[Avodah] Shmini Atzeret - why Sukkah YES and Lulav NO?

[kennethgmiller at juno.com]

R' Richard Wolpoe asked:
> Why do we sit in the Sukkah in the Golah on Sukkot but do
> not take the Lulav etc. on Shmini Atzeret? This question
> has bothered me since I was a kid

This question never bothered me. I do see many many people who are bothered by it, and I can't figure out why the following explanation isn't simple enough:

Shmini Atzeres in chu"l is safek Chol Hamoed. Sukkah is d'Oraisa on Chol HaMoed, so we go safek l'chumra on Shmini Atzeres. Keep in mind that on Shmini Ateres, we only go to the Sukkah for things which are chiyuvim on Chol Hamoed, i.e., seudas keva (which includes large mezonos snacks).

Activities which are technically optional on Chol Hamoed, we have no need to bother with on Shmini. We do not go to the sukkah on Shmini for small snacks or to learn or shmooze. No one (AFAIK) sleeps in the Sukkah on Shmini. Safek Brachos L'Kula too, so even for a seudas keva, no one says Leshev on Shmini.

Lulav, on the other hand, is already D'Rabanan on Chol Hamoed. Safek D'Rabanan L'Kula on Shmini. End of story.

Akiva Miller