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 600x400.jpg "Sh'mini Atzeret & (in Israel) Simkhat Torah (goldenlightimages.com)")
ùÑÀîÄéðÄé òÂöÆøÆú, in which one "arrests" himself or herself from doing mᵊlâkh•âhꞋ, is ordained in bᵊ-Mi•dᵊbarꞋ 29.35. Despite being the day following the seventh day of Khag ha-Suk•otꞋ, ùÑÀîÄéðÄé òÂöÆøÆú is considered a separate festival from the seven days of Khag ha-Suk•otꞋ.
ùÑÀîÄéðÄé is the masc. adj. form of ùÑÀîåÉðÈä. òÂöÆøÆú is the fem. noun form of the verb òÈöÇø.
ùÑÀîÄéðÄé òÂöÆøÆú marks the beginning of the rainy season following the harvest in Israel. Tᵊphil•atꞋ âÌÆùÑÆí is the only ritual unique to ùÑÀîÄéðÄé òÂöÆøÆú.
Since the completion of the annual cycle of Tor•âhꞋ readings occurred around the time of ùÑÀîÄéðÄé òÂöÆøÆú, a rabbinical tradition developed in the Middle Ages [emphasis added] to celebrate – with joyful processions, singing and dancing – the completion and restarting of the annual cycle of weekly Tor•âhꞋ readings on ùÑÀîÄéðÄé òÂöÆøÆú. This celebration came to be known as ùÒÄîÀçÇú-úÌåÉøÈä.
In Israel, this single day is referred to as "ùÑÀîÄéðÄé òÂöÆøÆú / ùÒÄîÀçÇú-úÌåÉøÈä." In the Diaspora, ùÒÄîÀçÇú-úÌåÉøÈä is celebrated on an added second day of ùÑÀîÄéðÄé òÂöÆøÆú. It is common for Jews in the Diaspora to refer to the first day as ùÑÀîÄéðÄé òÂöÆøÆú and to the second day as ùÒÄîÀçÇú-úÌåÉøÈä.
"The annual cycle of weekly Tor•âhꞋ readings is completed at this time. We read the last Tor•âhꞋ portion, then proceed immediately to the first chapter of [bᵊ-Reish•itꞋ], reminding us that the Tor•âhꞋ is a circle, and never ends. This completion of the readings is a time of great celebration. There are processions around the synagogue carrying Tor•âhꞋs and plenty of high-spirited singing and dancing. As many people as possible are given the honor of carrying a Tor•âhꞋ scroll in these processions. This aspect of the holiday is known as ùÒÄîÀçÇú-úÌåÉøÈä, which means "Rejoicing in the Torah." As I said before, ùÒÄîÀçÇú-úÌåÉøÈä and ùÑÀîÄéðÄé òÂöÆøÆú are separated in areas that observe an extra day of holidays, so outside of Israel, ùÑÀîÄéðÄé òÂöÆøÆú is Seventhmonth 22 and ùÒÄîÀçÇú-úÌåÉøÈä is Seventhmonth 23." (Jewish Virtual Library)
The authentic Teimân•iꞋ greeting for every khag (PësꞋakh-Khag ha-Matz•otꞋ, Khag ha-Shâvu•otꞋ and Khag ha-Suk•otꞋ; the High Holy Days are distinct from the Khaj•imꞋ), from back in Yemen, is NOT the popular "khag sa•meiꞋakh" (though the latter, "Israeli-fied," greeting is most frequently heard even around our Beit ha-kᵊnësꞋët), but rather:
úÌÄæëÌåÌ ìÀùÑÈðÄéí øÇáÌåÉú åÌìÀîåÉòÇãÄéí èåÉáÄéí
Unlike the various min•imꞋ of Ash•kᵊnazꞋim, neither the Teimân•imꞋ nor Sᵊphârâd•imꞋ recite éÄæÀëÌÉø after the Ha•phᵊtâr•âhꞋ (after Mi shë-bei•akhꞋ and before úÌÀôÄìÌÇú úÌÄé÷ÌåÌï äÇâÆÌùÆÑí) at the end of the Sha•khar•itꞋ service. See: úÌÀôÄìÌÇú äÇùÑÀëÌÈáÈä ìÇàÄéùÑ and úÌÀôÄìÌÇú äÇùÑÀëÌÈáÈä ìÇàÄùÌÑÈä.
The liturgy includes the new year's inaugural úÌÀôÄìÌÇú úÌÄé÷ÌåÌï äÇâÆÌùÆÑí (pg. ÷ð"æ in the úëìàì), recited near the end of Sha•khar•itꞋ. In ËrꞋëtz Yi•sᵊ•râ•eilꞋ, rains come only in winter, usually beginning soon after this day.
In Yi•sᵊ•râ•eilꞋ, ùÒÄîÀçÇú-úÌåÉøÈä coincides with ùÑÀîÄéðÄé òÂöÆøÆú. In the Tᵊphutz•âhꞋ, ùÒÄîÀçÇú-úÌåÉøÈä is observed as the second day of, i.e. the day following, ùÑÀîÄéðÄé òÂöÆøÆú. On ùÒÄîÀçÇú-úÌåÉøÈä, the last úÌåÉøÈä section of the year, followed by the first úÌåÉøÈä section of year is recited, marking both the conclusion of the previous year's úÌåÉøÈä-reading cycle and the beginning of the new year annual cycle.
In the Teimân•iꞋ Beit ha-kᵊnësꞋët here in Ra•a•nanꞋâ(h), on the eve of this day—and again during the day, at the end of the service—all of the bench-desks are moved up against the walls of the Beit ha-kᵊnësꞋët and all of the Si•phᵊr•eiꞋ Tor•âhꞋ are taken from the A•ronꞋ ha-QoꞋdësh and placed on tables in the center.
Convocants then take turns carrying a SeiphꞋër Tor•âhꞋ in procession around the Beit ha-kᵊnësꞋët while everyone chants Zᵊmir•otꞋ. A central role in the festivities is allotted to children. In addition to the a•liy•otꞋ (to Tor•âhꞋ), the children also participate in the Tor•âhꞋ processions. Children too small to carry a SeiphꞋër Tor•âhꞋ safely often wave a flag while perched on their abꞋâ's shoulders in the processions around the Beit ha-kᵊnësꞋët. Often, in Yi•sᵊ•râ•eilꞋ, this procession spills outside the Beit ha-kᵊnësꞋët.
The ërꞋëv service of ùÒÄîÀçÇú-úÌåÉøÈä doesn't end. Convocants read Tor•âhꞋ all night long, in shifts. Consequently, when convocants become weary of the processions, they go home to sleep and return for their shift later that night or (very) early morning—unless they have the first shift, in which case they simply stay until the second shift arrives and begins reading Tor•âhꞋ. This is the only time during the year that the SeiphꞋër Tor•âhꞋ is taken out / read at night.
During Sha•khar•itꞋ, all of the boys under the age of Bar-Mitz•wâhꞋ are called for the concluding portion. A ta•litꞋ is spread above the heads of all of the children like a khup•âhꞋ or kâ•nâphꞋ, and they are blessed with the the bᵊrâkh•âhꞋ of Ya•a•qovꞋ (to Ë•phᵊr•aꞋyim and Mᵊnash•ëhꞋ; áÌÀøÅàùÑÄéú 48.16).
See Khag ha-Suk•otꞋ Table.
òÂöÆøÆú is used in the sense of restraining from mᵊlâkh•âhꞋ.
îÀìÈàëÈä contrasts with òÂáåÉãÈä , the usual and general term for work. îÀìÈàëÈä, from the same cognate as îÇìÀàÈêÀ, is what is prohibited on Shab•âtꞋ and Khaj•imꞋ. The connection is occupation-directed work: îÀìÈàëÈä is occupational-work associated with any occupation (one's mission) while îÇìÀàÈêÀ is a messenger, representative or agent (Hellenized to "angel"), whose mission is his occupational-work.
Today, in Beit-ha-Kᵊnësët around the world, the annual cycle of Tor•âhꞋ-reading begins anew.
The first word in the SeiphꞋër Tor•âhꞋ is áÌÀøÅàùÑÄéú.
"Beginning," in Hebrew, is more accurately äÇúÀçÈìÈä (ha•tᵊkhâl•âhꞋ). Consequently, had Tor•âhꞋ intended "in the beginning" instead of "at first," it would have read instead: áÇäÇúÀçÈìÈä .
The difference is that ba-ha•tᵊkhâl•âhꞋ implies the very start of something while áÌÀøÅàùÑÄéú implies an undefined and ambiguous connotation of "at first, …"
Thus, áÌÀøÅàùÑÄéú has never been intended to be the scientific record of creation but, rather, a short approximation of creation, scientific only in the sense as it was understood in the era of the writer, and sufficient to communicate its main purpose—setting the stage, including the Prime Cause, Creator-Singularity and His Creation, to chronicle the generations of a particular family that chose to serve the Creator and the bᵊrit•otꞋ that were undertaken between these generations and their Creator-Singularity. These bᵊrit•otꞋ are, by design, incumbent upon their descendents—and all those who agree to join this family by accepting the same conditions of these same bᵊrit•otꞋ. (Clearly, those who presume to displace either this family or these bᵊrit•otꞋ are neither party to any of these bᵊrit•otꞋ—NOR heir to their promises!)
áÌÀøÅàùÑÄéú is a book about how humankind may relate to the Creator-Singularity, not a textbook of physics. Nevertheless, from what we can understand of it, the account seems generally in line with the scientific schema of creation, particularly from the perspective of the ancient people who promulgated it (first orally, later in writing).
How would a éåÉí have been calculated on the days before the sun and moon were created?
According to the Chronology of the Tanakh, from the "Big ðÈèÈä" Live-LinkT 
I've worked out, the first "day" was approximately 11.4 billion years long by current earth time. The second day was only about 600 million years long, with subsequent "days" getting progressively shorter.
Scientists theorize that 37 or more fields of potential (forces) laced with a heavy dose of energy culminated in the implosion (reverse-explosion, a "Big Bang" that produced increasing acceleration rather than decreasing acceleration) creating the forces scientists have called quarks. Quarks make up the atoms that, in turn, make up everything in the physical universe. Food for thought: if atoms are nothing but forces, and everything consists of nothing but atoms, then nothing exists but forces; which we perceive—sense—as 5 kinds (senses) of physical projection of forces. We're living in a virtual world on the order of the movie "Matrix"!!! Moreover, it's a virtual world in which every quark attests to its Creator-Singularity, just as we read in Tᵊhil•imꞋ.
Except for dogmatic interpretations of fanatics, nothing in Ta•na"khꞋ contradicts good science, and vice-versa. Wherever seeming contradictions appear to arise, it is invariably due either to humankind's failure to fully understand science, humankind's failure to fully understand Tor•âhꞋ (including allowances for the limited scientific perspectives of the ancient authors), or—more usually—a combination of both.
A recent book by an Orthodox physicist, Gerald Schroeder, Ph.D. (in Physics from M.I.T.), has focused on this aspect in his two books: "Genesis and the Big Bang" and "The Science of God" (details in the General Judaica Shoppe in our Israel Mall).
bᵊ-Mi•dᵊbarꞋ 29.35—
áÌÇéÌåÉí äÇùÑÀîÄéðÄé òÂöÆøÆú úÌÄäÀéÆä ìÈëÆí
ùÑÀîÄéðÄé òÂöÆøÆú is éÌåÉí ùÑÀîÄéðÄé counted from Khag ha-Suk•otꞋ. (A separate festival; it isn't the eighth day of Khag ha-Suk•otꞋ.) ùÑÀîÄéðÄé òÂöÆøÆú is a day upon which one "arrests" his or her performance and pursuit of m•lëkhꞋët A•vod•âhꞋ. (M•lëkhꞋët is the combinative form of mᵊlâkh•âhꞋ.)
ùÒÄîÀçÇú-úÌåÉøÈä celebrates the completion, and re-beginning, of the annual Tor•âhꞋ reading cycle.
The ërꞋëv service is the only time during the year when the SeiphꞋër Tor•âhꞋ is read at night.
In the ërꞋëv and Sha•khar•itꞋ services of ùÒÄîÀçÇú-úÌåÉøÈä all of the Si•phᵊr•eiꞋ Tor•âhꞋ are taken out and the men take turns carrying them around the Beit ha-kᵊnësꞋët. Often, the men and children dance in the streets with the Si•phᵊr•eiꞋ Tor•âhꞋ. Alternately, less zealous congregations, and locations where neighborhoods might complain, make processions around the bim•âhꞋ inside the Beit ha-kᵊnësꞋët. During the night, every Yᵊhud•iꞋ over Bar-Mitz•wâhꞋ age in the congregation is encouraged to make an a•liy•âhꞋ to read Tor•âhꞋ.
áÌÀøÅàùÑÄéú 1.1-2 —
If Tor•âhꞋ had intended to read "In the beginning…," the Hebrew would read áÇäÇúÀçÈìÈä . The opening passage of Tor•âhꞋ is more accurately rendered in English as "At first…"
The significance is that the proper reading of the passage does not imply that it is speaking of "the beginning" of the universe and the initial creation of matter ex nihilo. It only means that at some stage in the development of the earth, perhaps eons after the initial creation of matter and the universe ex nihilo, é--ä created the sky (heavens) and the land, where such had not previously existed, there is no reason that this wasn't from matter He had created earlier.
When He began to form the earth, there was, as yet, no ignition of the sun. According to bᵊ-Reish•itꞋ, that doesn't occur until Fourthday (pᵊsuq•imꞋ 14-19). Ergo, at least the first three days cannot be 24-hour days as we recognize them, and probably extended across geological eons. There is every reason to believe that days four through seven were measured by the same units as the first three days, suggesting that each of these "first" seven days spanned eons—geological ages, not 24 hr. days as we know them.
1.2— "And the land was úÉäåÌ åÈáÉäåÌ.
Later in the same pâ•suqꞋ, one can see from the meaning of ÇÇøåÌçÇ why the phrase "øåÌçÇ àÂìÉäÄéí" is variously translated as wind, spirit or presence—and how much can be missed, or misconceived, in a translation.
1.6— Let there be øÈ÷ÄéòÇ; a äÇáÀãÌÈìÈä between the waters of the seas and the waters of the cloud canopy.
2.6— There was no rain until the rains of the Ma•bulꞋ in the days of NoꞋakh. Until then there was such a heavy mist and thick cloud cover above the øÈ÷ÄéòÇ that humans never saw the sun nor blue sky until NoꞋakh and his family. This may suggest that the earliest tradition originates from an area with a climate like "England on steroids" that was, probably with unusual exception, almost continuously overcast until it experienced a monumental flood that permanently changed the weather patterns of the area. It would also explain why no rainbow had been seen there in memory prior to the time of NoꞋakh.
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5.18.3 of the Oral Law 5.18.4 of