Michael el Chayil

I learn mishnayos every day and try to do a seder or two each year. Having Kehati on my phone (Android; you iPhone users will have to find your own apps) makes it easy to learn several mishnayos a day during the many otherwise wasted minutes of standing around waiting during the day. I am now just finishing the mishnayos of Pesachim. Now, you might think that I'd just switch to Sukkos because it was, after all, Sukkos and I am, after all, learning seder Mo'ed. Nope, I like to go in order and keep my learning seder tidy. Moreover, there is the famous g'zeira shava of ט''ו ט''ו. That is, Pesach and Succos are the only two holidays that start on the 15th of the month, and many halachos are learned one from the other because of that. So there. In a recent Thought for the Day: Shmini Atzeres -- Serving HaShem Without Props , I noted that Shmini Atzeres is a Yom Tov that by design and intent has no mitzvos unique to it. More than that, the month after our High Ho...

I get a daily halacha email from the Dirshu organization; great way to get a tour or Mishna Brura. Occasionally they will also include a very nice "vort" about the auspicious occasion in which we find ourselves and proffer a new perspective. For example, they recently discussed a point about the holiday of Shmini Atzeres. As is well known, Chazal understand Shmini Atzeres as our Father who is our King saying to us, "I find separation from you very difficult, please stay one more day." Very nice... but if that's the whole issue, then why not make Sukkos a day longer? Moreover... um... we aren't really going anywhere, right? So why do we need a whole new Yom Tov -- with it's own kiddush, sh'he'chiyanu, musaf, etc. Just make Sukkos one day longer and the situation will have been addressed. Right? Obviously this Chazal is meant to convey something quite profound about Shmini Atzeres. The short answer is that we have had six weeks of focu...