Sukkah 47 - Pezer Keshev

There are seven days in the Holiday of Sukkot, and day number eight is also a Holiday, called "The eighth day," or Shemini Atzeret. There are many reasons why the eighth day continues the first seven. There are also many reasons why it doesn't.

The conclusion, however, is that the eighth day is an independent Holiday, for six reasons, abbreviated as "Pezer Keshev."

P (payis) - lottery. During the previous seven days, the priests had a rotation system to allow every priest to bring a bull sacrifice - because the sacrifices were numerous. On day number eight, they would return to drawing lots for the right to perform the sacrifice.

Z (zman) - time. A new time blessing, "Thank you for allowing us to live to this time," was said.

R (regel) - festival. It is a different festival when one does not dwell in a sukkah.

K (korban) - sacrifice. The sacrifices for this day were different from Sukkot and fewer in number.

Sh (shirah) - song. The Levites sang a different song.

V (brachah) - blessing. The Holiday is mentioned by a different name in the prayers. Some say this refers to a special blessing for the king that the people said to commemorate King Solomon, whom the people blessed on the eighth day of the First Temple.

Art: The Queen of Sheba Meeting with Solomon by Piero della Francesca