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Simchat Torah: Difference between revisions

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==When Hakafot take place==
==When Hakafot take place==
# It is customary, by both the night and day of Simchat Torah, to remove all of the Torahs from the Aron and to sing songs and praises.<ref>Rama 669:1</ref> It is also customary to encircle the Bima with the Torahs just as is done with the lulav.<ref>Rama 669:1</ref>
# It is customary, by both the night and day of Simchat Torah, to remove all of the Torahs from the Aron and to sing songs and praises.<ref>Rama 669:1</ref> It is also customary to encircle the [[Bima]] with the Torahs just as is done with the [lulav]] during [[Sukkot]] and [[Hoshana Raba]].<ref>Rama 669:1</ref>
# In Israel, there is a minhag to do Hakafot the night of Motzei Simchat Torah.<ref>Chazon Ovadya p. 460</ref>
# In Israel, there is a minhag to do Hakafot the night of Motzei Simchat Torah.<ref>Chazon Ovadya p. 460</ref>
==Other Details of Hakafot==
==Other Details of Hakafot==
# Even those who are strict about not dancing or clapping on [[Shabbat]] and [[Yom Tov]] all year round are lenient about dancing and clapping on Simchat Torah in order to give respect to the completion of Torah.<ref>Nitei Gavriel ([[Sukkot]] 93:9), Chazon Ovadya p. 456-7</ref> However, playing musical instruments is absolutely forbidden on Simchat Torah, both in Israel and outside Israel.<ref>Chazon Ovadya p. 458</ref>
# Even those who are strict about not dancing or clapping on [[Shabbat]] and [[Yom Tov]] all year round are lenient about dancing and clapping on Simchat Torah in order to give respect to the completion of Torah.<ref>Nitei Gavriel ([[Sukkot]] 93:9), Chazon Ovadya p. 456-7</ref> However, playing musical instruments is absolutely forbidden on Simchat Torah, both in Israel and outside Israel.<ref>Chazon Ovadya p. 458</ref>
# It is praiseworthy to engage in the celebration of Simchat Torah with dancing and clapping as much as one is able. <Ref>Chazon Ovadya p. 462.  M.B 669:11 Just as King David danced with all of his strength when the Aron was brought to Yerushalaim (Shmuel 2, 6, 14), so too have many great scholars danced with all of their strength on Simchat Torah including the Arizal and the Gra.</ref>
# It is praiseworthy to engage in the celebration of Simchat Torah with dancing and clapping as much as one is able. <Ref>Chazon Ovadya p. 462.  M.B 669:11 Just as King David danced with all of his strength when the Aron was brought to Yerushalaim (Shmuel 2, 6, 14), so too have many great scholars and elders danced with all of their strength on Simchat Torah including the Arizal and the Gra.</ref>
# In some shuls, the bima is encircled 3 times, while in other shuls the bima is encircled 7 times.<ref>M.B. 669:10</ref> # One should be careful not to give a Sefer Torah to a young child to dance with because he may drop it. <Ref>Chazon Ovadya p. 463</ref>
# In some shuls, the bima is encircled 3 times, while in other shuls the bima is encircled 7 times.<ref>M.B. 669:10</ref> # One should be careful not to give a Sefer Torah to a young child to dance with because he may drop it. <Ref>Chazon Ovadya p. 463</ref>
# Some say that having a person ride on someone else's shoulders is a bad minhag. <Ref>Chazon Ovadya p. 463</ref>
# Some say that having a person ride on someone else's shoulders is a bad minhag. <Ref>Chazon Ovadya p. 463</ref>
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# One should not make [[Kiddush]] on the night of Simchat Torah before certain nightfall (i.e. [[Tzet HaCochavim]]). <Ref>Kaf HaChaim 668:10 quoting Ben Ish Chai (Vezot HaBrachot #13), Nitei Gavriel 92:2 </ref>
# One should not make [[Kiddush]] on the night of Simchat Torah before certain nightfall (i.e. [[Tzet HaCochavim]]). <Ref>Kaf HaChaim 668:10 quoting Ben Ish Chai (Vezot HaBrachot #13), Nitei Gavriel 92:2 </ref>


==Prayers==
==Special Aliyot==
# The minhag is that everyone should receive an aliyah on simchat torah in order to be involved in the happiness of finishing the Torah. Also, it increases our honor for the Torah. <ref>Rama 669:1, Mishna Brurah 669:12. Aseh Lecha Rav 3:21 adds that this minhag is partially based on the minhag to give each person an aliyah once a month and at least in Tishrei we should ensure that this take place.</ref>
# The minhag is that everyone should receive an aliyah on Simchat Torah in order to be involved in the happiness of finishing the Torah. Also, it increases our honor for the Torah. <ref>Rama 669:1, Mishna Brurah 669:12. Aseh Lecha Rav 3:21 adds that this minhag is partially based on the minhag to give each person an aliyah once a month and at least in Tishrei we should ensure that this take place.</ref>
# It is customary to call up all the children up to receive an aliya called Kol Ne'arim (all the children).<ref>Rama 669:1</ref> The reader reads from "uli'Dan amar" until "Me'ona" and the children recite the brachot. This is done in order to educate the children regarding the reading of the Torah and in order to bless them with the blessing Yaakov gave to Ephraiim and Menashe: "Ha'malach ha'goel oti mi'kol ra hu yi'varech et ha'nearim viykare bahem shimi ve'sheim avotai Avraham ve'Yitzhak ve'yidgu la'rov be'kerev ha'aretz" (Breisheit 48, 16). The blessing is given before the children begin their bracha following the Torah reading.<ref>M.B. 669:13-14</ref>
# The person called up for the aliya during which the reading of the entire Torah is completed (beginning with the words "Me'ona E-lokei kedem") is known as Chatan Torah.<ref>M.B. 669:1</ref> The person called up for the aliya during which the Torah is begun once again is known as Chatan Breisheit.<ref>M.B. 669:2</ref>
# Even if someone already received an aliya he may still be called up once again for Chatan Torah or Chatan Breishit.  However, the one who was called up for Chatan Torah may not be called up for Chatan Breishit because there is not a large amount of time between the two aliyot (unless one receives one honor in one shul and the other honor in another).<ref>M.B. 669:2 Calling up the same person for two aliyot in close succession might lead onlookers to think something is wrong with the 1st sefer Torah.</ref>
# Even a Kohen or Levi may be called up for Chatan Torah or Chatan Breishit.<ref>M.B. 669:2</ref>
# It is customary that the ones receiving these honors donate money for needs of the Beit Midrash and to strengthen those learning Torah.<ref>Rama 669:6</ref>
# If possible, it is proper to arrange that the men receiving these aliyot should be wise in Torah or, at least, respected members of the community.<ref>M.B. 639:1</ref> Nonetheless, even a child may receive Chatan Torah and in some places this is the custom.<ref>Rama 669:1</ref>
 
==Special Items Regarding Prayers==
# [[Shechechianu]] is recited even in chutz la'aretz when Simchat Torah is celebrated on the second day of [[Shemini Aseret]].<ref>S.A 669:1</ref>
# At night time, it is customary to read Ve'zot Ha'bracha as is done on a regular Monday, Thursday, or Shabbat afternoon and a [[Half Kaddish]] is recited thereafter.<ref>M.B. 669:15</ref>
# During the day, 3 Torahs are removed from the aron: 1 is for ve'zot ha'bracha (the final parsha in the Torah), 1 is for Breishit, and 1 is for the special reading of the day for [[Shemini Aseret]] from Parshat Pinchas (Bamidbar 29:35).<ref>S.A 669:1</ref>
# In a shul in which only two Torahs are present an additional Torah may be brought from another shul even though it is being brought to be used only once (typically this is forbidden).<ref>M.B. 669:9</ref> If this is not feasible, the 1st Torah should be rolled to Parshat Pinchas after completing the reading from Ve'zot Ha'bracha.<ref>Rama 669:1</ref>
# Some say that congregations should not say the 13 attributes of mercy (Yag Middot) when opening the aron on [[Shemini Aseret]]. <Ref>Halichot Shlomo p. 436, Chazon Ovadya p. 469</ref>
# Some say that congregations should not say the 13 attributes of mercy (Yag Middot) when opening the aron on [[Shemini Aseret]]. <Ref>Halichot Shlomo p. 436, Chazon Ovadya p. 469</ref>