Stepping Out, With the Torah

One of the most important cycles in Judaism is the annual reading of the Torah. On Simchat Torah, we finish this cycle of readings, and then we begin it anew. Every Jewish community in the world reads the same portion of the Torah each week during Shabbat morning services. Except for special readings that mark major holidays, the Torah is always read in order, from start to finish, using a traditional parchment scroll. We always handle the Torah with great respect and ceremony, but on this special day we actually dance with it, not just in the halls of our synagogue, but, conditions permitting, outdoors in the street. In modern times, Simchat Torah has become a great holiday of liberation, especially for those Jews, including members of our own congregation, who defiantly celebrated this holiday in public in the former Soviet Union.

At night, we begin the Ma'ariv service, and soon after, we begin the seven hakafot, in which we dance in circles around the Torah and around the synagogue. We sing joyful songs, typically with verses that refer to Torah.