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Simchat Torah (;
Ashkenazi Ashkenazi Jews ( ; also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim) form a distinct subgroup of the Jewish diaspora, that Ethnogenesis, emerged in the Holy Roman Empire around the end of the first millennium Common era, CE. They traditionally spe ...
: ), also spelled Simhat Torah, is a Jewish holiday that celebrates and marks the conclusion of the annual cycle of public
Torah reading Torah reading (; ') is a Jewish religious tradition that involves the public reading of a set of passages from a Torah scroll. The term often refers to the entire ceremony of removing the scroll (or scrolls) from the Torah ark, chanting the ap ...
s, and the beginning of a new cycle. Simchat Torah is a component of the
Biblical The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) biblical languages ...
Jewish holiday Jewish holidays, also known as Jewish festivals or ''Yamim Tovim'' (, or singular , in transliterated Hebrew []), are holidays observed by Jews throughout the Hebrew calendar.This article focuses on practices of mainstream Rabbinic Judaism. ...
of ''
Shemini Atzeret Shemini Atzeret (—"Eighth ayof Assembly") is a Jewish holidays, Jewish holiday. It is celebrated on the 22nd day of the Hebrew calendar, Hebrew month of Tishrei, usually coinciding with late September or early October. It directly follows ...
'' ("Eighth Day of Assembly"), which follows immediately after the festival of
Sukkot Sukkot, also known as the Feast of Tabernacles or Feast of Booths, is a Torah-commanded Jewish holiday celebrated for seven days, beginning on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei. It is one of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals on which Israelite ...
in the month of
Tishrei Tishrei () or Tishri (; ''tīšrē'' or ''tīšrī''; from Akkadian ''tašrītu'' "beginning", from ''šurrû'' "to begin") is the first month of the civil year (which starts on 1 Tishrei) and the seventh month of the ecclesiastical year (wh ...
(occurring in September or October on the
Gregorian calendar The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It went into effect in October 1582 following the papal bull issued by Pope Gregory XIII, which introduced it as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian cale ...
). Simchat Torah's main celebrations occur in the
synagogue A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...
during evening and morning services. In many Orthodox as well as many
Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
congregations, this is the only time of year on which the
Torah scrolls A Sephardic Torah scroll rolled to the first paragraph of the Shema An Ashkenazi Torah scroll rolled to the Decalogue file:Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue, Interior, Tora Cases.jpg">Torah cases at Knesset Eliyahoo Synagogue, Mumbai, India ...
are taken out of the ark and read at ''night''. In the morning, the last ''
parashah The term ''parashah'', ''parasha'' or ''parashat'' ( ''Pārāšâ'', "portion", Tiberian Hebrew, Tiberian , Sephardi Hebrew, Sephardi , plural: ''parashot'' or ''parashiyot'', also called ''parsha'') formally means a section of a biblical book ...
'' of
Deuteronomy Deuteronomy (; ) is the fifth book of the Torah (in Judaism), where it is called () which makes it the fifth book of the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament. Chapters 1–30 of the book consist of three sermons or speeches delivered to ...
and the first ''parashah'' of
Genesis Genesis may refer to: Religion * Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of humankind * Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Bo ...
are read in the synagogue. On each occasion, when the ark is opened, the worshippers leave their seats to dance and sing with the Torah scrolls in a joyous celebration that lasts several hours. The morning service is also uniquely characterized by each member of the congregation being called up for an ''
aliyah ''Aliyah'' (, ; ''ʿălīyyā'', ) is the immigration of Jews from Jewish diaspora, the diaspora to, historically, the geographical Land of Israel or the Palestine (region), Palestine region, which is today chiefly represented by the Israel ...
''. There is also a special ''aliyah'' for children.


Duration of holiday

On the
Hebrew calendar The Hebrew calendar (), also called the Jewish calendar, is a lunisolar calendar used today for Jewish religious observance and as an official calendar of Israel. It determines the dates of Jewish holidays and other rituals, such as '' yahrze ...
, the seven-day holiday of
Sukkot Sukkot, also known as the Feast of Tabernacles or Feast of Booths, is a Torah-commanded Jewish holiday celebrated for seven days, beginning on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei. It is one of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals on which Israelite ...
in the autumn (late mid-September to late mid-October) is immediately followed by the holiday of
Shemini Atzeret Shemini Atzeret (—"Eighth ayof Assembly") is a Jewish holidays, Jewish holiday. It is celebrated on the 22nd day of the Hebrew calendar, Hebrew month of Tishrei, usually coinciding with late September or early October. It directly follows ...
. In Orthodox and
Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
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 called "Shemini Atzeret", and the second day as "Simchat Torah". However, according to
Halakha ''Halakha'' ( ; , ), also Romanization of Hebrew, transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Judaism, Jewish religious laws that are derived from the Torah, Written and Oral Torah. ''Halakha'' is ...
, both days are officially Shemini Atzeret, reflected in the liturgy. Many
Hasidic Hasidism () or Hasidic Judaism is a religious movement within Judaism that arose in the 18th century as a spiritual revival movement in contemporary Western Ukraine before spreading rapidly throughout Eastern Europe. Today, most of those aff ...
communities have Hakafot on the eve of the first day of Shemini Atzeret. However, in all communities outside Israel, no Hakafot is done on the first morning. In
Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are celebrated on the same day.
Reform Reform refers to the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc. The modern usage of the word emerged in the late 18th century and is believed to have originated from Christopher Wyvill's Association movement, which ...
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.


Evening festivities

The Simchat Torah festivities begin with the evening service. All the synagogue's Torah scrolls are removed from the ark and are carried around the sanctuary in a series of seven ''hakafot'' (circuits). Although each ''hakafa'' needs to encompass only one circuit around the synagogue, the dancing and singing with the Torah often continues much longer and may overflow onto the streets. In Orthodox and
Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
Jewish synagogues, each circuit is announced by a few melodious invocations imploring God to ''Hoshiah Na'' ("Save us") and ending with the refrain, ''Aneinu v'Yom Kor'einu'' (" od answer us on the day we call"). In Orthodox and Conservative synagogues, the ''hakafot'' are accompanied by traditional chants, including biblical and liturgical verses and songs about the
Torah The Torah ( , "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The Torah is also known as the Pentateuch () ...
, the goodness of
God In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...
('' Mipi El'' is an example), Messianic yearnings, and prayers for the restoration of the House of David and of the
Temple in Jerusalem The Temple in Jerusalem, or alternatively the Holy Temple (; , ), refers to the two religious structures that served as the central places of worship for Israelites and Jews on the modern-day Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem. Accord ...
. Congregations may also sing other popular songs during the dancing. Children often receive flags, candies, and other treats. The vigor of the dancing and degree of festive merriment varies with congregational temperament. 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 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 ''Tzniut'' ( , , ; "modesty" or "privacy"; ) describes the character trait of modesty and discretion, as well as a group of Jewish laws pertaining to conduct. The concept is most important within Orthodox Judaism. Description ''Tzniut'' i ...
'' (modesty). In Conservative and Progressive congregations, men and women dance together. In some congregations, the Torah scrolls are carried out into the streets, and the dancing may continue far into the evening. After the ''hakafot'', many congregations recite a portion of the last ''
parashah The term ''parashah'', ''parasha'' or ''parashat'' ( ''Pārāšâ'', "portion", Tiberian Hebrew, Tiberian , Sephardi Hebrew, Sephardi , plural: ''parashot'' or ''parashiyot'', also called ''parsha'') formally means a section of a biblical book ...
'' of the Torah, '' V'Zot HaBerakhah'' ("This is the Blessing ...") in
Deuteronomy Deuteronomy (; ) is the fifth book of the Torah (in Judaism), where it is called () which makes it the fifth book of the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament. Chapters 1–30 of the book consist of three sermons or speeches delivered to ...
. The part read is usually 33:1–34:12, but this may vary by individual synagogue custom, although Deuteronomy is never read to the end of the evening.


Morning festivities

The morning service, like that of other Jewish holidays, includes a special holiday
Amidah The ''Amidah'' (, ''Tefilat HaAmidah'', 'The Standing Prayer'), also called the ''Shemoneh Esreh'' ( 'eighteen'), is the central prayer of Jewish liturgy. Observant Jews recite the ''Amidah'' during each of the three services prayed on week ...
, the saying of
Hallel Hallel (, 'Praise') is a Jewish prayer, a verbatim recitation from Psalms which is recited by observant Jews on Jewish holidays as an act of praise and thanksgiving. Types Full Hallel Full Hallel () consists of all six Psalms of the Hallel, in ...
, and a holiday
Mussaf Mussaf (also spelled Musaf or Musof) is an additional service that is recited on Shabbat, Yom Tov, Chol Hamoed, and Rosh Chodesh. The service, which is traditionally combined with the Shacharit in synagogues, is considered to be additional to t ...
service. When the ark is opened to take out the Torah for the Torah reading, all the scrolls are removed from the ark, and the congregation 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 The Priestly Blessing or priestly benediction (; translit. ''birkat kohanim''), also known in rabbinic literature as raising of the hands (Hebrew ''nesiat kapayim''), rising to the platform (Hebrew ''aliyah ledukhan''), ''dukhenen'' (Yiddish fro ...
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. This practice hearkens back to an old custom for the
kiddush Kiddush (; ), , is a blessing recited over wine or grape juice to sanctify the Shabbat and Jewish holidays. Additionally, the word refers to a small repast held on Shabbat or festival mornings after the prayer services and before the meal. S ...
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 Kohen (, ; , ، Arabic كاهن , Kahen) is the Hebrew word for "priest", used in reference to the Aaronic priesthood, also called Aaronites or Aaronides. They are traditionally believed, and halakhically required, to be of direct patriline ...
(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. In some congregations, the Kohanim deliver their blessing as usual during the Musaf service of Simchat Torah. In some Western Ashkenazic communities and many communities in Israel, the Kohanim deliver their blessing at Shacharit and Musaf services, as at 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 The Torah ( , "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The Torah is also known as the Pentateuch () ...
, 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 The Book of Genesis (from Greek language, Greek ; ; ) is the first book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament. Its Hebrew name is the same as its incipit, first word, (In the beginning (phrase), 'In the beginning'). Genesis purpor ...
(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, reading Gen. 1 immediately after finishing Deuteronomy is logical. It is a special honor to receive the last ''aliyah'' of the
Book of Deuteronomy Deuteronomy (; ) is the fifth book of the Torah (in Judaism), where it is called () which makes it the fifth book of the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament. Chapters 1–30 of the book consist of three sermons or speeches delivered to ...
; the person receiving that aliyah is called the ''Hatan Torah'' (Torah Groom). Initially, ''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 congregation members for an ''
aliyah ''Aliyah'' (, ; ''ʿălīyyā'', ) is the immigration of Jews from Jewish diaspora, the diaspora to, historically, the geographical Land of Israel or the Palestine (region), Palestine region, which is today chiefly represented by the Israel ...
'' to the Torah on Simchat Torah. To accommodate this, the first five ''aliyot'' are reread so that everyone has an opportunity to recite the blessing. To save time, some congregations call people up in groups. Others hold a series of separate ''minyanim'' for the Torah reading. In a minority of Orthodox congregations, women receive ''aliyot'' in single-gender tefillah groups (prayer groups consisting only of women who pray together), and only men are called to the Torah in front of the whole congregation. 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
tallit A tallit, taleth, or tallis is a fringed garment worn as a prayer shawl by religious Jews. The tallit has special twined and knotted fringe (trim), fringes known as ''tzitzit'' attached to its four corners. The cloth part is known as the ''beged ...
is spread out over the heads of all the children as the blessing over the Torah is pronounced. The congregation blesses the children by reciting (in Hebrew) a verse from Jacob's blessing to
Ephraim Ephraim (; , in pausa: ''ʾEp̄rāyīm'') was, according to the Book of Genesis, the second son of Joseph ben Jacob and Asenath, as well as the adopted son of his biological grandfather Jacob, making him the progenitor of the Tribe of Ephrai ...
and
Manasseh Manasseh () is both a given name and a surname. Its variants include Manasses and Manasse. Notable people with the name include: Surname * Ezekiel Saleh Manasseh (died 1944), Singaporean rice and opium merchant and hotelier * Jacob Manasseh ( ...
,
Genesis Genesis may refer to: Religion * Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of humankind * Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Bo ...
48:16. 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 Maftir,
Numbers A number is a mathematical object used to count, measure, and label. The most basic examples are the natural numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and so forth. Numbers can be represented in language with number words. More universally, individual numbers can ...
29:35–30:1, is read from a third Torah scroll. The passage describes the prescribed offerings performed for the holiday. The
haftarah The ''haftara'' or (in Ashkenazi Jews, Ashkenazic pronunciation) ''haftorah'' (alt. ''haftarah, haphtara'', ) "parting," "taking leave" (plural form: ''haftarot'' or ''haftoros''), is a series of selections from the books of ''Nevi'im'' ("Pr ...
(reading from the prophets) is the first section of the
Book of Joshua The Book of Joshua is the sixth book in the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament, and is the first book of the Deuteronomistic history, the story of Israel from the conquest of Canaan to the Babylonian captivity, Babylonian exile. It tells of the ...
.


History

The name ''Simhat Torah'' was not used until relatively recently. In the
Talmud The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of Haskalah#Effects, modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cen ...
( Meg. 31b), it is called
Shemini Atzeret Shemini Atzeret (—"Eighth ayof Assembly") is a Jewish holidays, Jewish holiday. It is celebrated on the 22nd day of the Hebrew calendar, Hebrew month of Tishrei, usually coinciding with late September or early October. It directly follows ...
.


Celebration and dancing

Modern customs of celebration and dancing arose in the early Rishonic period. Isaac ibn Ghayyat (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 ayyresponded 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), ibn Ghayyat added that Hayy had also written, "Our habit is to dance n the day after Sh'mini Atzeretspecifically, 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 Moses Isserles (; ; 22 February 1530 / 25 Adar I 5290 – 11 May 1572 / 18 Iyar 5332), also known by the acronym Rema, was an eminent Polish Ashkenazi rabbi, talmudist, and '' posek'' (expert in Jewish law). He is considered the "Maimonides o ...
(''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

As early as the 9th century, perhaps earlier, some 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 in some communities immediately upon the completion of Deuteronomy, and the
Shulhan Arukh The ''Shulhan Arukh'' ( ),, often called "the Code of Jewish Law", is the most widely consulted of the various legal codes in Rabbinic Judaism. It was authored in the city of Safed in what is now Israel by Joseph Karo in 1563 and published in V ...
(written about 1565) codifies this. There is presumably a 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 donated to the synagogue, after which the wealthier members of the community would give a dinner for friends and acquaintances. By the end of the 15th century, it was a common though not universal practice for the children to tear down and burn the
sukkah A or succah (; ; plural, ' or ' or ', often translated as "booth") is a temporary hut constructed for use during the week-long Jewish festival of Sukkot. It is topped with branches and often well decorated with autumnal, harvest or Judaic ...
s on Simchat Torah. In the 16th century, taking out the scrolls and filing solemnly around the bimah on the night of the 23rd of Tishri became customary. On the same evening, several passages from the Torah were read after the procession. In the 17th century, Rebecca bat Meir Tiktiner of
Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
composed a poem about Simchat Torah. In
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
, 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 to the Torah and given a congregational blessing.


Symbolism


"Feet" of the Torah

In
Chabad Chabad, also known as Lubavitch, Habad and Chabad-Lubavitch (; ; ), is a dynasty in Hasidic Judaism. Belonging to the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) branch of Orthodox Judaism, it is one of the world's best-known Hasidic movements, as well as one of ...
Hasidic Hasidism () or Hasidic Judaism is a religious movement within Judaism that arose in the 18th century as a spiritual revival movement in contemporary Western Ukraine before spreading rapidly throughout Eastern Europe. Today, most of those aff ...
thought, the traditional dancing with the Torah allows the Jew to act as the "feet" of the Torah, taking the Torah where it wishes to go, as feet transport the head. This is considered an act of submission to the will of God as expressed in the dictates of the Torah. It is an act that causes the Jew to inherently and naturally observe the Jewish faith. And just as the head benefits from the mobility of the feet, so does the Torah become exalted by the commitment of the Jew.


Symbol of Jewish identity

In the 20th century, Simhat Torah symbolized the public assertion of Jewish identity. The Jews of the Soviet Union, in particular, would celebrate the festival ''en masse'' in the streets of
Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...
. On October 14, 1973, more than 100,000 Jews took part in a post–Simhat Torah rally in New York City on behalf of refuseniks and Soviet Jewry. Dancing in the street with the Torah has become part of the holiday's ritual in various Jewish congregations in the United States as well.


Rejoicing under adversity

Holocaust The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...
survivor
Elie Wiesel Eliezer "Elie" Wiesel (September 30, 1928 – July 2, 2016) was a Romanian-born American writer, professor, political activist, List of Nobel Peace Prize laureates#1980, Nobel laureate, and Holocaust survivor. He authored Elie Wiesel bibliogra ...
said:
The
Gaon of Vilna Elijah ben Solomon Zalman, ( ''Rabbi Eliyahu ben Shlomo Zalman''), also known as the Vilna Gaon ( ''Der Vilner Goen''; ; or Elijah of Vilna, or by his Hebrew acronym Gr"a ("Gaon Rabbenu Eliyahu": "Our great teacher Elijah"; Syalyets, Byaroza Distr ...
said that ''ve-samachta be-chagekha'' (You shall rejoice in your festival;
Deuteronomy Deuteronomy (; ) is the fifth book of the Torah (in Judaism), where it is called () which makes it the fifth book of the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament. Chapters 1–30 of the book consist of three sermons or speeches delivered to ...
16:14) is the most difficult commandment in the
Torah The Torah ( , "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The Torah is also known as the Pentateuch () ...
. I could never understand this puzzling remark. Only during the war did I understand. Those Jews who, in the course of their journey to the end of hope, managed to dance on Simhat Torah, those Jews who studied
Talmud The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of Haskalah#Effects, modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cen ...
by heart while carrying stones on their back, those Jews who went on whispering ''Zemirot shel Shabbat'' (Hymns of Sabbath) while performing hard labor ... ''ve-samachta be-chagekha'' was one commandment that was impossible to observe—yet they observed it.


Commemoration

In 1996, the Israel Postal Authority issued a
postage stamp A postage stamp is a small piece of paper issued by a post office, postal administration, or other authorized vendors to customers who pay postage (the cost involved in moving, insuring, or registering mail). Then the stamp is affixed to the f ...
to honor the holiday.


See also

* Jewish holidays 2000–2050 * October 7th Massacres


References


Bibliography

* Goodman, Philip. ''Sukkot and Simchat Torah Anthology'' JPS, 1988. * 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. . ''On Rebecca batMeir Tikitiner's Simchat Torah poem, see p. 51ff.''


External links


Chabad.org: Simchat Torah
{{authority control Hallel Hebrew words and phrases in Jewish law Shemini Atzeret Sukkot Tishrei observances Torah