Shemini Atzeret is the eight day of completion, and marks the conclusion of Succot. Simchat Torah is a separate festival, which was not known in Biblical times, and in Israel and worldwide in Progressive communities, it is celebrated, together with Shemini Atzeret, on the 8th day. Orthodox and Masorti Diaspora communities observe Simchat Torah on the 9th day.
Simchat Torah is the ‘rejoicing in the Torah’. The Torah in its narrow sense is the scroll which contains the first five books of the Hebrew bible, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. In its wider meaning, it is the whole body of Jewish tradition. A section of the scroll is read on each Shabbat of the year, and there are additional special readings for festival days. A young person at the age of 13 celebrates his or her entry to Jewish adulthood by reading a section from the Torah, and becoming Bar or Bat Mitzvah. Throughout the year the Torah is studied, but on Simchat Torah there is a special celebration, as we complete the last chapter of Deuteronomy and immediately begin again with the first chapter of Genesis.
Members of the congregation are honoured by being called to recite the blessings for these two portions, and indeed perhaps to read them. Traditionally they were known as the Chatan Torah and the Chatan Bereshit, the bridegroom of the Torah and the bridegroom of the beginning, but in the egalitarian Reform world, women are also honoured as being Kallat (bride of) Torah or Kallat Bereshit.
After all the solemnity of the past weeks in the synagogue, this is a truly joyous day. All the Sifrei Torah, the scrolls in the synagogue, are processed seven times, there is singing and dancing, children wave flags with Torah symbols, which they have often made themselves, and there will be special refreshments. However, there is, ideally, also the making of a serious commitment to renew our study of Torah in the coming year.
