Think & Reflect:
Everyone has a favorite holiday and it comes as no surprise to those who know me, that my favorite is Simchat Torah. What biblioholic would not love a holiday that celebrates a special book? Judaism is a wonderful religion that has so many facets and entry ways. For those of you who love the learning & study connection with Judaism and G-d, Simchat Torah is your holiday. (and for those who love all and any of the other ways, Simchat Torah still is your holiday) We celebrate the cycle of reading the entire Torah coming to an end and beginning again with ritual, song and dancing together – this is the BEST holiday to go to synagogue!
Questions to Ponder
The questions to ponder on Torah are endless but for Simchat Torah, ponder this from Dr. David Ackerman of JCCA from 2005:
The moment we finish V’zot Habracha and complete the annual cycle of Torah reading, we turn back to Genesis, the beginning of the Torah, and start the cycle anew. This is a return to the past, to the beginning of the Jewish (and the world’s) story. Recalling the past stabilizes us while we catch our breath.
The very next thing we do, though, is read the haftara, the prophetic selection, from the book of Joshua, Moses’ successor. Joshua is the future, the next adventure of the Jewish people as they enter the land. So on Simchat Torah, when we are light-headed from circling around V’zot Habracha, and from dancing in circles with the Torah, we clear our heads by looking first to the past, and then to the future. Simchat Torah teaches no moment is isolated in time. We are always connected simultaneously to our past and to our future.
Do & Share
As a rabbi with a very funny name (Rabbi Ben Bag Bag) said in Pirke Avot 5:26 – “Turn it and turn it; for everything is contained in it.” Do and share Torah every day!
A Challenge for a Week (or longer)
Simchat Torah is the ultimate joyful community celebration – bring your children and dance with them; Simchat Torah is the ultimate celebration of learning – it focuses our attention on the cycle of study and reminding us of the centrality of Torah to our lives; Simchat Torah will ultimately keep us Jewish as the Torah is the center of our Jewishness!
So this Simchat Torah, go to your synagogue to dance! Joel Grishaver gives us this though for Simchat Torah: “Celebrate every Jewish holiday like it is the only one you will get to celebrate, and pack all your Jewish feelings into it.
Dayenu” – the literal translation of this wonderful expression that we remember each Passover is – “It would have been enough!” If you have taken your children to the synagogue for Rosh Hashanah – Dayenu! If you also took them to hear the shofar blown at the end of Yom Kippur – Dayenu!! If you have eaten a few meals in a Sukkah (and maybe built your own) – Dayenu!! If you danced with the Torah on Simchat Torah – DAYENU!! But that really isn’t enough – there is so much more. So when do we begin? TODAY!
Laura Seymour | Camp Director Emeritus | Jewish Experiential Learning Director
Lseymour@jccdallas.org
