Roadmap to Prayer Lesson 60

7/30/2019 Roadmap to Prayer Lesson 60

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T H E Y E SH I V A PI R C H E I SH O SH A N I M R O A D M A P T O P RA Y E R P RO JE C T

The Roadmap to Prayer

Lesson 60

2007 Y eshiva Pirchei ShoshanimThis shiur m ay not be reproduced in any form without permission of the copyright holder


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The Three Fest ivals:

Succos, Pesach and Shavuos1

Shemini At zeres - A Yom Tov to It self

After the Yom Tov of Succos we celebrate another Yom Tov called Shemini A tzeres. TheTorah writes:

Bayome H aShemini A tzeres T ihyeh L achem2 (O n the eighth day, shall be a tim e of retreat

for you).

This Yom Tov is a totally separate Y om T ov from the Yom Tov of Succos and as such, we

must mention it in our prayers. We insert the mention of this Yom Tov in the places

where we mentioned th e Yom Tov of Succos fo r the past seven days.

1. What is a little confusing about the status of this Yom Tov is that outside the

Land of I srael, it is still considered as possibly t he last day of Succos because ofthe issue of Sfeik a D eYoma3.

2. Since it is possible that today is still Succos and not yet Shemini A tzeres there will

be certain H alachic ramifications about this regarding mistakes one makes in

prayer (davening).

1 L isted in order of occurrence starting wi th the first of the thr ee festivals aft er R osh H ashanah

2 Bamidbar 29:35

3 A Sfeik a D eYoma is a day which is possibly Yom Tov and possibly weekday. Since the festival days areestablished by the day of the lunar month, those communities who lived a distance from the Beis D in (aJewish Court) that establishes each new calendar month through testimony of the sighting of the new moon,it w as comm on f or those communit ies to be unsure when Rosh Chodesh was established and thereby were alsounsure which day marked the beginning of Yom Tov.

Lesson

60


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T H E Y E S H I V A P I R C H E I S H O S H A N I M R O A D M A P F O R P R A Y E R P R O J E C T

A N A T T A C H M E N T O F T H E S O U L - L E S S O N 6 0

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This questionable status also affects the M itzvah of eating and sleeping in a Succah on

Shemini A tzeres. This issue is beyond the scope of these lessons and we will focus only

on the aspect that pertains to Tefilla (prayer).

Mentioning the Yom Tov in Tefilla

1. We insert the mention of Shemini A tzeres in our prayers instead of the mention

of Succos both outside the Land of Israel and in the Land of Israel. E.g. in

Y aaleh V eyavoh, A tta B echartanu of the A midah/ Shemoneh E srei prayer.

2. If someone said Succos instead of Shemini A tzeres in Israel, then he must go

back and correct the mistake, even if it means repeating the Shemoneh E srei 4.

3. I f outside the Land of I srael one mistakenly said Succos instead of Shemini

A tzeres in his Tefilla (prayer), and then f inished his Tefilla (prayer), it is still valid.

There are various customs how to mention Shemini A tzeres in prayer:

1. Y om Shemini C hag H aA tzeres H azeh

2. Y om Shemini A tzeres H achag H azeh

3. Y om C hag Shemini A tzeres H azeh

T he Posk im (deciders of H alacha) give reasons for each version. N usach A shk enaz

follows the first version. N usach Sefard follows the second version and Sephardim

follow the third version.

Shemini At zeres - Simchas Torah

Although Shemini A tzeres and Simchas T orah are celebrated outside the Land of Israel on

separate days, nevertheless,

1. The basic text o f the prayers are exactly the same for both days since in the

Torah there is only a single Y om T ov called Shemini A tzeres.

2. I f outside the Land of I srael one mistakenly said Succos instead of Shemini

A tzeres in the Simchas T orah T efilla (prayer), it must be corrected, or else the

Tefilla (prayer) is invalid and it must be repeated,

The name Simchas T orah is an outgrowth of the custom to complete the reading of the

entire Torah once each year in Shul (synagogue). For this reason, we spend the day of

4 See I shei Y israel Perek 4 2 footnote 10 , I ggros M oshe O rach Chai m 3:97, Y abia O mer 4:51


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Simchas T orah in special joyous H ak afas (circuit-dancing) celebrating the completion of

the ent ire five sections of the Chumash (the Five Books of Moses).

Nonetheless,

The standard text of the Tefilla (prayer) is the same for Shemini A tzeres andSimchas T orah. In f act, in I srael, where there is only one day Y om T ov celebrated

at the end of Succos; Shemini A tz eres and Simchas T orah are combined.

Since according to Torah law,

Shemini A tzeres is a separate Yom Tov from the Yom Tov of Succos one must

recite the Shehecheyanu blessing for the new Yom Tov. Therefore women who

light candles recite the blessing at that time while everyone else recites the

blessing at Kiddush on the night of Shemini A tzeres.

Tefillas Maariv of Shemini Atzeres,

Is the same as M aariv for any of the Shalosh Regalim (The Three Festivals;

Pesach, Shavuos and Succos). Shacharis and M ussaf also follow the standard order

of prayer of all Y omim T ovim.

The only notable difference in the Nusach (textual version) ofthe tefillos (prayers) is the seasonal change,

T his is where we insert M ashiv H aruach U morid H ageshem - (l iterally, H e causes

the wind to blow and the rain to f all) - into the second brocha of the A midahprayer. This change occurs on Shemini A tzeres by T efil las M ussaf. (Second Prayer of

Shemoneh E srei at the end of M orning Pr ayer)

Tefillas Geshem - The Prayer for Rain

O n Succos we pray to H ashem many H oshanah prayers that H ashem should bless us with

plentiful rain during the course of the year so that we have bountiful crops and

abundant parnassah (income).

However,

Since on Succos we are obligated to dwell in a Succah, it wouldnt be fitting toactually insert a prayer for rain in our standard A midah/ Shemoneh E srei prayer

since rain would ultimately interfere with our ability to fulfill the M itzvah of

sitting in a Succah.


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Therefore,

D uring the course of Succos itself we refrain from inserting any mention of

H ashems greatness in producing rain. However, since on Succos we are indeed

judged by H ashem to see if we are meritorious enough to deserve rain duringthe coming year, we add M ashiv H aruach U morid H ageshem into our T efill os

(prayers) immediately af ter the conclusion of the Succos festival.

Although it is possible to begin saying,

M ashiv H aruach U morid H ageshem by M aariv at the very beginning of Shemini

A tzeres, we do not start saying it then since it is common for many people not

to be present at the evening prayer.

Therefore,

In order to avoid having a situation where some people are saying it already

while others are not, we wait until M ussaf of the next day. We also do not

begin reciting M ashiv H aruach U morid H ageshem at Shacharis of the next day

since the Shamash (sexton) cannot make the necessary announcement before

the start of the Shacharis A midah prayer since we do not allow any interruptions

at that po int5.

When to Begin Inserting Mashiv Haruach Umorid

Hageshem into the Amidah / Shemoneh Esrei prayer

As mentioned above, we recite T efi ll as G eshem (the Prayer for Rain) at M ussaf of Shemini

A tzeres. The Tefilla (prayer) of G eshem is an arrangement of prayers in a Piyut (prayer in

poetry) format that the Chazzan chants during Chazoras H ashatz (the repeating of the

A midah) of M ussaf.

As for the congregation,

There are different customs as to when they should begin inserting M ashiv

H aruach U morid H ageshem into the A midah. A ccording to N usach A shk enaz, the

Shamash (sexton) announces to everyone to begin inserting M ashiv H aruach

morid H ageshem before starting the A midah of M ussaf even before the Chazzanrecites the T efi ll as G eshem.

5 See M ishna Berura 114:2


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In other communities,

Such as for N usach Sefard, the congregation on ly begins reciting M ashiv H aruach

morid H ageshem after T efillas G eshem, by M incha. In this case the Shamash

(sexton) will obviously not announce M ashiv H aruach U morid H ageshem beforeT efil las M ussaf.

I n those communities that begin reciting M ashiv H aruach U morid H ageshem already by

M ussaf, if the Shamash (sexton) doesnt make the announcement fir st, then the

congregation should no t insert it on their own until T efill as M incha.

Mashiv Haruach Umorid Hageshem but not Vesein Tal

Umatar Livrachah

Although we begin reciting,

M ashiv H aruach U morid H ageshem already on Shemini A tzeres, we do not add

V esein T al U matar L ivrachah in the weekday Shemoneh E srei until later. This

distinction is already noted by the M ishna and the Gemara in T aanis6.

The basic difference between the two is,

Mentioning M ashiv H aruach U morid H ageshem is not asking H ashem outright for

rain; its only praising H ashems mighty power in making rain.

Conversely,Saying V esein T al U matar L ivrachah in the ninth Brocha of Shemoneh E srei - in

Baruch A leinu is actually a direct request for rain. Since in the time of the Beis

H amik dash those who came on Yom Tov from afar needed to travel home for

another couple of weeks, we didnt start to actually ask for rain yet so that it

wouldnt make their trip home difficult7.

6 D af 10a

7 See R an to T aanis D af 10a that the custom to recite V esein T al U matar L ivrachah starting on the 7th ofCheshvan continues today too since even now after the destruction of the Beis H amik dash, its customary forpeople to travel to Y erushalayim (Jerusalem) for Y om Tov


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The Prayer of Mussaf and the Torah ReadingO n Shemini A tzeres,

We read the portion of Shemini A tzeres that describes the single offering

(Korban) that was brought on Shemini A tzeres as opposed to the seventyofferings animal sacrifices (Korbanos) that were brought in total on Succos

itself.

Corresponding to this portion of the Torah Reading,

Which is read in the final M aftir Reading both on Shemini A tzeres as well as on

Simchas T orah, we insert the same for the M ussaf A midah of both these days.

O ther than that, the M ussaf of Shemini A tzeres and Simchas T orah share the same

basic format as all other M ussaf prayers recited on any of the festivals.

As with any of the festival days of the Shalosh Regalim (The Three Festivals;

Pesach, Shavuos and Succos)

T he Kohanim also perform the M itzvah of Birchos Kohanim (D uchening) - raising their

hands and reciting the special priestly blessing of

I . Y evarechecha, (M ay he Bless You)

I I . Y aeir (May he Illuminate You) and

I I I . Y issa (M ay he Turn)

at M ussaf on Shemini A tzeres.

However,

O n Simchas T orah we ask the Kohanim to duchen by T efil las Shacharis8 rather than

by T efil las M ussaf since it is comm on to drink alcoho lic beverages by the festive

dancing on Simchas T orah. I f a K ohen becomes slightly into xicated, he would not

be fit to D uchen at that time.

In such a case,

When the K ohanim duchen by Shacharis, the congregation doesnt recite the

additional prayers that are printed in the M achzor (festival prayer book). E.g.V eseiarev before M odim and the Ribbono shel Olam and Y ehi ratzone during the

Birchos Kohanim.

8 K itzur Shulchan A ruch


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Yizkor Remem branc e of the depart ed9

It is customary amongst A shk enazi communities to perform the Yizkor service on

Shemini A tzeres by day; af ter the T orah Reading. I n I srael, Yizkor is recited after the Torah

Reading which is after the H ak afos.

T hose who have lost one or more of their parents part icipate in this remembrance service. T his service

recall s the souls of the departed by contr ibuti ng char ity i n t heir memory. T hose who have both parents

living leave the Synagogue during this portion of the service.

Amongst Sephardic communities, Yizkor is not performed on Y om Tov at all.

Hakafos - Circuits

The custom amongst all Jewish communities on Simchas T orah is to finish off the

reading of the entire Torah (Five Books of M oses) and rejoice in celebration of itscompletion.

The Medrash10 states,

After the festival of Succos, H ashem is very pleased with us for we have gone

through a period of repentance and then celebrated H ashems commandment

to dwell outside our homes in temporary Succah huts.

However,

The prosecuting angel still tries to slander us by saying that its true that wecelebrate the festival and ask H ashem to help up through the coming year, but

who says that the nation will continue to study the Torah as G-d com mands us.

Then on Simchas Torah,

H ashem shows him that we are still busy with Torah study and that we even

complete the entire Torah on this last day of Yom Tov.

However, the prosecuting angel argues,

That perhaps we are done with our Torah study, never to return to it again.

9 See Roadmap to Prayer Lesson 54

10 Shir H ashirim Rabba 1


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Hashem then shows him,

That not only do we complete the Torah on Simchas T orah but we even begin

reading it all over again f rom Bereishis.

N ow the prosecuting angel is silenced. With this, we have added reason to celebrate.

The Medrash brings a source,

For celebrating the completion of an entire section of Torah, with a festive

meal from Shlomo H amelech (K ing Solomon). When H ashem promised him that

he will have unsurpassed wisdom, he celebrated it with a feast for all his

beloved friends11.

Hence,

We begin our celebration in Shul (synagogue) with joyous dancing andcelebration with the Torah scrolls. We dance around the Bimah seven times

which we call circuits - H ak afos. In truth, most congregations dance many

more times than that, except that all the dancing is done in seven sets.

Each set begins,

With someone that is chosen to lead a group of men, each one holding a Sefer

Torah in their arms, in chanting the selected stanzas that are found in the

special H oliday Prayer Book (M achzor).

The celebrations actually begin on the night of Simchas T orah in anticipation of

tomorrows T orah R eading of Parshas V ezose H abrocha which completes the entire

Chumash.

Even the daytime Hakafos Circuits celebration,

Is done before the actual Torah Reading and completion of the Chumash. Many

congregations even do H ak afos on Shemini A tzeres outside the Land of Israel

based on the Kabalistic writings of the Z ohar. These Hakafos are only done

at nighttime; not on Shemini Atzeres day.

11 I M elachim 3:15


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Placing candles inside the Aron HaKodesh (Holy

Ark); Not in the Land of Israel

There is a custom to place a burning candle inside the empty A ron H aKodesh (HolyA rk) after all the Sifrei T orah are removed for the H ak afos. Th is is done for a number of

reasons:

a. To symbolize that the Torah is likened to a burning candle as stated in the

Pasuk (verse) Ki N er M itzvah V eT orah Ore12 (For the commandments are a

candle and the Torah is the light )

b. To show that the physical A ron H aKodesh (H oly Ark) is not int rinsically

holy; its holiness is only because of the Sifrei Torah that it houses

c. A fter the Sifrei Torah which are likened to light are removed, we putcandles in the A ron in order to keep a light there constantly.

H owever, in E retz Y israel (the L and of I srael) the custom is never to place candles into

the A ron H aKodesh (H oly A rk). The reason fo r this dif ference is because in E retz Y israel

it is possible for Shemini A tzeres/Simchas T orah to fall on a Shabbos day. In order to avoid

the possible confusion of placing lit candles in the A ron H aKodesh (Holy Ark) on

Shabbos, the custom is to refrain f rom doing so even when it comes out on a weekday.

Hakafos - Atta Hareisa

O n Simchas T orah, it is customary to dance around the Bimah with all the T orah Scrollswith great joy and celebration, as mentioned before.

It is customary for the congregation to chant a selection of verses in honor of the

T orah Scrolls before they are removed from the A ron H aKodesh (Holy Ark) for the

joyous dancing and celebration. This selection begins w ith the verse of A t ta H areisa

L odaas K i H ashem H u H aE lok im E in O de M ilvado (You have been shown to know, that

H ashem, H e is the G -d, there is none beside H im 13).

There is also a specific order of text associated with each of the seven circuits (H ak afos)

that is chanted at the beginning of each circuit (H ak afah); composed according to theletters of the A leph Beis.

12 M ishley 6:23

13 D evarim 4:35


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It is customary for the T orah Scrolls to be given to distinguished members of the

comm unity as an honor, to carry them around the Bimah. Then, each circuit - H ak afah

is celebrated for an indeterminate amount of time with singing and dancing. In

addition to this, there are certain selections of song that are sung during the circuits -

H ak afos; each community according to its custom.

Simc has Torah Dispensat ions

O n Simchas T orah one is allowed to do certain things in honor of the Torah that

otherwise are forbidden on regular Shabbos or Yom Tov days. They include:

D ancing

Clapping

A dding gunpowder/ fireworks to candles from before the H oliday (Y omT ov ) so that they will explode later when the candle burns down after it is

lit on Yom Tov. This is even if the candles may be extinguished by the

exploding gunpowder

However, one must not:

Burn incense to give off arom atic scent

A dd gunpowder/ fireworks on Yom Tov to a burning candle to make

noise

The Night t ime Torah Reading

In many communities, it is customary to read from the Torah after the nighttime

circuits - H ak afos. A lthough norm ally the Torah is not read in public at night, on this

night we read it in honor of the celebration to encourage pledges to purchase the

honor of being called for an A liyah to the Torah with the money going for the upkeep

of the synagogue, or for the scholars that study the Torah. This is another example

where we allow the practice of making pledges for the honor of Torah even though

pledges are generally prohibited on Shabbos and Yom Tov days.

O thers explain that we read from the Torah so not to take it out w ithout using it.

For the nighttime T orah R eading, we read f rom the final Parsha (Torah- Portion) - V ezose

H aBrocha. Some congregations have the custom to call three individuals for A liyas,

while others have the custom of calling five people; reading all the way up to the

portion given for the A liyah of Kol H anearim on SimchasTorah by day.


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According to these customs, the Baal Koreh (The Torah Reader) recites Chatzi Kaddish

(Half-Kaddish) after the A liyas just like after all other T orah Readings in Shul (the

synagogue). A fter that, we recite A leinu as usual and return home with our families to

enjoy a festive Y om Tov meal.

Some Posk im write that where there is a custom to recite Borchu after A leinu of M aariv,

they should say Borchu tonight before the H ak afas for the benefit of those individuals

who may go home before the completion of all the H ak afas and Krias H aTorah.

The Dayt ime Torah Readings

O n Shemini A tzeres outside the Land of Israel, we read the Torah portion that begins

with A sser T e'A sser. We begin from this point on Shemini Atzeres whether it ison

a weekday or on a Shabbos. This is in contrast with Pesach and Shavuos when we

begin reading from this point only when it occurs on a Shabbos, on T eA sser14 .

I . When Y om T ov is on a weekday the reading is por tioned out to f ive indiv iduals.

I I . When Y om T ov is on a Sabbath then the same portion is read to seven people.

In addition to this,

We read another A l iyah for M aftir from the portion beginning with Bayome

H aShemini A tzeres T ihyeh L achem15 .

I . I n I srael where Shemini A tzeres is celebrated as one day with Simchas

Torah, the T orah Readings follow the same order of Simchas T orahreadings outside the Land of I srael.

O ne of the reasons that we read the Torah Portion of V ezose H aBrocha on Simchas

Torah is because it contains the blessing of M oshe Rabbeinu (M oses our T eacher) to the

Jewish N ation (Bnei Y israel) right before his death.

Likewise,

We read this Torah Portion on the last holiday (Yom Tov) ofthe year.

14 D evarim 14:22

15 Bamidbar 29:35


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Additionally,

We read the blessings of V ezose H aBrocha since K ing Solom on (Shlomo

H amelech) also blessed Bnei Y israel during this time of the year when he

celebrated th e inauguration of the f irst Beis H amik dash.

The Added Al iyas

a. I t is permissible to give the A liyah of Chosson Torah or Chosson Bereishis to a

K ohen or a L evi.

b. I t is also perfectly alright to give these A l iyas to individuals who already

received A l iyas earlier in the day.

c. L ikewise, it is alright to give these A l iyas back to back to two Kohanim or to

tw o L eviim.

However,

One may not give both these A l iyas to the same individuals in the same

synagogue when they are read from two separate Sefer Torah Scrolls.

The reason for this is,

Because it causes people to think that the first Sefer T orah was flawed and the

second Sefer Torah was taken out to makeup for the first A liyah.

Kol Hanearim - Aliyah for All t he Children

It has become the longstanding custom to portion out A liyas to every male person

thats present in Shul (the synagogue) on Simchas T orah.

The Rama writes,

That we do this because of the joyous occasion of completing the reading of

the entire Torah; so that everyone one takes part in the joy of completing the

Torah and that no one quarrels over the A liyas.

Before the closing Aliyah

O f Sefer D evarim (the Book o f N umbers), there is another special A liyah that

we refer to as the A liyah of Kol H anearim (Literally, A ll the Children).


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This Aliyah is meant

For all those children who didn t receive an A l iyah because of their young age.

Therefore,

An adult receives the A l iyah and he brings the children along to receive the

A liyah with him. Its customary to spread a Tallis like a canopy over his head

and the heads of the children.

After the Torah portion is read,

Before the closing blessing (Brocha), we recite the verses of H amalach H agoeil

ossi mik ol rah yevareich es hahearim etc. (M ay the angel who redeems me from all

evil, bless the young lads) in honor of the children16. The one who receives this

A liyah may recite H amalach H agoeil as well as it doesnt constitute a H efsek(int errupt ion) since they are verses as well.

Chosson Torah The Groom of the Torah

The individual who gets the honor of receiving the final A l iyah is called the C hosson

Torah (the G room of the Torah). Th is honor is usually reserved f or a scholarly member

of the congregation in recognition of his dedication to the study of Torah.

Prior to receiving this Aliyah,

The Gabbai reads a long list of blessings and praises about the recipient of this

coveted A liyah. At the close of this A liyah and before the closing Brocha, the

congregation proclaims Chazak , Chazak, V enisChazeik as they always do at the

close of any of the five Chumashim (Five books of M oses). The person

receiving the A liyah doesnt chant th is with the congregation.

H ere too i t is custom ary that everyone surrounds the Bimah for this A l iyah and drape

their T alleisim over the area of the Sefer T orah like a Chupah (wedding) canopy.

Chosson Bereishis

After the closing A l iyah in the last of the five books of Moses -Sefer D evarim, we begin

anew by reading a portion from the beginning of the Torah from Genesis - Bereishis.The custom is that we read from Bereishis through all the days of creation until the end

16 These verses are also said along with the reading of the Shema before going to bed at night. It is said as aprayer for protection of our souls to be returned to us after it m akes its nightly journey to H eaven to r ecordones daily action s


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of V eyechulu which is the final day of creation which is Shabbos. Everyone chants the

verse of V ayehi E rev V ayehi B ok er Y om at the end of the reading of each day of

Creation.

a. T hen the Baal Koreh reads the verse out loud and continues withthe reading for the next day of creation.

b. A t the end of the sixth day of creation, the congregation says

V ayehi E rev V ayehi B ok er Y om H aShishi out loud and continues to

recite the entire reading of V ayechulu which is the Shabbos day

creation.

c. Then the Torah Reader (Baal Koreh) reads all these verses from the

Sefer T orah.

Why Everyone J oins In t he Reading of Chosson Bereishis

A s mention ed above, it is custom ary for t he congregation to join in the reading of t the

A l iyah of Chosson Bereishis.

Why do we do this and why particularly in this Aliyah?

There is an answer given by the Sefer Bik ores H aT almud, which is recorded by the Sefer

T aamei H aminhagim. He writes that really,

The obligation to read from the Torah on Y om T ov is fulfilled by the reading of

Parshas V ezose H a

brocha. G enesis - Bereishis (the first portion of the T orah R eadingfo r the year) will be read on the follow ing Shabbos. The only reason that we

read from Bereishis is to proclaim our firm belief in H ashem the Creator at this

festive time.

Therefore,

In order to emphasize this aspect of the reading, we have everyone personally

participate in the affirmation of the reading by reciting the closing verse of

each day of creation. Then we recite the entire reading for the creation of

Shabbos since it attests to our firm belief in G -d and H is creating of the world

and H is resting from such creative work on Shabbos.

The Final Aliyah

The very last A l iyah of the day is the reading of the M aftir A liyah which is the same

reading as on the previous day outside the Land of I srael.


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Hagbah Lift ing t he Torah for all t o See

H afoch Bah V aH afoch Bah D eK ulah Bah17 (Turn it and turn it fo r everythings in it, i.e. the

Torah contains all wisdom). O n Simchas T orah the custom is to perform H agbah by

lifting the Torah scroll and showing its writing to the congregation. This is done by

crossing ones hands over one another and grabbing the opposite post, to lift it with

the writing facing outwards.

Another reason is because the final words of the Torah are L eeinei K ol Y israel (to the

eyes of the Bnei Y israel). Therefore we show the writing of the Torah to everyones

eyes.

The Haftorah of Shemini At zeres and Simchas Torah

T he H aftorah reading on Shemini A tzeres outside the Land of Israel is from Sefer

M elachim18 (the Book of K ings) which cont ains the verse Bayome H aShemini Shil ach es

H aA m (O n the eighth day he sent the nation home).

In the Land of Israel on Shemini A tzeres, and outside the Land of Israel on Simchas

Torah,

The H aftorah reading is from the beginning of Sefer Y ehoshua (the Book of

Joshua) which begins with V ayehi A charei M os M oshe (And it was after M oshe

Rabbeinus death), an appropriate sequel to the Torah Portion at the end of the

Torah which describes the passing of M oshe our G reat T eacher.

Sisu VeSimchu BeSimchas Torah - Celebrate andRejoice w ith the Rejoicing of the Torah

A fter all the A l iyas are completed,

There is a custom in some congregations to read a song wh ich begins with the

words Sisu V eSimchu B eSimchas Torah (Rejoice and happy with Simchas T orah).

This is a beautiful composition that enumerates the many praises of the Torah

and those who study it.

17 A vos 5:22


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After this song is completed,

We recite A shrei and continue with T efill as M ussaf. As mentioned before, the

Kohanim do not D uchen at this time because we are concerned that they may be

slightly intoxicated from drinking at the festivit ies. Therefore, D uchening wasperform ed earlier at T efil las Shachari s.

Sasson VeSimcha

The V i lna Gaon explains that there is a difference between the two expressions

of happiness expressed by the words Sasson V eSimcha.

1) T he word Sasson denotes the joy that one experiences at he end of a

process, while the term Simcha denotes the joy one experiences at the

beginning of something good.

2) This distinction is expressed in the Pasuk (verse) Semeichim betzeisam

vesassim bevoam (they are happy when they go out and they rejoice

upon their return).

3) A ccordingly, it is dif ficult to understand why the order is reversed in

this song. It should read Simchu V eSisu BeSimchas T orah, since first one

experiences Simcha and only then, upon completion one experiences

the satisfying happiness of Sasson.

The answer to this question is that the way we recite this song fits perfectly

according to the above interpretation of the V ilna Gaon.

Since on Simchas Torah,

We first complete the entire Torah before we begin anew, we first express the

language of Sissu that denotes our satisfaction and happiness upon successfully

completing an entire cycle of T orah Readings. Then we say Simchu since we

begin anew from Parshas Bereishis that we are happy for this new opportunity as

well.


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Upholding the Fest ive Customs of Simchas Torah

It is important not to diminish any existing custom that people do to honor the Torah,

since this would lessen the importance given to Torah study. As long as these customs

do not infringe on H alacha they should be firmly upheld19.

Dovid HaMelech (King David) prided himself,

That when he danced in front of the A ron H aKodesh (Holy Ark) upon its

return f rom the Philistines, he didn t f eel it to be demeaning dancing the way

he did; rather he felt it to be a privilege to dance like that to honor H ashem20 .

Many great Torah scholars,

Who spent their lives deeply immersed in Torah study, danced with great

enthusiasm and fervor on Simchas T orah. The famed A ri H aKadosh said that heattained great levels in Kabbalistic knowledge by rejoicing on Simchas T orah with

all his strength.

The Vilna Gaon was also noted,

For his great enthusiasm in dancing on Simchas T orah in front of the Sefer T orah.

Another Torah Sage of more recent times,

Was Rav E lchonon Bunim W asserman " (M ay G-d A venge his blood), who

would dance with tremendous enthusiasm with his great Rebbe the ChafetzChaim ztl .Their inner sense of joy, was so overwhelming that they danced

for ho urs on end w ithout getting f atigued.

We too should take lesson from these great individuals to do the same even if

our rejoicing is only an outward display of happiness. In the merit of doing

this for the sake of honoring the Torah we will surely merit one day to feel an

inner sense of joy and connection with H ashem and H is sacred and holy Torah.

19 M ishna Berura 669:6

20 See M ishna Berura 669:11 and Shaar H atziyun 10


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The Joy of Simchas Torah: An Appreciat ion

T he custom of rejoicing with the T orah Scrolls on Si mchas T orah had very special meaning to our

fathers and grandfathers of bygone eras. One can say that it took more courage and

Mesirus Nefesh (selfless sacrifice) to sing, dance and be happy on SimchasTorah, than to fast on Yom Kippur.

I n the old communi ti es of Central and E astern E urope li fe was not easy; especial ly for the Jews. M any

burdensome restrictions and sanctions were placed upon the Jews of those communities, which made the

thought of star ti ng the long harsh winter months qui te unbearable. T herefore, when Si mchas Torah

arrived, the last festival before th is especially di ffi cul t season of the year, rejoicing on Simchas T orah was

quite a challenge.

T he famed M aggid of K oznitz used to reassure his foll owers that :

The G-d of Atta Bechartanu (from the text of the Amidah recited on

Yom Tov) is the same G-d of Atta Chonantanu (from the text of the

Amidah recited on weekdays).

W ith t hese words, he inspired his foll owers to strengthen their faith in G -d, W ho wil l surely help them

endure these difficult months, to forget their worries and carry the joy of being Jewish and

connected to Hashem through H is Torah, throughout the year.

W ith pure faith and devotion, each Jewish communi ty rejoiced wi th G -d and H is T orah and

celebrated the Simchas Torah day wi th unparall eled joy and ex citement.

T he various customs of Simchas Torah that ar e mentioned by the Posk im are an outgrowth of the

tremendous joy and celebration that was genuinely celebrated in those days when i t took great courage

and strength of character to rejoice with the T orah wi th such pur ity and holi ness21 .

Shemini Atzeres on Shabbos

Koheles22

It is customary to read the M egill ah (scroll) of K oheles on Shabbos of Succos. Usually the

Shabbos occurs during Chol H amoed. However, when the f irst day of Succos is on Shabbos

then we read K oheleson the next Shabbos which is Shemini Atzeres.

21 F esti vals in H alacha, by Rabbi S.Y . Z evin ztl

22 From Roadmap to Prayer Lesson 56


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950

K oheles is a sefer of T anach (Scriptures) written by Shlomo H aM elech (K ing Solom on).

This work is about the many facets of lif e in this world vs. tho se of the spiritual world .

In the first couple of verses, K oheles, a name used for Shlomo H amelech23 , an indidividual

who possessed t remendous wealth , wisdom and all possible opportunit ies to enjoy th isworld, remarks seven times:

That all physical pleasures of this world are H evel - futil e! It is because of this

observation which sets the tone for the theme of the entire sefer that our Sages

deemed it an appropr iate reading f or the festival of Succos.

Each year during the festival of Succos,

We live the reality o f K ing Solom ons message that all endeavors under the sun24

are futile. Only those deeds that are above the sun the spiri tual ones are worthy

and valuable. By sitting outside our permanent homes in temporary dwellings

with thatched roofs, we place ourselves under the watchful eye of our Creator

instead of in a false sense of security of the home; mans place of refuge.

Simchas Torah in Israel on Shabbos

When Shemini A tzeres/ Simchas T orah coincides with Shabbos in Israel, there will be a

T orah R eading at M inchajust like any other Shabbos of the year. The T orah Portion that is

read then is the beginning of Bereishis.

Outside the Land of Israel, Shemini A tzeres doesnt coincide with Shabbos.

May Hashem grant us the merit to continually celebrate life with H ashem and

His Torah, Amen!

23 In t he Book of K oheles, K ing Solomon refers to himself as "K oheles." Why? Because he gathered (Kihale) vastwisdom, and because he, as king, gathered the nation on Succos after the Sabbatical year. (1:1)

24 K oheles 1:3


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A N A T T A C H M E N T O F T H E S O U L - Q U E S T I O N S

951

Questions:1) I n what way do wee clearly see that Shemini A tzeres is a separate Y om T ov

from the rest of Succos even outside the Land of I srael?

2) Is there any difference between Simchas T orah and Shemini A tzeres outside

the Land of Israel regarding the version of the text of a prayer, with

regard to the laws of repeating the A midah when a specific mistake was

made?

3) What change occurs in the N usach (text) of the A midah/ Shemoneh E srei

prayer on Shemini A tzeres?

4) When does the above change occur? (2 customs)

5) Why do we not institute the above change at M aariv of Shemini A tzeres?

6) O utside the Land of I srael, what is the difference between the time for

D uchening (The Kohanim raising their hand and recite the special priestly

blessing of Y evarechecha, Y aeir and Y issa) on Shemini A tzeres and Simchas

Torah?

7) What is the primary reason for the H ak afah celebrations of Simchas

Torah?

8) What do we place inside the A ron H aKodesh (H oly A rk) in manycongregations and why is th is custom not performed in I srael?

9) What specific prohibited activities of Shabbos and Yom Tov days are

allowed to be done due to the joy of the H ak afah celebrations?

10) What general rules are relaxed regarding the A liyas of C hosson T orah and

C hosson B ereishis?

11) A t what point during the A liyah of Kol H anearim is H amalach H agoeil read

and by whom?

1 2 ) W h y d o w e b eg in r ead i n g t h e p o r t i o n o f th e B ereishi s o n Sim chas T orah? (2 )

1 3) W h y is i t cu s to m ar y to t u r n t h e w r i t in g o f t h e S efer T or a h t ow ards t he ou t s i de?

14) E x p l a in t h e ap p r o p r i a t en e s s o f t er m s Sisu V eSi m chu u s e d i n t h e s o n g a f t e r t h e H ak afos.


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952

Answers:1) Shemini A tzeres is a separate Yom Tov in that the M itzvah of the A rba

M inim is suspended on th is day.

2) Y es. I f on Shemini A tzeres one said Bayome H aSuccos instead of Shemini

A tzeres, one doesnt repeat the Tefilla. However, on Simchas T orah if one

made the same mistake, the A midah needs to be repeated.

3) We begin to insert M ashiv H aruach U morid H ageshem by the second

Brocha.

4) According to one custom, first the Shamash of the Shul announces the

change before the quiet A midah of M ussaf. At that point, everyone is

required to insert it into their A midah/ Shemoneh E srei T efillos (prayers).Then during the Chazzans repetition of M ussaf the Chazzan recites the

special prayer for G eshem (rain). Another custom is to wait until M incha to

begin inserting M ashiv H aruach U morid H ageshem; after the Chazzan

recites the G eshem prayer at M ussaf.

5) We do not begin inserting M ashiv H aruach U morid H ageshem by M aariv

since it is usual that many people do not attend Shul at night. Therefore,

to avoid conf usion, we begin at M ussaf when everyone is present.

6) O n Shemini A tzeres the Kohanim duchen at M ussaf, while on Simchas T orah

they duchen at Shacharis.

7) I t is a celebration on the occasion of completing the full cycle of reading

through the Torah in th e synagogue.

8) There are a number of reasons for placing a candle inside of the empty

A ron H aKodesh (H oly A rk). 1) Because Torah is symbolized by the light of

the candle. 2) To show that the holiness of an A ron H aKodesh (Holy Ark)

is only because it houses Sifrei T orah. 3) In order to keep a light there

constantly.

9) D ancing, clapping and adding gunpowder/ fireworks to the candles

before Yom Tov and lighting them on Yom Tov.

10) That they may be given to individuals who had A l iyas earlier in the day.

They may be given to any indiv idual; K ohen, L evi or Y israel. They may also

be given back to back to any of these individuals.


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11) Everyone recites H amalach H agoeil together before the closing Brocha on

the T orah Reading. Even the person who received the A l iyah reads this

with everyone.

12) In order to show our intent to continue our Torah studies even aftercompleting reading through the entire Torah. Another reason we do this

is in order to show our firm belief in H ashem and Creation at this joyous

time of celebrating the completion of reading through the entire Torah

which is G -ds gift t o us.

13) Th is is done because the final words of the Torah are T hat M oses did

before the eyes of al l of I srael. Another reason is because it states in Pirk ei

A vos (Chapters of the Fathers) H afoch Bah V aH afoch Bah D eK ulah Bah

(Turn it and turn it for everythings in it, i.e. the Torah contains all

wisdom).

14) The word Sasson denotes the joy that one experiences at he end of a

process, while the term Simcha denotes the joy one experiences at the

beginning of something good. After completing the Torah and then

start ing it all over again anew, both these aspects are represented.

Documents

Roadmap to Prayer Lesson 60