Simchat Torah - the rejoicing of the Torah, the cycle completed, and the hakafot procession

Simchat Torah is the Jewish festival celebrating the completion of the annual cycle of Torah reading and the immediate beginning of the new cycle. Observed on 22-23 Tishrei (combined with Shemini Atzeret in Israel, on the day following Sukkot), the day is marked by seven hakafot (processions) around the synagogue with the Torah scrolls, and the calling of the final and first aliyot (Torah readings).

The one-line summary

A Jewish festival celebrated on 22-23 Tishrei (September or October) that marks the completion of the annual Torah reading cycle and the immediate beginning of the new cycle. The day is marked by seven hakafot (processions) around the synagogue with the Torah scrolls, the calling of the final and first aliyot, and the joyful celebration of the Torah. Public holiday in Israel and observed in Jewish communities worldwide.

Origin

Simchat Torah is a relatively late addition to the Jewish liturgical calendar, with its formal observance dating to the medieval period. The festival emerged from the rabbinic tradition of completing the annual cycle of Torah reading, which was standardized in Babylonia in the 7th-8th centuries CE. The practice of celebrating the completion of the cycle with a public procession and the immediate beginning of the new cycle was formalized in the 13th-14th centuries in the European Jewish communities.

The festival is associated with the theological principle that the Torah is a continuous cycle, not a closed book. The immediate beginning of the new cycle on the same day as the completion of the previous one symbolizes the idea that Torah study is unending and that each ending is a beginning. The Talmud (Megillah 31b) records the practice of completing the Torah cycle annually and the rejoicing that accompanies it.

When it is observed

Simchat Torah is observed on 22-23 Tishrei, falling in late September or early October in the Gregorian calendar. In Israel, Simchat Torah is combined with Shemini Atzeret and is observed on 22 Tishrei only. In the diaspora, Shemini Atzeret is observed on 22 Tishrei and Simchat Torah on 23 Tishrei. The two-day observance reflects the Talmudic debate (Sukkah 47a-b) about whether the holiday is one day or two.

In 2026, Simchat Torah falls on Tuesday, September 29 in the diaspora and on Monday, September 28 in Israel (combined with Shemini Atzeret). The dates shift from year to year based on the Hebrew calendar, with Simchat Torah falling in late September in some years and in early to mid October in others.

The hakafot

The hakafot (Hebrew for "processions" or "circuits") are the central ritual of Simchat Torah. Seven processions are made around the synagogue with the Torah scrolls, led by the rabbi, the cantor, and the gabbai (synagogue administrator). The Torah scrolls are taken from the ark and carried around the synagogue in procession. Worshippers accompany the procession, dancing, singing, and calling out liturgical verses.

The evening service (Ma'ariv) includes hakafot, and the morning service (Shacharit) includes additional hakafot. In some communities, the evening hakafot are the most joyful, with the synagogue filled with dancing and the children receiving an atarot (candy) shower. The morning hakafot are more formal, with the final hakafah incorporating the aliyot.

Children are central to the Simchat Torah celebration. In many communities, children are given flags, candies, and small Torah scrolls to carry in the procession. The tradition of giving children an active role in the Simchat Torah celebration is part of the broader Jewish pedagogical tradition of associating children with the joy of Torah study from an early age.

The final and first aliyot

On Simchat Torah, the final aliyah of the cycle is traditionally given to the Chatan Torah ("Bridegroom of the Torah"), and the first aliyah of the new cycle is given to the Chatan Bereshit ("Bridegroom of Genesis"). These are honored positions given to respected community members, often as a way of recognizing their years of service. The two honorees sometimes host a celebratory meal (kiddush) for the community after the service.

The final aliyah of the cycle is the reading of the last portion of the Torah, Vezot Haberakhah (Deuteronomy 33-34), which describes the death of Moses. The first aliyah of the new cycle is the reading of the first portion of the Torah, Bereshit (Genesis 1-1), which describes the creation of the world. The transition from the end of Deuteronomy to the beginning of Genesis symbolizes the continuous nature of Torah study.

In many communities, the reading of the "Atah Hareishit" (the first words of Genesis) is a particularly emotional moment, with the congregation rising to its feet and the children standing at the bimah to hear the first words of the new cycle. The practice reflects the rabbinic tradition that the beginning of Torah study should be marked with the whole community gathered.

Public status

Simchat Torah is a public holiday in Israel, where it is combined with Shemini Atzeret and observed on 22 Tishrei. The day is a paid day off under Israeli labour law, and most businesses, government offices, and schools are closed. In the diaspora, Simchat Torah is a public holiday in Jewish community calendars but is not a public holiday in any country. Many Jewish employees in the diaspora receive the day off from work, particularly in the US, UK, Canada, and other countries with large Jewish populations.

Sources

• en.wikipedia.org, Simchat Torah.
• chabad.org, What is Simchat Torah?
• jewishvirtuallibrary.org, Simchat Torah.
• britannica.com, Simhat Torah.
• sefaria.org, Deuteronomy 33.