Succoth lasts seven days, the last five days being half Holy-days, חול המועד. The seventh day is called Hoshaana-rabba, because on that day many prayers beginning with hoshaana are offered up, during the [[398]]chanting of which seven processions round the Synagogue are made.[97]
The Feast of Tabernacles is closely followed by “the feast of the eighth day,” שמיני עצרת,[98] which, like all other Festivals, is kept two days. The second day is, in addition, called “Rejoicing of the Law,” שמחת תורה [[399]]because on this day the reading of the Pentateuch is completed and recommenced.
The nine days of the Festival are called זמן שמחתנו “The season of our rejoicing,” and it is the third principle of our faith, the belief in Divine Providence, that this Festival impresses on our hearts. On the one hand, we have the rejoicing and the four species of plants as proofs and tokens of Divine blessing; and, on the other hand, the succah is a symbol of human frailties and imperfections. Thus, in all our rejoicings we should remember that our abode on earth is not permanent, and that all earthly happiness is like the plants that easily fade away. In order to impress this idea on our mind, we read the book of Koheleth on Sabbath chol-ha-moëd or on Shemini-atsereth.
The following portions are read from the Pentateuch: Lev. xxii. 26 to xxiii. 44[99] (on the first two days); Exod. xxxiii. 12 to xxxiv. 26 (on Sabbath chol-ha-moëd); Deut. xiv. 22 to xvi. 7 (on the eighth day); Deut. xxxiii. to end of Pentateuch; and Gen. i. 1 to ii. 3 (on Simchath Torah). In addition, the paragraph of the sacrifices of the day (Num. xxix. 12–39) is read [[400]]from a second sefer. The Lessons for chol-ha-moëd are taken from the same passage.
The Lessons from the Prophets are the following: Zech. xiv., prophecy on the future of Israel and on the punishment of those who would not come to Jerusalem to celebrate there the Succoth Festival; 1 Kings viii. 2–21, on the opening of the new Temple; on Sabbath chol-ha-moëd, Ez. xxxviii. 18 to xxxix. 16, on the war with Gog; 1 Kings viii. 22–66, prayer of Solomon on the eighth day of the services for the consecration of the Temple; Jos. i., accession of Joshua to the leadership of Israel.
Solemn Days, ימים נוראים
By ימים נוראים “solemn days,” we understand the first ten days of the month Tishri, especially their beginning and their end: ראש השנה, “New-year,” and יום כפור “the Day of Atonement.”[100]
It is customary to prepare for the “solemn days” during the month of Elul, by additional prayers, called סליחות “forgiveness,” after or before the Daily Service, and by blowing the shofar at the close of the [[401]]Daily Service.[101] According to the Portuguese Ritual, the Selichoth begin on the 1st of Elul, and are continued [[402]]morning and evening till the Day of Atonement. The German Ritual has Selichoth only in the Morning Service; they begin on the Sunday before New-year, and if the Festival is on Monday or Tuesday, on the second Sunday before, and end on the Day of Atonement. The blowing of the shofar takes place in the German Synagogues during the month of Elul, in the Portuguese this custom is not practiced.