When did the Simchat Torah start?
About Simchat Torah Holiday
Simchat Torah is an important Jewish holiday in the Jewish calendar that celebrates the Jews’ completion of the annual cycle of reading the Torah. Simchat Torah, translated from Hebrew as the “Rejoicing of the Torah”, is celebrated by Jewish families quickly after the end of the festival of Sukkoth. This joyous holiday is marked by the stamping of feet, singing and dancing around the synagogue while waving the Torah scrolls.
For worshippers, Simchat Torah brings a feeling of immense happiness and community as Jews join together to rejoice in the teachings of the Torah in a variety of ways. During the course of the holiday, which lasts for two days, on the first day the last portion of the Torah is read, and immediately afterwards the first portion is read, signifying the completion of the cycle of readings followed throughout the past year. Additionally, some synagogues choose to hold a special celebration known as “hakafot” or circling with the Torah. On the second day of Simchat Torah, known as “Shemini Atzeret,” a prayer for rain is added with the traditional liturgy.
During this special holiday, families come together and celebrate the completion of the Torah cycle by participating in special religious services and activities, which can include playing music and singing, dancing with the Torah figures, and even singing the special prayers associated with Simchat Torah. These festivities all serve to honor and celebrate the written and spoken word of God that is embedded in the Torah. Ober all, Simchat Torah is an incredibly special experience for Jewish families to come together and celebrate their faith and customs in an environment filled with joy and happiness.
Simchat Torah – The Joyous Rejoicing of the Law
Simchat Torah is a joyous Jewish holiday that celebrates the completion and start of the annual cycle of reading the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) in the synagogue. Every year, this holiday marks the end of the Sukkot festivities with a seven-day celebration. Simchat Torah is traditionally celebrated by gathering in the synagogue, singing, dancing with the Torah scrolls, and reading the last passage of Deuteronomy and the first passage of Genesis.
History and Origin
Simchat Torah has been celebrated for thousands of years, though the holiday first appears in the Talmud. Its roots go back to the times of the Second Temple period when the reading of the Torah was completed in a festive way. During this period, the synagogue was a place of prayer and study, but also a place of celebration, where people danced and sang in praise of God’s laws.
Significance and Meaning
Simchat Torah is a time to celebrate the beauty and wisdom of the Torah and recognize its importance in the Jewish faith. Generally, the festivities involve singing traditional songs and dancing with the Torah scrolls, which are wrapped in fine cloth. This is done to show that the Jewish people honor the laws and commandments of the Torah as part of their tradition and culture. It is also a time to celebrate the completion of a cycle and begin anew.
Traditions and Celebrations
Simchat Torah is celebrated in many ways, but the main elements of the holiday are always the same. Most notably, many congregations celebrate by wrapping the Torah scrolls in fine cloth and dancing around them in a circle, which symbolizes the joy and reverence that the Torah brings to Jewish life. There is also singing of popular Jewish songs, such as Hallel and Adon Olam. Other traditions associated with the holiday include lighting candles to welcome in the new year, blessing the children, and eating traditional treats like doughnuts and apples with honey.
Geographical Spread
The Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah is celebrated in countries around the world. In Israel, the holiday is a national holiday and is celebrated with much enthusiasm. In other countries, such as the United States, the UK, and Canada, the day is observed among local Jewish communities with much fanfare.
Modern Day Observations
As Simchat Torah is an ancient holiday, its observance has changed over the years. Many traditional aspects of the celebration still remain, however, such as the wrapping of the Torah scrolls in fine cloth, the singing of traditional songs, and the celebration of the completion and start of the annual cycle of reading the Torah.
In recent years, with the advent of technology, many modern-day observances have emerged. In Israel, the day is celebrated with multi-city parades and there are virtual dance and prayer sessions conducted through various online platforms. This allows people to come together and celebrate the holiday, no matter where they are located.
Interesting Facts
Simchat Torah is usually celebrated on the 23rd of Tishrei, but since this year, 5781, is a leap year, the holiday will be celebrated a day later, on the 24th.
The holiday is often referred to by its Yiddish name, Simchas Torah, which means “Rejoicing of the Law” in English.
In some congregations, the local synagogue leader places a hat on top of the Torah scroll as a sign of respect and honor.
At the end of the traditional celebrations, the congregants recite Hakafot Shniyot. This is a series of seven circuits that the Torah scrolls are taken around the synagogue to symbolize the seven days of Creation discussed in the Book of Genesis.
Popular Holiday Info
On Simchat Torah, it is common for the synagogue to host special meals or have a festive potluck. Traditional food served at these events often includes apples, honey, challah, and wine.
Many people who celebrate the holiday observe Simchat Torah by taking their Talit and Tallit Katan with them when they go to synagogue. It is customary to tie knots in these garments, which symbolize the bonds of Torah.
One of the most significant aspects of the holiday is Tashlikh, where people symbolically throw their sins into a body of water, typically a river or sea, as a way of symbolically expressing repentance and cleansing.
Simchat Torah is an important holiday for the Jewish community, as it is a time to demonstrate their love of the Torah and its teachings. Jews around the world gather to celebrate the day and show their respect for the Gift of the Torah.
How to Say "Simchat Torah" In Different Languages?
- Bulgarian
- Тора Радост (bg-BG)
- French
- Simhat Torah (fr-FR)
- German
- Simchas Torah (de-DE)
- Greek
- Σιμχάτ Τούρα (el-GR)
- Hebrew
- שמחת תורה (he-IL)
- Italian
- Simchat Torah (it-IT)
- Polish
- Simchat Torah (pl-PL)
- Portuguese
- Simchat Torah (pt-PT)
- Romanian
- Simchat Torah (ro-RO)
- Russian
- Симхат Тора (ru-RU)
- Spanish
- Simhat Torah (es-ES)
- Turkish
- Simhat Torah (tr-TR)
Simchat Torah Also Called
Hag Ha' Simchat Torah or the Festival of Rejoicing with the Torah.Countries where "Simchat Torah" is celebrated:
- :: Africa
- :: South Africa
- :: Europe
- :: Belgium
- :: France
- :: Germany
- :: Hungary
- :: Russian Federation
- :: Ukraine
- :: United Kingdom
- :: Central America
- :: Mexico
- :: Middle East
- :: State of Israel
- :: North America
- :: Canada
- :: United States of America
- :: Oceania
- :: Australia
- :: South America
- :: Argentina
- :: Brazil
FUN FACT:
In year 12th-13th century, Simchat Torah is celebrated on September 25 for the first time.HOLIDAY CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, please click here to contact us!

The Palestinian Cause Has Officially Jumped the Shark
VA Lt. Gov. Smacks Down Dems for Melting Down Over ‘Misgendering’ of State Senator Townhall Video Without a doubt, the “Palestinian Cause” has “jumped the shark.” Jumping the shark is a term that comes from the old television show Happy Days. It is defined in the Urban Dictionary as “The beginning of the end. Something is said to have “jumped the shark” when it has reached its peak and begun a downhill slide to mediocrity or oblivion.” Not that the Palestinian Cause ever really had a peak. It was mostly imaginary thinking to begin with. But ever since the October 7th massacre by the Hamas terror group, led by the elected government of the Palestinian quasi-state in Gaza, where Israeli,…

‘Jolt to reality’: Gaza war forces voter rethink ahead of South Africa poll
Cape Town, South Africa – Three months to South Africa’s much-anticipated general elections, the political landscape is being remade. Since Cyril Ramaphosa became president in 2018, domestic issues like corruption within the government, rolling power cuts, and a wobbling economy have been hotly debated but Israel’s war in faraway Gaza has become a key election issue in recent months. Since the apartheid era, the topic of Palestine has been a major point of division in South African politics as the white government stood firmly with Israel while the anti-apartheid movement saw Palestinian resistance aligned with its own. But Israel’s continuing war in Gaza since October has forced political parties to lay their cards on the table. The two largest parties…