Simchat Torah
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (October 2017) |
Simchat Torah | |
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melakha (work) is prohibited | |
Date | 22nd (outside of Israel 23rd) day of Tishrei |
2023 date | Sunset, 6 October – nightfall, 7 October (8 October outside of Israel) |
2024 date | Sunset, 23 October – nightfall, 24 October (25 October outside of Israel) |
2025 date | Sunset, 13 October – nightfall, 14 October (15 October outside of Israel) |
2026 date | Sunset, 2 October – nightfall, 3 October (4 October outside of Israel) |
Related to | Culmination of Sukkot (Tabernacles) |
Simchat Torah (שִׂמְחַת תּוֹרָה, lit., "Torah celebration",
The main celebrations of Simchat Torah take place in the
The morning service is also uniquely characterized by the calling up of each member of the congregation for an aliyah. There is also a special aliyah for all the children.
Duration of holiday
On the Hebrew calendar, the seven-day holiday of Sukkot in the autumn (late mid-September to late mid-October) is immediately followed by the holiday of Shemini Atzeret. In Orthodox and Conservative communities outside Israel, Shemini Atzeret is a two-day holiday and the Simchat Torah festivities are observed on the second day. The first day is referred to as "Shemini Atzeret" and the second day as "Simchat Torah", although both days are officially Shemini Atzeret according to Halakha, and this is reflected in the liturgy. Many Hasidic communities have Hakafot on the eve of the first day of Shemini Atzeret as well.
In Israel, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are celebrated on the same day. Reform congregations, even outside Israel, may do likewise. Many communities in Israel have Hakafot Shniyot ("Second Hakafot") on the evening following the holiday, which is the same day as Simchat Torah evening in the diaspora. The custom was started by the former Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv, Rabbi Yedidya Frankel.[1]
Evening festivities
The Simchat Torah festivities begin with the evening service. All the synagogue's Torah scrolls are removed from the
In
In Orthodox synagogues, men and boys predominate in the dancing; children (even young girls) may also dance with their fathers. Women and older girls often have their own dancing circles (sometimes with the Torah scrolls), or look on from the other side of a mechitza (partition), in accordance with the value of tzniut (modesty). In Conservative and
After the hakafot, many congregations recite a portion of the last
Morning festivities
The morning service, like that of other Jewish holidays, includes a special holiday Amidah, the saying of Hallel, and a holiday Mussaf service. When the ark is opened to take out the Torah for the Torah reading, all the scrolls are again removed from the ark and the congregation again starts the seven hakafot just like in the evening.
Early priestly blessing
In most Eastern Ashkenazic communities, one deviation from an otherwise ordinary holiday morning service is the performance of the Priestly Blessing as part of the Shacharit service, before the celebrations connected with the Torah reading begin, rather than as part of the Musaf service that follows.[2] This practice hearkens back to an old custom for the kiddush sponsored by the Hatan Torah (see below) to be held during the Simchat Torah service itself where hard liquor (along with other refreshments) may be served. Since the Bible prohibits Kohanim (descendants of Aaron) from performing the priestly blessing while intoxicated, and there is concern that Kohanim may imbibe alcoholic beverages during the Simchat Torah festivities, the blessing was moved to before the time when alcohol would be served.[3] In some congregations, the Kohanim deliver their blessing as usual during the Musaf service of Simchat Torah. In some Western Ashkenazic communities, as well as in many communities in Israel, the Kohanim deliver their blessing at both Shacharit and Musaf services, as is done on every Festival.
Torah reading and customs
After the hakafot and the dancing, three scrolls of the Torah are read. The last parashah of the Torah, V'Zot HaBerakhah, at the end of Deuteronomy (33:1–34:12), is read from the first scroll, followed immediately by the first chapter (and part of the second) of the Book of Genesis (1:1–2:3), which is read from the second scroll. It is a Jewish custom that a new beginning must immediately follow a completion, therefore it is logical to immediately read Gen. 1 after finishing Deuteronomy.
It is a special honor to receive the last aliyah of the Book of Deuteronomy; the person receiving that aliyah is called the Hatan Torah (Torah Groom). Originally Hotem Torah (Torah Completer), the term shifted in the medieval period and now signifies a titled honoree. By extension of this shift, the person who is called to begin Genesis is known as the Hatan Bereishit (Genesis Groom) and, in synagogues that allow women to receive an aliyah, the honorees are known as Kallat Torah (Torah Bride) and Kallat Bereishit (Genesis Bride). According to historical custom, still practiced in many congregations, these "grooms" are wealthy patrons of the synagogue who recognize the honor with special largesse; Modern Orthodox congregations generally choose Torah scholars instead.
In many congregations it is customary to call all eligible members of the congregation for an
Another custom is to call all the children (in Orthodox congregations boys only) to a special aliyah called Kol HaNe'arim ("all the children"). In many congregations, a large
- May the angel who redeems me from all evil bless the children, and may my name be declared among them, and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they teem like fish for multitude within the land.
Although the blessing of the children is omitted from the 1985 edition of Conservative Judaism's Siddur Sim Shalom prayer book, it was reinstated in later versions. Most Conservative congregations still perform it.
After the portion of Genesis is read, the
History
The name Simhat Torah was not used until a relatively late time. In the Talmud (Meg. 31b) it is called Shemini Atzeret.
Celebration and dancing
Modern customs of celebration and dancing arose in the early Rishonic period. Isaac ibn Ghiyyat (1030–1089) writes in his Me'ah She'arim that he asked Hayy ben Sherira "about those whose wont is to remove the sefer torah from its ark at the close of the holiday, and [Hayy] responded that this is not our practice ... but that local customs should not change." Joseph Colon Trabotto adds in his Responsa that in his edition (ours is lacunose) Ghiyyat added that Hayy had also written "Our habit is to dance [on the day after Sh'mini Atzeret] specifically, even many of the elders, when they make eulogies of the torah, and this is permitted because it glorifies the torah", a ruling affirmed by Moses Isserles (Darkhei Moshe). This places the custom of removing the scrolls from the ark and dancing in some locales into the 11th century. Abraham ben Isaac of Narbonne (1080–1158) writes in haEshkol that "this teaches that we make a feast to complete the torah, therefore we make great feasts and ample delicacies on the day of Simchat Torah, to honor the torah's completion". Abraham ben Nathan (12th century) writes in haManhig that "the French rite is ... they make large celebrations, the entire community in the homes of the honorees, because it is the Simchat Torah." Zedekiah ben Abraham Anaw (13th century) writes in Shibbolei haLeqet that "It is called Simchat Torah ... the custom is for the Chatan Torah to make a feast and to distribute sweets and candies".
Readings
In the 9th century, some European Jewish communities assigned a special reading from the Prophets to be read on this day. In the 13th century, the reading of Genesis was added immediately upon the completion of Deuteronomy and the Shulhan Arukh (written about 1565)[4] only mentions this without mentioning the presumably later custom of southern European countries to remove all the Torah scrolls from the ark and to sing a separate hymn for each one. In northern European countries, those who had finished the reading of Deuteronomy made donations to the synagogue, after which the wealthier members of the community would give a dinner for friends and acquaintances.[citation needed] By the end of the 15th century, it was a common though not universal practice for the children to tear down and burn the sukkahs on Simchat Torah.[5]
In the 16th century, the practice of taking out the scrolls and filing solemnly around the bimah on the night of the 23rd of Tishri became customary; and on the same evening, after the procession, a number of passages from the Torah were read.[citation needed]
In the 17th century, Rebecca bat Meir Tiktiner of Prague composed a poem about Simchat Torah.[citation needed]
In Poland it was the custom to sell to the members of the congregation, on the 23rd of Tishri, the privilege of executing various functions during the services on Shabbat and Jewish festivals; i.e. the synagogue used this occasion as a fund-raiser. People who made these donations were called up to the Torah and given a congregational blessing.[citation needed]
Symbolism
"Feet" of the Torah
In
Symbol of Jewish identity
In the 20th century, Simhat Torah came to symbolize the public assertion of Jewish identity.
Rejoicing under adversity
2023 Hamas attack
On October 07, 2023, 06:29, the morning of Simchat Torah,
Commemoration
In 1996, the Israel Postal Authority issued a postage stamp to honor the holiday.[11]
See also
- Jewish holidays 2000–2050
References
- ^ Sylvetsky, R.; Kempinski, Yoni (October 22, 2011). "Video: Second Round – Post Sukkot Hakafot in Urban Israel". Arutz Sheva.
- ^ Sefer Haminhagim or Rabbi Isaac Tirna.
- ^ SIMCHAT TORAH, Chabura-Net
- ^ OC אורח חיים תרסט see Mishnah Berurah volume 6 page 272
- ^ Maharil, cited in OC Darchei Moshe 669:3)
- ^ Metzger, Alter B. Chasidic Perspectives: A Festival Anthology. Kehot Publication Society. 2002. Pages 120–121.
- ^ Zenner, Walter P. Persistence and Flexibility: Anthropological Perspectives on the American Jewish Experience. SUNY Press, 1988. p.85
- ^ "Soviet Jewry". Soviet Jewry. 1973-10-14. Retrieved 2013-09-25.
- ^ Elie Wiesel, “On Man's Prayer,” Rabbi Joseph H. Lookstein Memorial Volume, ed. Leo Landman (KTAV Publishing House, 1980): 366.
- ^ Williams, Dan (2023-10-07). "How the Hamas attack on Israel unfolded". Reuters. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
- ^ "Simchat Torah stamp". English.israelphilately.org.il. Archived from the original on July 8, 2012. Retrieved 2013-09-25.
Bibliography
- Goodman, Philip. Sukkot and Simchat Torah Anthology JPS, 1988. ISBN 0-8276-0010-0
- Yaari, A. Toldot Hag Simchat Torah. Jerusalem: Mosad Harav Kook, 1964.
- Zinberg, Israel. Old Yiddish Literature from Its Origins to the Haskalah Period KTAV, 1975. ISBN 0-87068-465-5. On Rebecca batMeir Tikitiner's Simchat Torah poem, see p. 51ff.