Simchat Torah
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Simchat Torah | ||
| Holiday of: | Judaism and Jews | |
| Name: | Hebrew: שמחת תורה | |
| Translation: | "Rejoicing with/of the Torah" | |
| Begins: | 23rd (in Israel 22nd) day of Tishrei | |
| Ends: | 23rd (in Israel 22nd) day of Tishrei | |
| Occasion: | The culmination of Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret. Final portion from Deuteronomy is read in synagogue. Everyone called to the Torah reading. Conclusion of the annual Torah reading cycle.</br> Rejoicing with the Torah.</br> | |
| Symbols: | Dancing in Synagogue as all the Torah scrolls are carried around in a circle seven times. | |
| Related to: | Culmination of Sukkot (Tabernacles) | |
Simchat Torah (שמחת תורה) is a Hebrew term which means "rejoicing with/of the Torah". It is a festivity that takes place on the Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret, or Eighth (day) of Assembly, which falls immediately after the 7-day holiday of Sukkot in the autumn (mid- to late-October).
In Israel and among Reform Jews, Shemini Atzeret is one day long and the festivities and customs associated with Simchat Torah are celebrated on that day. Outside Israel (the Diaspora), Shemini Atzeret is two days long, with the Simchat Torah festivities observed on the second day. The first day is sometimes referred to as Shemini Atzeret and the second day as Simchat Torah, though both days are officially Shemini Atzeret according to halacha, and this is reflected in the liturgy.
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Evening festivities
Simchat Torah festivities begin with the evening service. The synagogue's Torah scrolls are removed from the ark and carried around the sanctuary in a series of seven hakafot (circuits). Although each hakafah need only encompass one circuit around the synagogue, the dancing and singing with the Torah often continues much longer, and may overflow from the synagogue onto the streets.
In Orthodox Jewish synagogues, each circuit is announced by a series of verses followed by a short niggun, after which all the participants shout, "Moshe emet u'Torato emet!" ("Moses is true and his Torah is true!") while jumping up and down. This custom, which is especially enjoyed by the children in attendance, recalls the same words that were uttered by the sons of Korach after the earth opened up and swallowed them and their possessions, according to the Midrash. While Korach and his wife, who instigated the rebellion against Moses' leadership of the ancient Israelites in the desert, were lost, Korach's sons repented and were elevated up from the earth's bowels back to the surface, uttering this verse. The verse is especially appropriate to Simchat Torah, when Jews celebrate the veracity of the Torah.
In many synagogues, youngsters are often given flags to wave during the dancing; these recall the flags that identified each of the 12 tribes of Israelites that camped together in the desert. Sometimes a red apple is stuck to the top of the flagpole as a sweet treat for the child; other times chocolates or candies are distributed.
Also during the evening service, the last Parsha of the Torah, V'Zot HaBerachah (This is the Blessing...) Deuteronomy 33:1-34:12, is read, except for the very last section. (This Torah reading ceremony is not part of the evening service on any other occasion in Orthodox and Conservative practice).
Morning festivities
The morning service includes all the special holiday prayers and the seven hakafot (circuits). V'Zot HaBerachah is read in its entirety, followed by the first chapter (and part of the second) of Genesis and then the customary Torah section describing the prescribed sacrifices for the holiday. Another deviation from the standard practice of Torah reading finds all the men and boys over the age of bar mitzvah called up for an aliyah to the Torah in Orthodox synagogues. (Women are also called up for a Torah reading in Conservative synagogues.) Afterwards, all the children under the age of bar mitzvah are called up for their own aliyah, which is known as "Kol HaNa'arim" (all the children). The children cluster around the reader's stand while men hold a tallit over them to include everyone in the aliyah. It is a special honor to be called to the Torah for the final reading from the Torah, or for the first reading from Genesis.
The prophetic reading is the first section of the Book of Joshua.
Both the evening and morning services on Simchat Torah are unconventionally joyous, and humorous deviations from the standard service are allowed, and even expected. The following Shabbat, Jews start reading the Torah again from the beginning of Genesis.
Origin
The name Simchat Torah was not used until a relatively late time. In the Talmud (Meg. 31a) it is called simply the second day of Shemini Atzeret. The name "Simchat Torah" came into use after the introduction of the one-year cycle for the reading of the Law (date?), and was due to the fact that the reading was finished on this day.
In the ninth century some European Jewish communities assigned a special reading from the Prophets to be read on this day. In the fourteenth century the reading of Genesis was begun immediately upon the completion of Deuteronomy. In southern European countries it then became a general practice to take out all the Torah scrolls from the ark, and to sing a separate hymn for each scroll. In northern European countries it became customary for those who had finished the reading of Deuteronomy to make donations to the synagogue, after which the wealthier members of the community would give a dinner for friends and acquaintances. By the end of the fifteenth century it was usual, though not a universal practice, for the children to tear down and burn the Sukkot booths on Simchat Torah (Joseph Colon, Responsa, No. 26); and shortly afterward many Rabbis permitted dancing in the synagogue at this festival (ib.).
In the sixteenth century the practice of taking out the scrolls and of filing solemnly around the almemar on the night of the 22d of Tishri became customary; and on the same evening, after the procession, a number of passages from the Torah were read.
In Poland it was the custom to sell to the members of the congregation, on the 22d of Tishri, the privilege of executing various functions during the services on Sabbaths and at festivals; i.e. the synagogue used this occasion as a fundraiser. People who made these donations were called up to the Torah and given a congregational blessing.
It became a custom for every male member of the congregation to read from the Torah, the passage Deut. 32:1-29 being repeated as many times as was necessary for this purpose. Today this practice is still followed in Orthodox synagogues; Conservative synagogues adapt this practice by also including women. One person is given the privilege of completing the reading of the Law with Deut. 34:1-12l; he receives the name of Chatan Torah (bridegroom of the Torah). After him comes the member who recommences the reading of the Torah with Gen. 1. He is called the Chatan Bereshit (bridegroom of Genesis).
See also
| Jewish holidays |
| Shabbat | Rosh Hashanah | Fast of Gedalia | Yom Kippur | Sukkot, Hoshanah rabbah and Shmini Atzeret | Simchat Torah | Hanukkah | Tenth of Tevet | Tu Bishvat | Fast of Esther & Purim | Fast of the firstborn | Pesach (Passover) | Counting of the Omer & Lag B'Omer | Shavuot | 17th of Tammuz, The three weeks & The Nine Days | Tisha B'Av | Tu B'Av |
| National holidays of Israel |
| Yom HaShoah | Yom HaZikaron | Yom Ha'atzma'ut | Yom Yerushalayim |
