About Sukkot (Part B) (From Fall of 2010)
Sukkot Draws to a Climactic Close:
Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah
I remember a few years back when, after attending the regular services in our church, the majority of the congregation would gather in the hall for coffee and cookies, and a time of fellowship. These were always fun times and indeed our children look back with fond memories as do we adults. But, following that "Kiddush", a few of the families, with our children in tow, would head off to a local restaurant, where we would continue to reflect and discuss the message or the music or the service in general, or we would chat about the week past or the week to come or whatever topic took our fancy. It was a special time, when we all "held back" because we wanted to bask in the glow, and because we enjoyed each other's company. It was something that made the day 'linger' for us. In a sense, that is what Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah are about.
Shemini Atzeret (referred to in both Leviticus [23:36] and Numbers [29:35] as "the eighth day") is the day following the week long celebration of Sukkot. Translated directly, it means "Solemn Convocation" according to my 'Book of Jewish Knowledge' of 1964. Simchat Torah (or "Rejoicing over the Torah") is a day of celebration which can be dated back to the 9th or 10th century CE and could well have been developed by the Rabbinic sages prior to this. (There is no direct Biblical reference for this festival). In Israel, both Festivals occur on the same day [Tishrei 22]. There is Biblical evidence to support this approach...(see below). In the Diaspora, (the Jewish community outside Israel all around the world) the Festivals are separate and subsequent occasions taking up two days [Tishrei 22 & 23].
In one explanation about the Festival, we read that the sages interpreted the sense of Shemini Atzeret as an extra day of celebration in which God asks His beloved to 'linger' a while longer with Him. (Atzeret comes from the same root as the Hebrew for "to hold back") Historically, during Shemini Atzeret (S.A.), the community of faith gathered in the meeting place (synagogue) for rituals similar to those of Sukkot (candle lighting, prayers, etc) but the sacrifices were much reduced. For example, on S.A. only one bull was sacrificed, an offering given for Israel herself. (see part one for further reference to the bulls).
Of course, following the destruction of the temple in 70 CE, the sacrifices stopped, but the celebration of S.A. and Simchat Torah have continued (with variations in the form of service) up to the present.
Another aspect of S.A. which is related to its connection to the "Feast of Ingathering" is the special prayer for rain for the upcoming year. The timing is significant as Israel, having finished harvesting the second crop (fruit), will now be initiating the growing of the grains, (the first crop) of the new growing season. The phrase "Mashiv haRuach v'Morid HaGeshem" ("Who makes the wind blow and makes the rain descend") is added to the blessing in the portion of prayers known as the Amidah (standing prayers) and is said weekly until Pesach / First Fruits in the Spring. This prayer is still part of the contemporary Amidah service.
Turning our attention to Simchat Torah (S.T), we see even more joyous and flamboyant activities. In the evening, following the recitation of the Ma'ariv prayers, all the Torah scrolls are taken out of the Ark. People who, prior to the service, have been chosen for the task of carrying the scroll in procession realize the significance and honour involved. Even the children get involved with smaller scrolls kept especially for them. As the congregation sings special verses, the first of up to seven "Hakaffot" (or processions) begins. The scroll(s) is/are carried around the congregation as close to the outer edges of the area as possible. As each one goes by, individuals will touch a siddur (prayer book) or their tzit-tzit to the scroll and bring it to their lips - tasting "how sweet is the Word of God".
What follows then is a time of festive dancing with the Scrolls. A more open area is provided, and all the people in attendance are given an opportunity to carry the scrolls and dance with them, while the on-lookers cheer them on, singing and clapping or sometimes forming "chains" of people which wind through the room, surrounding those dancing with the scrolls.
In the congregation we sometimes attend, when the dancing in finished, the people form a huge circle and the scroll is unrolled around the room, rolling it out backwards from Deuteronomy (the last section read) to Genesis. The people hold the scroll around the circle very carefully. The Chatan Torah (Groom of Torah) then reads the last verses of Deuteronomy 34, and then - progressing back through the scroll - locates and reads special passages, based on a theme chosen (this year it was Scriptural sources of liturgical prayers). Finally, as we find ourselves back in Genesis, the Chatan Breisheet (or in our case the Challat Breisheet - Bride of Genesis) reads the first few verses of Genesis 1, thus making the 'circle' complete. Following this, the scroll is carefully re-rolled so that we are then ready to begin reading the parshiot once again from Genesis 1:1 on the up-coming Shabbat.
(Note: the Following sketches are from the "Book of Jewish Knowledge", published in 1964 by Crown Publishers. Credit to Compiler Nathan Ausubel. As with most of our pictures on this website, place cursor on the picture and left click for an enlarged version and commentary.)
Shemini Atzeret (referred to in both Leviticus [23:36] and Numbers [29:35] as "the eighth day") is the day following the week long celebration of Sukkot. Translated directly, it means "Solemn Convocation" according to my 'Book of Jewish Knowledge' of 1964. Simchat Torah (or "Rejoicing over the Torah") is a day of celebration which can be dated back to the 9th or 10th century CE and could well have been developed by the Rabbinic sages prior to this. (There is no direct Biblical reference for this festival). In Israel, both Festivals occur on the same day [Tishrei 22]. There is Biblical evidence to support this approach...(see below). In the Diaspora, (the Jewish community outside Israel all around the world) the Festivals are separate and subsequent occasions taking up two days [Tishrei 22 & 23].
In one explanation about the Festival, we read that the sages interpreted the sense of Shemini Atzeret as an extra day of celebration in which God asks His beloved to 'linger' a while longer with Him. (Atzeret comes from the same root as the Hebrew for "to hold back") Historically, during Shemini Atzeret (S.A.), the community of faith gathered in the meeting place (synagogue) for rituals similar to those of Sukkot (candle lighting, prayers, etc) but the sacrifices were much reduced. For example, on S.A. only one bull was sacrificed, an offering given for Israel herself. (see part one for further reference to the bulls).
Of course, following the destruction of the temple in 70 CE, the sacrifices stopped, but the celebration of S.A. and Simchat Torah have continued (with variations in the form of service) up to the present.
Another aspect of S.A. which is related to its connection to the "Feast of Ingathering" is the special prayer for rain for the upcoming year. The timing is significant as Israel, having finished harvesting the second crop (fruit), will now be initiating the growing of the grains, (the first crop) of the new growing season. The phrase "Mashiv haRuach v'Morid HaGeshem" ("Who makes the wind blow and makes the rain descend") is added to the blessing in the portion of prayers known as the Amidah (standing prayers) and is said weekly until Pesach / First Fruits in the Spring. This prayer is still part of the contemporary Amidah service.
Turning our attention to Simchat Torah (S.T), we see even more joyous and flamboyant activities. In the evening, following the recitation of the Ma'ariv prayers, all the Torah scrolls are taken out of the Ark. People who, prior to the service, have been chosen for the task of carrying the scroll in procession realize the significance and honour involved. Even the children get involved with smaller scrolls kept especially for them. As the congregation sings special verses, the first of up to seven "Hakaffot" (or processions) begins. The scroll(s) is/are carried around the congregation as close to the outer edges of the area as possible. As each one goes by, individuals will touch a siddur (prayer book) or their tzit-tzit to the scroll and bring it to their lips - tasting "how sweet is the Word of God".
What follows then is a time of festive dancing with the Scrolls. A more open area is provided, and all the people in attendance are given an opportunity to carry the scrolls and dance with them, while the on-lookers cheer them on, singing and clapping or sometimes forming "chains" of people which wind through the room, surrounding those dancing with the scrolls.
In the congregation we sometimes attend, when the dancing in finished, the people form a huge circle and the scroll is unrolled around the room, rolling it out backwards from Deuteronomy (the last section read) to Genesis. The people hold the scroll around the circle very carefully. The Chatan Torah (Groom of Torah) then reads the last verses of Deuteronomy 34, and then - progressing back through the scroll - locates and reads special passages, based on a theme chosen (this year it was Scriptural sources of liturgical prayers). Finally, as we find ourselves back in Genesis, the Chatan Breisheet (or in our case the Challat Breisheet - Bride of Genesis) reads the first few verses of Genesis 1, thus making the 'circle' complete. Following this, the scroll is carefully re-rolled so that we are then ready to begin reading the parshiot once again from Genesis 1:1 on the up-coming Shabbat.
(Note: the Following sketches are from the "Book of Jewish Knowledge", published in 1964 by Crown Publishers. Credit to Compiler Nathan Ausubel. As with most of our pictures on this website, place cursor on the picture and left click for an enlarged version and commentary.)
Making the Connection....
Another ancient custom, carried out in the temple in the time of Y'shua, and probably up to the destruction in 70 CE, marked the end of the cycle of readings in another way. After a year of hard service, the robes of the priests needed to be replaced. Because the robes were Kadosh, (holy, set apart for special duty) they could not simply be scrapped, so a special ceremonial 'disposal' was developed. In this ritual, the robes were tightly wound, and placed like wicks in large bowls of oil, and then set afire. At the time of Simchat Torah, the Temple Mount was ablaze through much of the night due to these "torches".
If you look to John's gospel, you will see how Y'shua puts this illustration to good use, just as he put the last day ceremonies to a new understanding (see "all about Sukkot part 1"). In Chapter 8 vs 2, we read: "Early in the morning, He came to the Temple..." (This refers to Shemini Atzeret, so we are in the correct time frame). In verse 12, Y'shua then boldly claims: "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." Knowing the background to the ceremonies of the Festival, this comment now makes so much more 'sense'.
= = = ================================================= = = =
For information on the Festival of Sukkot, see the accompanying Teaching Page -
"Sukkot Part 1".
If you look to John's gospel, you will see how Y'shua puts this illustration to good use, just as he put the last day ceremonies to a new understanding (see "all about Sukkot part 1"). In Chapter 8 vs 2, we read: "Early in the morning, He came to the Temple..." (This refers to Shemini Atzeret, so we are in the correct time frame). In verse 12, Y'shua then boldly claims: "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." Knowing the background to the ceremonies of the Festival, this comment now makes so much more 'sense'.
= = = ================================================= = = =
For information on the Festival of Sukkot, see the accompanying Teaching Page -
"Sukkot Part 1".
