As Jews, we don't commemorate events based on the date in the secular calendar. Birthdays and Yartzheits, significant events and Festivals, both joyous and sad, are observed according to the Jewish date. We have our own Land, our own language and we have our own calendar. But aside from expressing our unique identity and pride as a nation, distinct from those around us, the Jewish dates also have Divine significance and meaning. One of our fundamental beliefs is Hasgacha Protit, that everything that happens, including when it happens, whether we understand it or not, is not coincidental. The war that broke out on October 6, 1973 is known by Jews as the Yom Kippur War. Only our enemies, the invading Arab nations, refer to it as the October war. In our collective memory, we forever bind the outbreak of the war, the tragic loss of so many lives and our ultimate triumph, with the holiest Day of our year. The October 7th attack took place on Shemini Atzeret. In the Land of Israel, where only 1 day of Yomtov is observed, this day is also the celebration of Simchat Torah. As Jews, the anniversary of the massacre will always be Shemini Atzeret. In the fact that this horrific attack took place on Simchat Torah, Hashem is sending us an important message. We need to learn from the inner significance of this day, because in it lies the key to the resilience of our people, the path to victory over our enemies and the key to a brighter future. Shemini Atzeret is the festival of Achdut, the unity of the Jewish people. There is a well-known Midrash that explains the reason for the Festival and its name Atzeret. The Midrash presents a parable of a king, whose children come from near and far to celebrate with him. At the end of the celebration, before they each head off on their own ways, he asks them to stay with him for one more day, saying, קשה עלי פרידתכם, "our parting is difficult". On Sukkos, Jews from all over the world would be Oleh L'regel. Fom near and far, Hashem’s children would travel to Yerushalaim and the Beit Hamikdash, to spend the Yomtov in the presence of the King of kings. Before taking leave, Hashem asks us to stay back (Atzeret) and celebrate with Him for one more day, because ,קשה עלי פרידתכם, "our parting is difficult". The Baalei Mussar and Chassidus point out that the Midrash does not say פרידתנו, - "our separation". Rather, the Midrash says פרידתכם, meaning "your separation". Hashem’s pain comes from the divisiveness and separation between His children, the Jewish people. The implication of the Midrash, is that the additional day of Shemini Atzeret is the solution to this divisiveness that ensures that even as we each go off on our own, we will remain united. The festival of Sukkos is itself a celebration of Jewish unity. The four species of the Lulav and Etrog represent the full spectrum of our people in the advance of Torah observance, from the Etrog that represents a complete service of Torah study and Mitzvot, to the Arava that reflects those who are lacking both. Yet the Mitzvah can only be fulfilled by bringing them together באגודה אחת, in one bundle. Why is this not sufficient to hold us together when the festival ends? And how does one additional day of celebration ensure a unity that will last? The unity of Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret are fundamentally different. Whilst we bring the four species together to fulfill the Mitzvah, they remain essentially distinct from one another. This represents a unity where our divisions are put aside or superseded for a common objective. But the distinctions are still present and recogniseable. When the common pursuit that holds us together comes to an end, the can once again come to the fore and become a source of division and separation. Shemini Atzeret reveals the essential oneness of the Jewish people. This oneness comes from the essence of our souls, that lies deeper than the external things that may divide us. We may be different and separated in our level of observance of Torah and Mitzvos as represented by the Arba Minim, but at our core, we are completely united and inextricably bound together. This unity is always there, but it becomes hidden as we focus on the external layers and qualities that highlight our divisions. On Shemini Atzeret, our essential unity is revealed. Since this unity is not based on any reason, it does not go away. This is why the celebration of the Torah is through dancing. Were we to celebrate through learning Torah, this would once again emphasise our distinctions and differences. But everyone can dance. In the months leading up to Shemini Atzeret 5784, there were deep divides and rifts plaguing the Jews in Eretz Yisroel. For more than half a year we saw protests that pitted the different segments of society against one another. We heard hateful rhetoric and slander and even saw acts of violence between fellow Jews. This culminated in the tragic and shameful events that took place in Tel Aviv on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year. In addition to physically weakening the nation and its governance, our internal divisions weakened the nation spiritually. The Hamas terrorists themselves said that the internal divisions and discord within Israeli society emboldened them in carrying out their horrendous attack. But the tragic attack awakened an incredible, unprecedented spirit of unity and brotherly love. The protests were called off and the nation came together, uniting the full spectrum that makes up our people. Jews in Israel and around the world rallied as one behind the army, the victims and the captives. We witnessed a tremendous outpouring of Chessed and saw unity gatherings of prayer and solidarity around the world. Tragically our memoriesare short and after the initial months of unity, we are now seeing the evil of division, discord and incitement emerge once more. Instead of uniting against our enemies, we are turning against one another. In Tehillim, king David says מאויבי תחכמני. Literally this means "make me wiser than my enemies." However, it can also mean "make me wise from my enemies", suggesting that we can learn from our enemies. What could we possibly learn from Hamas? From Hamas we learn that a Jew is a Jew. When Hamas attacked the revellers at the Nova festival, they slaughtered them because they were Jews. It made no difference to the terrorists that they were participating at a dance party on Yomtov. It made no difference how their victims were dressed or the tattoos on their bodies or their personal lifestyles. In their eyes, the Jews they killed while dancing at the Nova festival, were the same as the Jews who were murdered in a Shul in Har Nof, while praying in their Tallit and Tefillin. Our enemies do not distinguish and divide Jews as being an Etrog, Lulav, Hadas or Arava. We do. Our enemies to not get caught up in the external differences that separate us. We do. Unlike the secular date of October 7, marking the anniversary of the massacre on Shemini Atzeret calls on us to introspect as a people and as individuals. It is easy to come together when facing a common enemy and existential threat. Ironically like the Lulav and Etrog, we come together when we are shaken as we were last year. But unless we change how we truly see and value one another, unless we internalise the message of Shemini Atzeret, this unity cannot last. As we approach the first anniversary, let us mark this holy day and the memory of the Kedoshim with a firm resolve to strengthen our Achdut and Ahavat Yisroel, to see every Jew as their inner essence and to love them and relate to them accordingly. Looking beyond which "specie" we may present as externally, let us go hand-in-hand not only as we fight, but as we dance to a brighter future of peace and security. This is the greatest way that we can honour the memory of the victims and of the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for our Land and for our people, without distinction. Our unity is our greatest strength and is the key to Hashem’s blessings. With this strength we will triumph over all of our enemies, see the return of our hostages and bring about the Redemption when will all return back to our Father's home, never to be divided again.
