[6], 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. Simchat Torah or Simhat Torah (Hebrew: , lit., "Rejoicing with/of the Torah", Ashkenazi: Simchas Torah) is a Jewish holiday that celebrates and marks the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings, and the beginning of a new cycle. Translation: Blessed Another custom is to call all the children (in Orthodox congregations boys only) to a special aliyah called Kol HaNe'arim ("all the children"). [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. . Display Transliteration. Haftarah Blessing, Before. I could never understand this puzzling remark. [9] 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. Modern customs of celebration and dancing arose in the early Rishonic period. People who made these donations were called up to the Torah and given a congregational blessing. Congregations may also sing other, popular songs during the dancing. . All the synagogue's Torah scrolls are removed from the ark and are carried around the sanctuary in a series of seven hakafot (circuits). English: Blessed are you, Adonai, our [3] In some congregations, the Kohanim deliver their blessing as usual during the Musaf service of Simchat Torah. Only during the war did I understand. Simchat Torah is a component of the Biblical Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret ("Eighth Day of Assembly"), which follows immediately after the festival of Sukkot in the month of Tishrei (occurring in mid-September to early October on the Gregorian calendar). Blessed is Adonay who is blessed forever and ever. Boruch atoh ado-noy , nosayn ha-toroh. Cantor Camhi presents the blessings before and after a Torah reading . [citation needed], In the 17th century, Rebecca bat Meir Tiktiner of Prague composed a poem about Simhat Torah. The Haftorah is a Reading that is taken from the Prophets (Neviim and Ketuvim). Should Followers of Christ Observe the Torah?Jesus Death and Resurrection Released Us from the Law. Its actually Pauls wordsparticularly in Galatians, Romans, and Ephesiansthat inform us most clearly about how the relationship between Gods followers and Paul Did Not Preach Circumcision. Were Not Under the Yoke of the Torah. Cantor Camhi presents the blessings before and after a Torah reading In Israel, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are celebrated on the same day. Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, who has given us the Torah of truth, and implanted within us eternal The last parashah of the Torah, V'Zot HaBerachah, at the end of Deuteronomy (33:134:12), is read from the first scroll, followed immediately by the first chapter (and part of the second) of the Book of Genesis (1:12:3), which is read from the second scroll. . Blessed is Adonay who is blessed forever and ever. 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. signaled, take the tzitzit (fringes at the corners of your talit) and touch it to the place in the Torah where the Torah reader points. Congregation responds: Blessed is Adonai, who is to blessed forever and ever. In Orthodox and Conservative synagogues, the hakafot are accompanied by traditional chants, including biblical and liturgical verses and songs about the Torah, the goodness of God, Messianic yearnings, and prayers for the restoration of the House of David and of the Temple in Jerusalem. Others hold a series of separate minyanim for the Torah reading. It is an act that causes the Jew to inherently and naturally observe the Jewish faith. In Conservative and Progressive congregations, men and women dance together. 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 Torah portion is then read by the "Baal Koreh" - the Torah reader. And just as the head benefits from the mobility of the feet, so does the Torah become exalted by the commitment of the Jew.[7]. How to chant the Torah Blessings, both BEFORE and AFTER with English Transliteration. The Simchat Torah festivities begin with the evening service. [1] If one ate an item that requires an after blessing [such as Borei Nefashos [2] or even Birchas Hamazon [3]] and forgot to say the blessing and urinated [or defecated] and then remembered to say the blessing, he is to precede the blessing of Asher Yatzar and only afterwards recite the after blessing for the food [or drink]. [4] Children often receive flags, candies and other treats. but that local customs should not change." On October 14, 1973, more than 100,000 Jews took part in a postSimhat Torah rally in New York city on behalf of refuseniks and Soviet Jewry. English: Bless Adonai who is blessed. September 11, 2019 reconstructionist_torah_blessing_sheet. ve-samachta be-chagekha was one commandment that was impossible to observeyet they observed it. [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 Simhat Torah. Likewise, it is a special honor to receive the first aliyah of the Book of Genesis; that person is called Hatan B'reishit (the groom of Genesis) (or Kallat B'reishit (the bride of Genesis). During the blessing before the reading of the Torah, you say In each Aliya, there is one Blessing that is said before reading the Torah Portion, and one that is said after. The haftarah (reading from the prophets) is the first section of the Book of Joshua.[4]. 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. Transliteration: Barukh atah Adonai eloheynu melekh haolam asher natan lanu torat emet v'khayey olam nata b'tokheynu. In Orthodox and Conservative Jewish synagogues, each circuit is announced by a few melodious invocations imploring God to Hoshiah Na ("Save us") and ending with the refrain, Aneinu B'yom Koreinu ("[God] answer us on the day we call"). The Barekhu Before Torah Recitation: Bless the LORD, who is to be blessed. There is also a special aliyah for all the children. Elie Wiesel related the difficulties and meaning of Simhat Torah in times of terrible adversity: The Gaon of Vilna said that ve-samachta be-chagekha (You shall rejoice in your festival; Deuteronomy 16:14) is the most difficult commandment in the Torah. Final, This page was last edited on 2 November 2022, at 19:33. Blessed is Adonai who is blessed now and forever. 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. . Barukh atah Adonai noten haTorah. The morning service, like that of other Jewish holidays, includes a special holiday Amidah, the saying of Hallel, and a holiday Mussaf service. Blessed are you Adonai, our G-d, Sovereign of the Blessed is Adonai who is blessed now and forever. Simchat Torah or Simhat Torah (Hebrew: , lit., "Rejoicing with/of the Torah", Ashkenazi: Simchas Torah) is a Jewish holiday that celebrates and marks the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings, and the beginning of a new cycle.Simchat Torah is a component of the Biblical Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret ("Eighth Day of Assembly"), which The Torah is read during the Morning Prayer (Tefillat Shacharit). Transliteration: Boruch atoh ado-noy elo-haynu melech ho-olom, asher nosan lonu toras emes, v'cha-yay olom nota b'sochaynu. Elie's Bar Mitzvah Dear Rabbi Alevskythank you for helping me learn the In many Orthodox as well as many Conservative congregations, this is the only time of year on which the Torah scrolls are taken out of the ark and read at night. 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. Then kiss the Zedekiah ben Abraham Anaw (13th century) writes in Shibbolei haLeqet that "It is called Simchat Torah . the synagogue used this occasion as a fund-raiser. Elie's Bubbie in Abaerdeen, NJ Aberdeen, New Jersey February 25, 2011. In the 13th century, the reading of Genesis was added immediately upon the completion of Deuteronomy and the Shulhan Arukh (written about 1565)[5] 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. The passage describes the prescribed offerings performed for the holiday. 4. To accommodate this the first five aliyot are reread so that everyone has an opportunity to recite the blessing. vcha-yei olam nata bto-cheinu. In some congregations, the Torah scrolls are carried out into the streets and the dancing may continue far into the evening. . Before Ritualwell was a After the hakafot and the dancing, three scrolls of the Torah are read. . Baruch atah, Reform congregations, even outside Israel, may do likewise. In Orthodox synagogues, men and boys predominate in the dancing; children (even young girls) may also dance with their fathers. Nevertheless, the universal custom today, following the siddur of Rav, OC see Mishnah Berurah volume 6 page 272, Maharil, cited in OC Darchei Moshe 669:3), Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Video: Second Round Post Sukkot Hakafot in Urban Israel", Day to Mark the Departure and Expulsion of Jews from the Arab Countries and Iran, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Simchat_Torah&oldid=1119663845, Articles lacking in-text citations from October 2017, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Translation: "Rejoicing with/of the Torah", The culmination of Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret. 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. 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). Conclusion of the annual Torah reading cycle. This is the blessing one says before the Torah reader reads the aliyah, or section of the weekly Torah portion.I'm sorry for making this so fast. 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. . Most Conservative congregations still perform it. This two-sided sheet is designed for congregational use during the Torah service. 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. YOU REPEAT: Baruch Adonai hamvorach lolam vaed. In the 20th century, Simhat Torah came to symbolize the public assertion of Jewish identity. Baruch Atah Adonai, noten ha-Torah. they make large celebrations, the entire community in the homes of the honorees, because it is the Simchat Torah." The morning service is also uniquely characterized by the calling up of each member of the congregation for an aliyah. [8] The Jews of the Soviet Union, in particular, would celebrate the festival en masse in the streets of Moscow. In the morning, the last parashah of Deuteronomy and the first parashah of Genesis are read in the synagogue. Abraham ben Nathan (12th century) writes in haManhig that "the French rite is . [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. The Aish Rabbi Replies. Temple Adat Elohim is the largest Jewish community in the Conejo Valley. In the Talmud (Meg. [citation needed], In Chabad Hasidic 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. When printed on both sides, it contains the Reconstructionist Torah blessings on one side, and the traditional blessings on the other. Learn the blessings for before and after the Torah reading. . Although each hakafa 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. (This is where the Torah reader will start to read.) Praise to You, Adonai, for the revelation of Torah, for Your servant Moses, for Your people Israel and for prophets of truth and righteousness. the custom is for the Chatan Torah to make a feast and to distribute sweets and candies". English: Bless Adonay who is blessed. In the 9th century, some European Jewish communities assigned a special reading from the Prophets to be read on this day. Blessed are you, CONG: Baruch adonai ha vorach lola vaed. No signup or install needed. This places the custom of removing the scrolls from the ark and dancing in some locales into the 11th century. Barukh atah Adonay noten haTorah. Isaac ibn Ghiyyat (10301089) 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 . In many congregations it is customary to call all eligible members of the congregation for an aliyah to the Torah on Simchat Torah. Now recite the following blessing: The Blessing Before the Torah Reading: Blessed are You, LORD our God, king of the universe, who chose us from all the peoples and gave to us His Torah. In fact, these blessings are more important than the blessings we say on food. Baruch ata adonai, noten hatorah. After the portion of Genesis is read, the Maftir, Numbers 29:3530:1, is read from a third Torah scroll. [10], In 1996, the Israel Postal Authority issued a postage stamp to honour the holiday. After the hakafot, many congregations recite a portion of the last parashah of the Torah, V'Zot HaBerachah ("This is the Blessing ") in Deuteronomy. While the concept of a second blessing is taught in a wide variety of churches, the phrase is not found anywhere in the Bible. The Bible does speak often of the baptism of the Spirit, as well as the sanctification of believers, but not in the context of a second blessing or a second stage of the life of faith. The vigour of the dancing and degree of festive merriment varies with congregational temperament. Many Hasidic communities have Hakafot on the eve of the first day of Shemini Atzeret as well. traditional custom giving honor to the Torah. Touch the Torah at the place where the reading will begin, then kiss that object (the tallit, prayerbook or Torah belt). 4. Read or chant the first blessing in Hebrew, or if you cant read Hebrew, you may recite the blessing in English, using the English translation. 5. Listen to Torah Pearls #3 Lech Lecha (Genesis 12:1-17:27) and twenty-nine more episodes by Dr. Nehemia Gordon - Bible Scholar At NehemiasWall.com, free! 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". Let us declare the greatness of our God and give honor to the In many congregations, a large talit is spread out over the heads of all the children as the blessing over the Torah is pronounced, and for the congregation to bless the children by reciting (in Hebrew) a verse from Jacob's blessing to Ephraim and Manasseh, Genesis 48:16. 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). Listen. 31b) it is called Shemini Atzeret. . [11], Jewish holiday marking the conclusion of public Torah readings, The Talmud (Megillah 31a) explicitly says that we read the Blessing of Solomon (Kings I 9:22-34) on the "second day of Shemini Atzeret". 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 by heart while carrying stones on their back, those Jews who went on whispering Zemirot shel Shabbat (Hymns of Sabbath) while performing hard labor . 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. 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. To save time, some congregations call people up in groups. The part read is usually 33:134:12, but this may vary by individual synagogue custom, although Deuteronomy is never read to the end in the evening. Abraham ben Isaac of Narbonne (1080 1158) writes in haEshkol that ". The traditional blessing before reading from the Torah contains the phrase ( asher bakhar banu mikol haamim) Praised are you Lord our God, ruler of the Universe, Yes, there is a set of two blessings to be recited before studying Torah. Printable Torah Blessings. 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. The blessing we say before eating is based on a Rabbinical decree, while the blessings we say before studying Torah are a Torah obligation (derived from Deuteronomy 32:3). Title: Brachot for aliyah in Hebrew english and transliterated from mellel Author: Steven Axelman Created Date: 10/11/2010 9:11:48 PM The custom was started by the former Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv, Rabbi Yedidya Frankel.[1]. 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. The name Simhat Torah was not used until a relatively late time. Prophet Pearls #3 Lech Lecha (Isaiah 40:27-41:16). 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 can last for several hours. The main celebrations of Simchat Torah take place in the synagogue during evening and morning services. Both Blessings are said by the same person. Blessing BEFORE The Reading of the Torah U et Adonai hamvorach. This is thought as an act of submission to the will of God as expressed in the dictates of the Torah. 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 (the groom of the Torah) (or Kallat Torah (the bride of the Torah) in synagogues that allow women to receive an aliyah).