yesterday?”

The pair answered that R’ Shimon had taught them a Halacha: “Talmid SheNiftar M’Rabo V’Lan B’Oso Ir Tzarich Liftar Mimenu Pa’am Acheres.” A Talmid who takes leave of his Rebbi, but then remains in the city overnight much once again take proper leave of his Rebbi before he leaves. The two had intended to leave the previous day, but had ended up sleeping in the city and so they had returned in order to fulfil this teaching of their Rebbi.

The Halacha of “Tzarich Liftar Mimenu Pa’am Acheres”, as explained in the Gemara, is based on an apparent conflict between two Pessukim. On one hand, the Passuk in our Haftorah tells us that Bnei Yisroel took leave of Shlomo Hamlech on Shmini Atzeres, which is the twenty-second day of Tishrei. At the same time, there is a Passuk in Divrei Hayamim which says: “U’Biyom Esrim U’Shlosha L’Chodesh HaShvi’I Shilach Es Ha’am L’Ohaleihem Semechim V’Tovei Lev”. According to this Passuk, Shlomo Hamelech dismissed Klal Yisroel on the twenty-third of Tishrei—Isru Chag. To resolve this apparent contradiction, we derive the Halacha that one must return to take leave of his Rebbi a second time if he does not leave the city on the day he first did so.

The Passuk in our Haftorah is speaking only about the first time the people took leave of the king and not the final time, which took place not on Shmini Atzeres but on the next day.

It is interesting to point out one striking difference between the two Pessukim. In Melachim we are told “V’Yivarchu Es HaMelech”, there was an element of Bracha in the departing words between the people and the Melech. The Passuk in Dvrei Hayamim, which discusses the final departure on the day after Shmini Atzeres, does not mention a Bracha, only that Shlomo sent them home on the twenty-third of Tishrei. Though not earth-shattering, the Pessukim are so similar that this one change is notable: why is there no mention of Bracah when Bnei Yisroel took their final leave?

The Ben Ish Chai, in Ben Yehoyada here, cites a rather simple question on the Gemara in the name of the Maharsha. In the case of the two Talmidim and R’ Shimon, they clearly intended to leave when they first bade their Rebbi farewell, but did not end up doing so. It is therefore understandable that they returned the second time to take his leave again. The same cannot be true of Bnei Yisroel at the time of the Chanukas Habayis: they knew that it was forbidden to travel on Shmini Atzeres, a Yom Tov, and so they knew that they would be leaving the next day. If so, why not just take leave of Shlomo Hamelech on Isru Chag? Why the two interactions?

Although Maharsha provides his own explanation, the Ben Yehoyada offers one of his own. Bnei Yisroel, he explains, specifically wished to receive the Brachos from Shlomo Hamelech on Shmini Atzeres, “SheHu Yom Ratzon SheYiskablu Bo HaBrachos V’Habakashos Yoser MiKol Yemos Hashana.” Bnei Yisroel bade farewell from Shlomo Hamelech on Shmini Atzeres because it is such a powerful day, one on which the Brachos that he would offer are more likely to be Mekuyam,

We can perhaps now understand why the Passuk in Melachim, which describes the events of Shmini Atzeres mentions Bracha but not the Passuk in Divrei HaYamim: the entire purpose of the exchange on Shmini Atzers was the Brachos that the people would receive from Shlomo, which were more likely to be accepted on this most auspicious day.

The approach of the Ben Yehoyada explains the Gemara and the Pessukim but leads to its own set of questions. Specifically: why the charade? Not only did Bnei Yisroel know that their actual departure was to be on the next day, but the Chacham Mikol Adam, Shlomo Hamlech, no doubt did as well. What was the purpose of the entire exchange? Why didn’t Bnei Yisroel ask for Brachos that would be accepted on this special day, and in fact, why didn’t Shlomo Hamlech offer them of his own volition? Why did Bnei Yisroel have to pretend to be taking his leave in order to receive his Brachos on Shmini Atzeres?

To answer thse questions, we must really try to understand the stunning statement made by the Ben Yehoyada. Why in fact is Shmini Atzeres the “Yom Ratzon SheYiskablu Bo HaBrachos V’Habakashos Yoser MiKol Yemos Hashana”, and how should this fact mold our approach to the day?

Now, the Ben Yehoyada cites the Zohar as his source for this statement, and far be it form us to plunge the depths of the Zohar to try to understand this aspect of Shmini Atzeres. That said, perhaps there is a way for us to undesdtand the power of Shmini Atzeres on our own level, so that we can appreciate its true Koach as the day in which Brachos are accepted “Yoser MiKol Yemos Hashana”.

Any discussion of the essence of Shmini Atzeres must begin with a Rashi in Parshas Pinchas which explains its purpose. After seven days of Sukkos, on which we bring the Shivim Parei Hachag, which relate to the Umos HaOlam, Hashem says to us: “Kasha Alai Preidaschem Ikvu Imi Yom Echad”. Our departure is too painful for Hashem, Kaviyachol, and so He asks us to stay one extra day. That extra day is Shmini Atzeres, on which a lone Par, representing Am Yisroel, is brought.

The Shem M’Shmuel asks a penetrating question on this Rashi: how does the extra day help? If our departure after seven days in the Mechitza of HKBH is painful, so to speak, would not one more day make it even more so? How does the request of “Ikvu Imi Od Yom Echad” address the fact that “Kasha Alai Preidaschem”?

The answer given by the Shem M’Shmuel can help us better understand the Yom Tov of Shmini Atzeres and the Pessukim in Sefer Melachim.

When one gives something to another person, two things occur. First, the object itself is transferred, and second a connection is created between the two parties. To a certain extent, these two effects are inversely related. When the goal is to transfer the object, the connection created may be fleeting. If, however, the goal is to create a bond, the actual object is less important. This is seen in everyday life: when a person sells something to another, there is little connection between he buyer and seller, for once ownership is transferred the relationship has no further value. In the case of a marriage, however, the goal is to create a bond between man and wife, and the object used to do so has no significance—tit need only be of minimal value, and the bond remains even if the object is no longer.

The same, he explains, is true of Shefa that comes from Shamayim. For the Umos HaOlam, the purpose of any connection with the Borei Olam is to receive physical sustenance—a mere transfer of ownership. For Klal Yisroel, however, the purpose is to create a bond, a close connection, between ourselves and Avinu Shebashamayim.

Sukkos is the Yom Tov in which Shefa, in the form of Mayim, is given to the entire world. Because the Umos HaOlam are included in the Yom Tov, the Shefa is given almost transactionally—a transfer of objects that creates no connection between the Nosen and the Mekabel.

HKBH does not want us to leave after Sukkos, however, because the bond that He—and we—cherish, has not been created. “Kasha Alai Preidaschem”, if we were to leave after Sukkos it would be painful, Kaviyachol, and so Hashem asks us: “Ikvu Imi Od Yom Echad.” On this day, on Shmini Atzeres, when we are alone with the Borei Olam, we can create a bond that is eternal, that lasts well beyond the day. Indeed, one extra day removes the pain of our departure, because it allows us to be Mechaber ourselves to Hashem, and so we never really leave His midst.

Perhaps this was the message that Shlomo Hamelech wished to impart onto Bnei Yisroel as they left the Chanukas Habayis.

We can now understand the statement of the Ben Yehoyada, that Shmini Atzeres is “Yom Ratzon SheYiskablu Bo HaBrachos V’Habakashos”. On this day, dedicated to the creation of a lasting relationship between ourselves and HKBH, the requests we make are not merely transactional—they have a higher goal. We seek not only to enrich ourselves, or to better our lives, but to create a bond with our creator, one elevates us beyond any physical constraints.

Perhaps this was the message of Shlomo Hamelech to those who had gathered for the Chanukas Habayis.

For fourteen days, the people had joined together to celebrate the Binyan Bais Hamikdash. They witnessed Nissim and amazing sights, and undoubtedly experienced an elevation in Ruchnias. They were now leaving, however, and they wished to receive the Brachos of the Melech before they did. Shlomo therefore had them come to him on Shimni Atzeres, on the day that we learn what it means to depart from The King. The message was clear: don’t make a clean break. Don’t leave your experience behind when you depart the Bais Hamikdash, make sure that you maintain a connection that goes beyond the boundaries of time and place.

Shmini Atzeres is the day in which we create a bond to take us into the rest of the year. We have spent the last seven weeks, since Rosh Chodesh Elul, in the Mechitza of Hashem, and now we take our leave. We must use this day to steel ourselves for what lies ahead: a long winter until we can next be Oleh Regel, hopefully this time in body and not just mind. We can use the day in which Brachos V’Habakashos are accepted to create the connection we so deeply desire, bringing us closer to the Borei Olam and a Geulah Sheliema.