It is loud. It is chaotic. It is, quite literally, a party in the streets. If you walked into a synagogue on Simchat Torah, you might be confused. People are dancing in circles for hours. Kids are riding on their parents' shoulders. Grown adults are clutching heavy, velvet-clad scrolls like they're gold. You might see shots of schnapps on a side table and a sea of colorful flags. This isn't your typical, solemn religious service.
Actually, it’s the exact opposite.
Simchat Torah translates to "Rejoicing in the Torah." It marks the moment the Jewish community finishes the annual cycle of reading the Five Books of Moses and immediately—without even taking a breath—starts over again. It’s about the cycle. It’s about never ending the story. Honestly, it’s one of the most misunderstood dates on the Hebrew calendar because people think it's just for "religious" types. It’s not. It’s a community-wide catharsis that happens right at the tail end of the high holiday season.
What Simchat Torah Is Really About
Most people know about Rosh Hashanah (the New Year) and Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement). Those are the "big ones." They are heavy. They are about looking inward and making amends. By the time you get through Sukkot, the week-long harvest festival, you’re exhausted. But then comes this final burst of energy. In Israel, it’s celebrated on the same day as Shemini Atzeret. Outside of Israel, in the Diaspora, it gets its own dedicated day.
The core of the day is the Hakafot.
Think of Hakafot as seven laps of pure joy. The synagogue doors open, the Torah scrolls are taken out of the Ark, and people march, dance, and sing around the sanctuary. Seven times. But it’s rarely just seven laps; it can take hours. Each lap is a tribute to the patriarchs and the history of the people, but mostly, it’s just a way to show that the Law isn't a burden. It’s a gift.
Why the dancing? Because on this day, we don't study the scrolls. We don't sit down and parse the grammar of ancient Hebrew. We close the books and dance with them.
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Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks once noted that on Simchat Torah, the Torah becomes the partner in a dance. It’s a beautiful idea. It suggests that intellectualism has its limits and that sometimes, you just have to feel the weight of your heritage in your arms and move your feet. You'll see people from every walk of life—doctors, students, toddlers, grandpas—all caught up in the same circle.
The "Starting Over" Paradox
The most technical part of the day happens during the morning service. This is where the Chatan Torah (Bridegroom of the Torah) and Chatan Bereshit (Bridegroom of Genesis) come in. These are honors given to members of the congregation.
The Chatan Torah reads the very last verses of Deuteronomy. It’s a bit sad, really. Moses dies. He looks out over the Promised Land but can't enter. The Israelites are mourning.
But then, the Chatan Bereshit immediately steps up.
He starts reading from Genesis 1:1. "In the beginning..."
The scroll literally never closes. The transition is seamless. This is a profound psychological trick. It teaches that there is no such thing as "finishing" your education or your spiritual journey. The moment you think you’re done, you realize you’re just at a new beginning. It’s a loop. A circle. Just like the dancing.
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Why the Chaos Matters
You’ve probably seen the flags. Children often carry small paper flags with a literal apple stuck on top of the stick, sometimes with a candle (though usually a fake one these days for safety). This tradition is old. Like, centuries old. It’s meant to involve the kids, to make the synagogue a place of fun rather than just hushed whispers and standing still.
In many communities, every single person in the room gets an "Aliyah"—the honor of being called up to the Torah. To save time, they often gather all the children under a massive prayer shawl (Tallit) held up like a canopy. It’s called Kol HaNearim (All the Youths). Hearing hundreds of kids chirping the blessings at once is a core memory for almost every Jewish child. It’s loud. It’s messy. It’s perfect.
There is a weird, gritty reality to Simchat Torah that gets glossed over in textbooks. Synagogues can get sweaty. Floors get sticky from spilled grape juice. Someone’s hat usually falls off during a particularly vigorous "Hora" dance. But that’s the point. Holiness isn't just found in silence. Sometimes it’s found in the noise of a community refusing to let a tradition die.
The Global Variations
While the basics are the same, different cultures spice it up. Sephardic and Mizrahi communities often have their own melodies that are distinct from the Eastern European Ashkenazi tunes. In some Persian communities, the scrolls are housed in hard wooden or metal cases (Tikim) and are paraded around with incredible pomp and circumstance.
In Italy, specifically in some older traditions, they used to create a "wedding canopy" for the Torah itself.
In Israel, there is a second round of celebrations called Hakafot Shniyot. These happen the night after the holiday officially ends. They usually take place in public squares with live bands and speakers. It’s a way to share the joy with the broader public, including those who might not have spent the whole day in a synagogue. It’s basically a massive street block party.
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The Shadow of 2023
We can't talk about Simchat Torah anymore without acknowledging the heavy weight it now carries. On October 7, 2023, which fell on Simchat Torah, the world changed for the Jewish community. What was supposed to be the most joyful day turned into a day of unimaginable tragedy.
Now, when the holiday comes around, there is a complex layering of emotions. How do you dance when you are grieving? How do you celebrate the "end" of a cycle when the wounds are still fresh?
Communities have handled this in different ways. Some have added special prayers for the hostages or the fallen. Others have decided that the most defiant act of resilience is to dance even harder—to show that the joy of the tradition cannot be extinguished by violence. It has turned Simchat Torah from a simple celebration into a profound statement of survival.
Common Misconceptions
People often think you have to be "super religious" to attend. You really don't. In fact, Simchat Torah is the most "come as you are" day of the year. You don't need to know the prayers. You just need to be able to walk in a circle.
Another myth is that it's a "kids' holiday." While kids love it, the theology of the day is deeply adult. It’s about the circularity of time. It’s about the idea that the "Old Testament" (as others call it) is a living, breathing thing that requires our physical movement to keep it going.
Practical Ways to Experience It
If you’ve never been, or if you’re looking to reconnect, here is how you actually do Simchat Torah without feeling like an outsider:
- Find a local Chabad or community synagogue. They are usually the most high-energy and welcoming for newcomers.
- Wear comfortable shoes. You will be on your feet for a long time. This is not the day for stiff dress shoes.
- Don't worry about the lyrics. Most of the songs are short, repetitive nibbles of Hebrew (called niggunim) that you can pick up in about thirty seconds.
- Accept the Aliyah. If someone asks if you want to go up to the Torah, say yes. You don't have to do anything complicated; usually, you just stand there while the group recites the blessing.
- Stay for the food. There is almost always a "Kiddush" (a reception). It’s the best place to actually talk to people once the music stops.
Simchat Torah is the ultimate "reset" button. It’s the transition from the heavy, serious vibes of the High Holidays into the regular, everyday flow of life. It reminds us that even though the story is old, the way we tell it is always new. Every year, we read the same words, but we are different people than we were the year before. That’s why we dance. We aren't just celebrating a book; we are celebrating the fact that we are still here to read it.
Actionable Steps for the Holiday
- Check the Calendar: Since the Jewish calendar is lunar, the date shifts every year. Mark your calendar for the 22nd (in Israel) or 23rd (outside Israel) of the Hebrew month of Tishrei.
- Locate a "Hakafot Shniyot": If you are in a major city like New York, Los Angeles, or Jerusalem, look for outdoor celebrations. They are often more accessible for those who find indoor synagogue services intimidating.
- Study the Last Verses: Before you go, read the end of Deuteronomy. Look at the transition to Genesis. It helps to understand the "Ending/Beginning" dynamic before the chaos starts.
- Bring the Family: This is the one day where "quiet in the sanctuary" is not a rule. It’s the best entry point for children to experience a positive, vibrant version of religious life.