מְקַדְּשִׁים וְאוֹכְלִים וְשׁוֹתִים בַּסּוּכָּה בֵּין בַּלַּיְלָה וּבֵין בַּיּוֹם. הַקָּפוֹת בְּלֵיל שְׁמִינִי עֲצֶרֶת. הפטורה: וַיְהִי כְּכַלּוֹת - וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַמּוֹ. אֵין אוֹמְרִים הַיְהִי רָצוֹן בִּיצִיאָה מִן הַסּוּכָּה.

1 We recite Kiddush and eat and drink in the sukkah, both at night and during the day.2

Hakkafos3 are held on the eve of Shemini Atzeres.4

The haftarah begins with Vayehi kechalos and ends with u’leYisrael amo.5

When taking leave of the sukkah [for the last time during the festival],we do not recite the Yehi ratzon [that appears in some Siddurim].6

שְׁמִינִי עֲצֶרֶת וְרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה מִשְׁתַּוִּים בְּכַמָּה עִנְיָנֵי כַּוָּנוֹת וְיִחוּדִים עֶלְיוֹנִים, אֶלָּא שֶׁבְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה הֵם בְּעִנְיַן הָעֲלִיָּה וּבִשְׁמִינִי עַצֶרֶת הֵם בְּעִנְיַן הַהַמְשָׁכָה. בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה הָעֲבוֹדָה בְּתַחֲנוּנִים בְּהַכְנָעָה וּבִמְרִירוּת עֲצוּמָה, וּבִשְׁמִינִי עַצֶרֶת הִיא בְּקַו הַשִּׂמְחָה.

Shemini Atzeres and Rosh HaShanah are similar in terms of certain mystical intentions (kavanos) and Supernal Unifications (yichudim).7 On Rosh HaShanah, however, they are framed in terms of ascent, whereas on Shemini Atzeres, the thrust is on drawing G‑dliness downward. On Rosh HaShanah, our Divine service is characterized by submissive supplication and intense remorse; on Shemini Atzeres, our Divine service is in a joyful mode.8

Probing Beneath the Surface

From this it may be inferred that what we can accomplish in the 48 hours of contrite remorse on Rosh HaShanah can be equally accomplished in the 48 hours9 of joy on Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah. Indeed, the Rebbe Rayatz once cited his father, the Rebbe Rashab, as follows:10 “The 48 hours of Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah should be dearly cherished, for at each moment, one can draw bucketsful and barrelsful of treasures, both material and spiritual. And this is accomplished through dancing.”