322. This One’s For You: The obligation to bring an additional sacrifice on Shemini Atzeres

Like the other holidays, Shemini Atzeres has its own special offering, commanded here and explained in detail in parshas Pinchas (Numbers chapter 29).We mentioned in Mitzvah #320 that the 70 bulls offered over the seven days of Succos correspond to the nations of the world for whom they are offered. A single bull is offered on Shemini Atzeres, corresponding to Israel. The Talmud in Succah (55b) compares this situation to a king who throws a huge party and invites all of his subjects. At the end of it, he invites his dearest friend to a small, intimate dinner.

As with other musaf sacrifices, its purpose is to show us how important the day truly is. In the absence of the Temple, we say the special Musaf prayer corresponding to this offering.

This mitzvah applied in Temple times. It is incumbent upon the entire community but it was carried out by the kohanim. It is discussed in the Talmud in tractate Succah on pages 48a and 55b, and is codified in the Mishneh Torah in the tenth chapter of Hilchos Tamidin. This mitzvah is #51 of the 248 positive mitzvos in the Rambam’s Sefer HaMitzvos.