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SH'MINI
ATZERET/SIMCHAT TORAH
Sh'mini
Atzeret, literally the Gathering of the Eighth, appears, on the
surface, to be the eighth day (and ninth day outside of Israel)
of Sukkot. It is, however, a separate and independent holiday
that immediately follows Sukkot.
In Israel, Sh'mini Atzeret is celebrated concurrently with Simchat
Torah. Outside of Israel, Simchat Torah is celebrated on the following
day. This Crash Course in Jewish Holidays presents them as two
separate days.
SH'MINI ATZERET
Sh'mini Atzeret/Simchat Torah is a Yom Tov and is observed like
Sukkot, hence carrying and cooking are permitted. On Sh'mini Atzeret/Simchat
Torah, the obligation to dwell or eat in the sukkah no longer
pertains. In the Diaspora, some eat in the sukkah (without a blessing)
on Sh'mini Atzeret, while others do not. In Israel, there is no
custom to eat in the sukkah on Sh'mini Atzeret.
Candlelighting
Shabbat and all Jewish holidays always begin at sunset of the
evening before. On the Sabbath and Yom Tov [festival] candles
are lit 18 minutes before sunset to welcome the holiday. On the
second night of Yom Tov, candles are lit no earlier than one hour
after sunset.
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Shabbat
and all Jewish holidays always begin at sunset of the evening
before. On the Sabbath and Yom Tov [festival] candles are
lit 18 minutes before sunset to welcome the holiday. On
the second night of Yom Tov, candles are lit no earlier
than one hour after sunset.
Because Sh'mini Atzeret, begins on Friday night,
the Shabbat candle-lighting procedure is as follows :
Two candles (minimum) are lit, then both hands are waved
towards the face, symbolically drawing in the light of the
candles and the sanctity of the Sabbath/Yom Tov. The eyes
are covered and the blessing is recited. On the second night,
Saturday night, the blessing is said first, without the
Shabbat addition, and only then are the candles lit (from
a pre-existing flame).
On Friday night, insert the bracketed words:
Baruch atah Ado-nai, Ehlo-haynu melech Ha-olam, asher
kideshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzeevanu l'hadlik ner shel [Shabbat
v']Yom Tov.
Blessed are you L-rd, our G-d ruler of the world, who sanctified
us through His commandments and commanded us to kindle the
lights of [the Sabbath and] Yom Tov (festival).
An additional blessing is said on both nights of Sh'mini
Atzeret, to acknowledge the good fortune of being able
to experience the holiday:
Baruch atah Ado-nai, Ehlo-haynu melech Ha-olam, she'he'che'yanu
v'kee'manu, v'hee'gee'anu la'zman ha'zeh
Blessed
are you L-rd, our G-d ruler of the world, Who has kept us
alive, sustained us, and brought us to this season
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Evening services are held in the synagogue.
A festive meal is eaten, preceded by the festival Kiddush, ritual
washing of the hands and Ha'Motzei, which is made over two whole
challot. The meal is followed by the Grace After Meals with the
addition of Y'aleh V'Yavo, "May there rise and come...", in honor
of the holiday.
The Morning Synagogue Service
1)
On Sh'mini Atzeret the formal prayer for rain is added to the
service (as Sh'mini Atzeret marks the start of the rainy season
in Israel).
a)
Although there are many allusions to rain on Sukkot, and G-d
determines the allotment of rain for the next year on Hoshana
Rabah, the prayer for rain is delayed until after the Sukkot
holiday. Rain on Sukkot is considered a sign of disfavor since
it prevents the fulfillment of the mitzvah of dwelling in the
sukkah.
b) The cantor recites the prayer for rain during the repetition
of the Mussaf (additional) service.
2)
In the Silent Amidah, ma'shiv ha'ruach u'morid ha'geshem, He makes
the wind blow and He makes the rain descend, is inserted. Mashiv...
is added to each service until Passover.
A festive meal is eaten, proceeded by the daytime festival Kiddush,
ritual washing of the hands and HaMotzei, which is made over two
whole challot. The meal is followed by the Grace After Meals with
the addition of Y'aleh V'Yavo, "May there rise and come...", in
honor of the holiday.
Mincha, the afternoon service is recited (including the weekly
Torah reading, since it is also Shabbat).
SIMCHAT TORAH
Simchat Torah is actually the second day of the Sh'mini Atzeret
festival and is a Yom Tov.
1)
The festival meals (with festival kiddush, ha'motzei and Grace
After Meals) are eaten.
2)
Because the first day of Yom Tov is also Shabbat, Havdallah, the
ceremony separating holy days from each other and weekdays, is
recited after Kiddush at the second night meal.
Simchat Torah celebrates the conclusion of the yearly cycle of
the reading of the Torah.
1)
Moshe ordained that the Torah should be read on every Shabbat
and the Rabbis divided the Torah into 54 sections called parshiot
(parasha). Generally, due to the cycle of the year, certain parshiot
are doubled, ie: read together on a single Shabbat.
2) On the same day that the Torah is completed, it is begun
again to show that Torah is always a new and desired gift for
the Jews, and that our mitzvah to study Torah is never ending.
Simchat Torah Night
1) After the evening service, all the Torah scrolls are removed
from the ark.
2) The bimah is circled seven times by those holding the Torah
scrolls as the congregation dances around them. Each circle, called
hakafa, begins with a responsive prayer.
3) In many communities, the beginning of the final parasha of
the Torah is read on Simchat Torah night, the only time that it
is read at night. *NOTE: The Simchat Torah festivities can last
many hours. If you have been invited to friends or family for
dinner, please confirm what time to meet.
Simchat Torah Day
1)
During the morning service, all the Torahs are again taken from
the ark and the hakafot, the joyous circling of the night before,
is repeated.
2) The final parasha (weekly portion) of the Torah, V'Zot HaBracha
(And this is the blessing...) is read.
It is customary that every man present in the synagogue receive
an aliyah (be called to the Torah) on Simchat Torah. The final
parasha is, therefore, read over and over until everyone has
had an aliyah. In some congregations, several Torah readings
take place simultaneously.
3)
At the end of the Torah reading, there are three special aliyot
for Simchat Torah:
Kol
ha-Ne'arim, All the Children – This is the second to last aliyah
of the parasha V'Zot Ha'Bracha. On Simchat Torah all the children
are called together for a joint aliyah.
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All of the children in the synagogue come to the bimah and
stand beneath an outstretched tallit, prayer shawl. Since
children under the age of 13 do not officially receive aliyot,
one adult recites the blessings over the Torah with them.
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After
the concluding blessing over the Torah, the blessing over
the children is recited:
Y'simicha E-lokim
k'Ephraim u'ke'Menashe. Y'varechecha A-donai, v'yishm'recha.
Ya'er A-donai panav eylecha viy'chu'neka. Yee'sa A-donai panav
eylecha v'yasem l'cha shalom.
May G-d make you like Ephraim and Menashe. May G-d bless you
and guard you. May G-d shine His countenance upon you, and
be gracious unto you. May G-d turn his countenance to you
and grant you peace.
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The
congregation then recites, HaMalach Ha'Goel, (The Redeeming
Angel).
HaMalach
Ha'goel oti meekol rah y'va'rech et han'arim, vey'karay bahem
sh'mee, v'shem a'votai Avraham v'Yitzchak, v'yidgu la'rov
b'kerev ha'aretz
May the angel who redeemed me from all evil bless the youths,
and call my name on them and the names of my fathers Abraham
and Isaac, and let them grow into a multitude upon the land.
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This is the part of the blessing the Jacob gave to Joseph's
sons Ephraim and Menashe.
Chatan Torah, The Bridegroom of the Torah
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The Chatan Torah is the final aliyah of the Torah.
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The
Chatan Torah aliyah is considered a great honor. As a reciprocal
gesture, it is customary for the Chatan Torah to sponsor of
the Kiddush following the service or on a forthcoming Shabbat.
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After
the aliyah, the congregation recites:
Chazak, chazak, v'nit'chazaik Be strong, be strong and we
will be strengthened c) Chatan Bereshit, The Bridegroom of
the Beginning [of the Torah] i) The Chatan Bereshit is honored
with restarting the Torah and begins with Genesis.
4) The services continue with the mussaf (additional) service.
*NOTE: The Simchat Torah festivities can last many hours, depending
on the synagogue. If you have been invited to friends or family
for lunch, please confirm what time to meet.
Havdallah - At the conclusion of the second day of Yom Tov, Havdallah,
separating holy days from week days, is recited. This Havdallah
consists of only the blessing over grape juice (HaGafen) and the
Havdallah blessing (HaMavdil), which can be found in the daily prayer
book.
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