SIMCHAT TORAH – REJOICING IN THE TORAH
SIMCHAT TORAH – REJOICING IN THE TORAH
This upcoming Thursday evening at sunset, October 1st, begins the seventh and last day of the holiday of Sukkot. This last day of Sukkot is known as Hoshanah Rabbah, a name that means “The Day of the Great Hossana”. It is also known as “The Day of the Great Salvation.” Hoshana means ‘save now”. On this night many Jews stay up late – or even the entire night – studying Torah.
Hoshanah Rabbah was viewed by the sages as the culmination of the High Holy Days and, in some ways, akin to Yom Kippur. It is the solemn day on which the entire Jewish community is judged by God as to whether we are worthy of the seasonal ‘early’ rains, that marked the beginning of the rainy season in Israel.
The number ‘seven’ is very prominent in this holiday:
· the four species are made up of seven individual pieces: one etrog
or citron, one lulav or date palm, three hadassim or myrtle branches,
and two aravot or willow branches.
· It is also a seven-day holiday and
· on the seventh day there is a selection of seven hoshanot prayers t
that are recited in morning service in a series of
· seven hakkafot, or processions, around the sanctuary.
· In the times of the Holy Temple, 70 oxen were sacrificed over the
holiday as a merit for the 70 nations of the world.
In Judaism the number seven represents a connection to the physical world. This is self-evident in that there are seven days in a week, seven musical notes, seven distinct colours in a rainbow that are visible to the human eye, seven holes in the human skull, seven continents – the list goes on.
Of course, this led to human interpretations as well – the seven seas, seven wonders of the ancient world, etc. Because Sukkot is a holiday so intimately connected to the physical world – we are enjoined to live outside in temporary huts, it is a harvest holiday, and we pray for rain to sustain the world – this holiday is naturally connected to the number seven.
At the conclusion of the seven processions, a special ritual is conducted in which five branches of the willow (aravot, also referred to as hoshanot) are struck upon the ground. This is a very deep and mystical ritual, and one that we hope might influence God’s decision to send the seasonal rains.
On Friday evening, the 2nd October, following Hoshanah Rabbah, the festival of Shemini Atzeret (the “Eighth Day of the Solemn Assembly”), begins.
In Israel, Sh’mini Atzeret and Simchat Torah - Rejoicing in the Torah – is celebrated on one day. However, in the diaspora, because of the two-day rule, they are celebrated on separate days.
Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah is actually a separate festival that happens to be adjacent to Sukkot and is called the 8th day of Sukkot.
Simchat Torah is a day when we celebrate our
relationship with the Torah. All are invited to participate a
nd encouraged to be called up to the Torah
– even young children! The evening and again the
next morning are filled with dancing and songs
rejoicing in the Torah and thanking God for the Torah.
At Beit Ariel, we will celebrate Simchat Torah on Saturday evening at 18h00. Our joyous celebration will be followed by a bring 'n share meal that is a finger-style supper but also, it is a 'milchik' meal i.e. no meat or chicken dishes.
Bring vegetable samosas and quiches. Bring ready made sandwiches with egg, tune and cheese fillings. Bring vegetable sticks with assorted dips.
Bring a cheese platter with crackers.
Bring chiefly savoury and not sweet foods.
And, of course, some
fruit juice to quench your thirst.
Everyone present will have the opportunity to dance while holding the Torah Scrolls in a circuit around the venue.
Attendees to the celebration in the synagogue literally dance circles around the synagogue – this is known as hakkafot. Everyone has an opportunity to dance with the Torah and there is much joy and merriment. In many Synagogues, even J & B whisky appears and may be consumed even in the Synagogue. I remember a Chabad Rabbi informing me that J & B whisky means “Jews booze’!
Which reminds me of the following story:
In a certain small shtetl in Poland, Simchat Torah was celebrated in a legendary manner that included liberal amounts of drinks. One year the rabbi’s wife finally had enough; she prohibited the rabbi from imbibing on the holiday and she made sure that all of the rabbi’s adherents were aware of her disallowance.
What were the rabbi’s followers to do? They earnestly wanted their rabbi to inspire them with some meaningful message on Simchat Torah and a little “schnapps” (Yiddish for booze) always seemed to help him open up and deliver an inspiring sermon. But the rabbi’s wife was watching them with eagle-eyed alertness.
Zalmy, the rabbi’s shamash (sexton) had an idea; he went outside and poured 6 oz. of very strong schnapps into 8 oz. of milk. He went back in to the synagogue and handed the rabbi what appeared to be a large glass of milk. The rabbi’s wife nodded approvingly.
The rabbi drank it down and his eyes opened very widely. He called over his shamash and asked him to lean down so that he could tell him something.
The shamash bent over, eagerly awaiting to hear the rabbi’s pearls of wisdom. The rabbi whispered earnestly in his ear: “Zalmy, whatever you do, don’t sell that cow!”
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