Simchat Torah: Difference between revisions
From Halachipedia
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 2: | Line 2: | ||
Simchat Torah is the day when Jews across the world complete the reading of the Torah and there is a celebration upon this completion. Outside of Israel, the second day of [[Shemini Aseret]] is called Simchat Torah because that's when this completion takes place. <Ref>Kitzur S"A 138:7, Chazon Ovadya p. 467</ref> In Israel, the one day of [[Shemini Aseret]] is also Simchat Torah.<ref>Chazon Ovadyah p. 469</ref> | Simchat Torah is the day when Jews across the world complete the reading of the Torah and there is a celebration upon this completion. Outside of Israel, the second day of [[Shemini Aseret]] is called Simchat Torah because that's when this completion takes place. <Ref>Kitzur S"A 138:7, Chazon Ovadya p. 467</ref> In Israel, the one day of [[Shemini Aseret]] is also Simchat Torah.<ref>Chazon Ovadyah p. 469</ref> | ||
== | ==Hakafot== | ||
# 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. Mishna Brurah 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> | |||
# 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 (table where the Torah is read) with the Torahs just as is done with the [[lulav]] during [[Sukkot]] and [[Hoshana Rabba]].<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 (table where the Torah is read) with the Torahs just as is done with the [[lulav]] during [[Sukkot]] and [[Hoshana Rabba]].<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> | ||
# 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>Mishna Brura 339:18, Nitei Gavriel ([[Sukkot]] 93:9), Chazon Ovadya p. 456-7, Magen Avraham 339:1, Chayei Adam 2:153, Beit Yosef 339. see also Yechave Daat 3:49</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 | |||
# In some shuls, the bima is encircled 3 times, while in other shuls the bima is encircled 7 times.<ref>Mishna Brurah 669:10</ref> | # In some shuls, the bima is encircled 3 times, while in other shuls the bima is encircled 7 times.<ref>Mishna Brurah 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> | # 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> | ||
# It is permitted for the elderly and | # It is permitted for the elderly and the sick to sit between Hakafot but they should stand during the Hakafot and when the Sifrei Torah are being returned to the Heichal. Healthy people should stand during the entire duration of Hakafot until the Sifrei Torah are returned to the Heichal. <ref>Chazon Ovadya p. 465. </ref> | ||
# On Simchat Torah, it is permitted to move a Torah for the purpose of dancing or reading it somewhere else.<ref>Nitei Gavriel ([[Sukkot]] 94:1), Chazon Ovadya p. 460</ref> | # On Simchat Torah, it is permitted to move a Torah for the purpose of dancing or reading it somewhere else, even though this is not generally permitted.<ref>Nitei Gavriel ([[Sukkot]] 94:1), Chazon Ovadya p. 460, Yechave Daat 1:72</ref> | ||
Regarding the laws of davening and reciting brachot after drinking wine and other intoxicating beverages see [[Avoiding Davening After Drinking Intoxicating Beverages]]. | # Regarding the laws of davening and reciting brachot after drinking wine and other intoxicating beverages see [[Avoiding Davening After Drinking Intoxicating Beverages]]. | ||
==Nighttime meal== | ==Nighttime meal== | ||
| Line 20: | Line 19: | ||
==Special Aliyot== | ==Special Aliyot== | ||
# The minhag is that everyone receives 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 receives 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 | # 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 Ephraim 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>Mishna Brurah 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>Mishna Brurah 669:1</ref> The person called up for the aliya during which the Torah is begun once again is known as Chatan Breisheit.<ref>Mishna Brurah 669:2</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>Mishna Brurah 669:1</ref> The person called up for the aliya during which the Torah is begun once again is known as Chatan Breisheit.<ref>Mishna Brurah 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>Mishna Brurah 669:2 Calling up the same person for two aliyot in close succession might lead onlookers to think something is wrong with the first sefer Torah.</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>Mishna Brurah 669:2 Calling up the same person for two aliyot in close succession might lead onlookers to think something is wrong with the first sefer Torah.</ref> | ||
