Shemini Atzeret {Ah Tzeh Reht}
Deuteronmy 14:22 - 16:7
Numbers 29:35 - 30:1
1 Kings 8:54 - 9:1

A Celebration Of The Future We Can Enjoy Today! ©

By Dr. Akiva G. Belk

This lesson for the Holy Days is derived from the weekly portion {parsha} of the Jewish Torah as specified for study by our sages. Each Holy Day of the year is assigned a particular portion for study by the Jewish people. It is an essential element of Judaism meant for the upliftment of Kal Yisroel.

In another lesson entitled “The Day of Celebration” we learned that “the eighth day” is in reference to a great deliverance for the Jewish people. In day eight we the Jewish people will be joined by the Spiritualist people... the remaining nations of the earth for Hee Ah Tzeh Reht “It [is the day of] assembly.” This will be a day of commemorating Hashem’s great deliverance for B’nei Yisroel in Jerusalem and a day for the nations of the world to pay homage to Hashem for rain.

What is specifically interesting is the great emphasis on rain in Zechariah 14:16-18 which defines this future date:

“And it shall be all that remain from among all the nations that invaded Jerusalem they will come to prostrate... to worship every year to the King, Hashem of Hosts, and to celebrate the Festival of Sukkos. And it shall be all that from among the families of the earth that do not go up to Jerusalem to prostrate... to worship to the King, Hashem of Hosts there will be no rain shower upon them. And if the family of Mitzriam [for example] does not come up and does not come [to Jerusalem] there will be no rain shower upon them. Hashem will bring everything from Aleph to Sav of the same plague upon any nation that does not go up to celebrate the Festival of Sukkos.”

Now one must wonder why Hashem directed our attention to Mitzriam. What does Mitzriam have to do with drought, with famine, with plague? We return to the time when Mitzriam was the only nation on earth that had food. The world was in a drought. Famine was rampant. Conditions were very bad! Yet in the worst of times Mitzriam had enough food to feed the entire world.

Here in the Novie’s {Prophet’s} example it is Mitzriam that does not have any food. It is Mitzriam that is hungry. It is Mitzriam that is destitute. It is Mitzriam that is in Famine. Why did Hashem use this example of Mitzriam? Is this in reference to the worldwide famine in Yoseif’s time? Is this in reference to the plagues during the deliverance of B’nei Yisroel from Mitzriam? Or is this a future example yet to be understood?

The only point that we can clearly see today is that Hashem makes a point of using Mitzriam as the example that everyone will understand. This means that whatever point there is to be made that point is intended to be clearly understood. It must be clear. That being the situation I believe that point is yet to be made. Yet this all centers around Shemini Atzeres or, for the Spiritualist world, Hee Ah Tzeh Reht “It [is the day of] assembly.”

So we have several puzzle pieces that are not clear in 2002 {5763}. One is the use of Mitzriam as an example that everyone will clearly understand, and the other is the entire world beyond B’nei Yisroel being Spiritualist. Today the entire world is divided into many religions. In fact religions are unfortunately one of the serious disruptions existing in the world today. It is because of religions and religious practices that we have had so many wars and terror, G-d forbid! In the future all of this will cease. It will cease because the world needs water. The nations of the world will need Ha Gaw Shehm {the rain showers}. Zechariah 14:17 The Gematria of Ha Gaw Shehm is 348.

Ha Gaw Shehm {the rain showers}
348 = Mem 40 Shin 300 Gimmel 3 Hey 5

Mystically this relates to a higher level. The Gematria of Choh Mehsh {fifth part, one fifth}. “And it shall be all that from among the families of the earth that do not go up to Jerusalem to prostrate... to worship to the King, Hashem of Hosts there will be no rain shower upon them.” These are the people that reject the natural way Hashem has provided for them. These are the people that reject Spirituality! How do we know this?

Choh Mehsh {fifth part, one fifth}
348 = Shin 300 Mem 40 Ches 8

Holy reader, the first book of Torah, Bereishis, is one fifth of Torah. The Gematria for Chu Mawsh {the five books of Torah} is also defined by the number 348. Bereishis is the book of Spirituality. Essentially the remaining four books of Torah are directed to B’nei Yisroel. Those who refuse to honor Hashem from among the nations of the world also will refuse their portion in Torah. They will refuse their fifth of Torah. When one’s soul refuses to study Torah, even just one fifth of Torah, their Neshamah {soul} becomes parched... drought-stricken and destitute. Both Chu Mawsh {the five books of Torah} and Choh Mehsh {fifth part, one fifth} are spelled the same. They have different pronunciations. Their nacudos {vowels} are different. This relates a different meaning.

Chu Mawsh {the five books of Torah}
348 = Shin 300 Mem 40 Ches 8

In addition to this, these nations are also without the benefit of Maw Shee Ach {the anointed of G-d, the Messiah}. We observe that they have no rain. Their souls are destitute and now they have no hope of deliverance. They have no savior. They have no approval. They have no anointment. They have no blessing. Holy reader, how long do you think a group of people could last under such circumstances? They are living a fruitless life. Their existence is almost nil. They are not happy. They will be lacking the source of any joy or happiness!! They lack happiness! They are self-deprived of Saw May Ach {Joy, rejoice, happy, cheer, merry}.

Saw May Ach {Joy, rejoice, happy, cheer, merry}
348 = Chess 8 Mem 40 Sin 300

They will not be a threat to world peace because they will be denied the potential... the ability to Chah Mehsh {Arm} for war. They will be powerless. They will be rendered incapable of war by Hashem!

Chah Mehsh {Arm} for war
348 = Shin 300 Mem 40 Ches 8

Why will all this happen to them? Because they failed to Moh Shahv {dwell...} They failed to honor Hashem in the Festival of Sukkos. Last week we spoke of Sukkah: The Open Door Policy. There we discussed how important the Sav was. the Sav transformed “return” to “dwell”. Now in this week’s parsha of Shemini Atzeres, where at a point in the future all inhabitants of the earth will be invited to participate in the Festival of Sukkos, some may refuse to go up... some may refuse to come... and some may refuse to Moh Shahv {to dwell} [in Sukkos...]

Moh Shahv {dwell} [in Sukkos...]
348 = Bais 2 Vav 6 Shin 300 Mem 40

Dear ones, there are three times a year that Yidden are required to go to the holy city of Jerusalem: Pesach {Passover}, Shavuos {Pentecost} and Sukkos {Booths}. Exodus 23:14-17. This means that Hashem intends for B’nei Yisroel to dwell in sukkas in Jerusalem during the Festival of Sukkos. It also means the exact same thing for Spiritualists after Zechariah 14:16-18. How do we know it also includes Spiritualists? It is because of the Gematria 348, Moh Shahv {to dwell} [in Sukkos...]. It is because of the command by Hashem that all the families of the earth will celebrate the Festival of Sukkos in Jerusalem!! “And it shall be all that remain from among all the nations that invaded Jerusalem they will come to prostrate... to worship every year to the King, Hashem of Hosts, and to celebrate the Festival of Sukkos.” Zechariah 14:16.

That period of time will actually begin with the Day of Judgment, Oul Yaw Meem - Vi Shaw Neem {and days and years} for the Spiritualist, Rosh Hashannah and continue through Sukkos until Bay Yom Hah Shi Mee Nee {In day eight}. This will be quite a time in the future for all peoples of the world! It will indeed be a time when all men join / dwell before Hashem as brothers and all women as sisters in judgment and then in forgiveness and then in rejoicing.

Wishing you the best!

Dr. Akiva G. Belk