Editing Shemini Atzeret (section)

===Carryover of Sukkot observances outside the Land of Israel===
{{main|Sukkot}}
[[File:Sukot in chabad of hong kong.JPG|right|thumb|Sukkot celebration]] 
In Israel—and for different reasons in Reform and Reconstructionist Judaism—none of the unique observances of Sukkot (''sukkah'', ''lulav'' and ''etrog'') carry over to Shemini Atzeret. 
Shemini Atzeret is a holiday in its own right, without ''sukkah'', ''lulav'' and ''etrog''. At the same time, by the rabbinic decree to add one day to all holidays outside the Land of Israel,<ref name="Egg"/> both Passover and Sukkot, although described in the Torah as seven-day holidays, are observed outside the Land of Israel for eight days. Accordingly, the "eighth day of Sukkot" outside Israel coincides with the separate holiday of Shemini Atzeret.

Psalm 27, which is recited in most communities twice daily starting at the beginning of [[Elul]], continues to be recited on Shemini Atzeret outside the Land of Israel.{{sfn|Sacks|2009}} When Shemini Atzeret falls on the Shabbat, the Scroll of [[Ecclesiastes]], or Kohelet ({{lang|he|קהלת}}, otherwise read in Ashkenazi synagogues on the [[Shabbat]] of Sukkot), is read on that day outside the Land of Israel. In the Land of Israel, it would have been read on the first day of Sukkot, which would also have been on Shabbat. The Torah reading (Deuteronomy 14:22–16:17) is the same as on the Final Day of Passover and Second Day of [[Shavuot]]. However, in the Eastern Ashkenazic rite, unlike Passover and Shavuot, the longer version of the Torah reading is included on Shemini Atzeret even when the day does not fall on the Shabbat because the reading refers to separation of agricultural gifts (like [[tithe#Hebrew Bible|tithes]] and ''[[terumah]]''), which are due at this time of the year; in the Western Ashkenazic rite, as well as in most Sephardic communities, the short reading is read on Shemini Atzeret when it falls on a weekday. The Haftarah describes the people's blessing of King Solomon at the end of the dedication of the First Temple.{{sfn|Cogan|Weiss|2002|p=162}}

====Taking the'' lulav'' and ''etrog'' and sleeping in the ''sukkah''====
The prevalent practice is that one eats in the ''sukkah'' on the eighth day, but without reciting the blessing (''[[berakhah]]'') for sitting in a ''sukkah''.<ref>''Shulchan Aruch,'' ''Orach Chayim'' 668</ref> However, one does not take the ''lulav'' and ''etrog'' (nor does one sleep in the ''sukkah'' according to most opinions) on the eighth day. If someone sees a neighbor on the street with a ''lulav'' and ''etrog'' on the eighth day, the rabbis reason, they might mistakenly assume that it is still the seventh day (''ḥol hamoed''), when the ''lulav'' and ''etrog'' are still needed. They might then violate prohibitions of the ''[[yom tov]]'' of the eighth day. For that reason, the rabbis ruled that one should not take the ''lulav'' and ''etrog'' on the eighth day, even outside the Land of Israel. They are therefore ''[[muktzah]]''; that is, one may not even move them on a holiday where they are not needed.<ref name="Kol Torah">{{cite journal|last=Jachter|first=Rabbi Howard|title=Lulav and Sukkah on Shemini Atzeret|journal=Kol Torah|date=September 29, 2001|volume=11|issue=4|url=https://www.koltorah.org/halachah/lulav-and-sukkah-on-shemini-atzeret-by-rabbi-chaim-jachter|access-date=July 19, 2013|archive-date=July 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719203450/https://www.koltorah.org/halachah/lulav-and-sukkah-on-shemini-atzeret-by-rabbi-chaim-jachter|url-status=live}}</ref>  Sleeping in the ''sukkah'' brings a similar discussion. Additionally, most people would prefer to sleep indoors at this point in the year due to the weather, so sleeping in the ''sukkah'' may impinge on one's own joy during the festival. This is why many rabbis ruled that one does not sleep in the ''sukkah'' on Shemini Atzeret, even outside the Land of Israel.<ref name="Kol Torah" /> Other rabbis, such as the [[Vilna Gaon]], ruled that one should sleep in the ''sukkah'' on Shemini Atzeret outside the Land of Israel.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Kagan|first1=Yisrael M.|author1-link=Yisrael Meir Kagan|title=Mishnah Berurah|at=668:6|url=http://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=49628&st=&pgnum=270|access-date=December 22, 2013|language=he|archive-date=December 24, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224112227/http://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=49628&st=&pgnum=270|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Eating in the ''sukkah''====
Eating in the ''sukkah'' does not cause a parallel problem because many people simply enjoy eating outdoors in the shade of a ''sukkah''. Hence, seeing someone eating in a ''sukkah'' does not ''per se'' lead one to assume it is still ''ḥol hamoed''. Likewise, eating in the ''sukkah'' does not ''per se'' impinge on one's own celebration of Shemini Atzeret. Therefore, the prevalent practice is to eat in the ''sukkah'' on Shemini Azeret outside the Land of Israel, but not to recite the ''berakhah'' for sitting in a ''sukkah'', as reciting it would "impinge" on the unique status of Shemini Atzeret.<ref name="Kol Torah" />

There are, however, those who have different ''[[minhag]]im'' (customs). Many [[Hasidic]] groups have a tradition to recite the morning ''[[kiddush]]'' and then have refreshments (such as cake) in the ''sukkah'', but to eat both the evening and morning main meals inside, notwithstanding the Talmudic ruling to the contrary. Others eat the evening meal of Shemini Atzeret indoors but the day meal in the ''sukkah''. Each of these approaches addresses aspects of the dual nature of Shemini Atzeret.<ref name="Kol Torah" />