Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah 101
What are Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah?
Why celebrate one Jewish holiday when you can celebrate four?! After a month of observing the holidays of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot, the Jewish calendar finally lands on Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, a combined celebration that marks the end of the High Holidays.
Shemini Atzeret is formally the eighth day of the holiday of Sukkot, but is celebrated as its own holiday with unique blessings and prayers. Combined with Simchat Torah in Israel and in some Diaspora communities, Shemini Atzeret is a bonus day of celebration and connection after an action-packed fall holiday season.
Have you ever finished a really good book and then turned back to the beginning to start it over again? Or re-read a beloved book and it felt like spending time with a childhood friend? Simchat Torah celebrates the cycle of reading the Torah, when Jews around the world read the entire Torah over the course of a year and then immediately start reading it again. Simchat Torah is the final holiday in the nearly month-long series of Jewish holidays referred to as the “High Holidays” that occur throughout the month of Tishrei.
Simchat Torah and October 7:
One year ago, on Simchat Torah, October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists attacked southern Israel, killing over 1,200 people and kidnapping over 200 more. For Jews around the world, Simchat Torah will forever be associated with this terrible tragedy. In some communities, people are connecting the commitment of “we will dance again,” a commemoration of the Nova Music Festival Massacre, with the celebratory practice of hakafot, dancing with the Torah, on Simchat Torah. While we continue to grieve for the people killed and pray that the hostages taken on that day will be released from captivity, on Simchat Torah we also recommit ourselves to the Jewish joy that has been embodied by Jews during the holiday for thousands of years.
Practices on Simchat Torah:
Here are some other ways that Jews around the world celebrate Simchat Torah:
- The highlight of Simchat Torah for many communities is the joyous singing and dancing in synagogue, where all of the Torah scrolls are removed from the Aron Kodesh (Ark — where they are usually kept) and paraded around in celebration of the completion and beginning of the Torah-reading cycle.
- In some communities, every adult participates in the reading of the end and beginning of the Torah as an expression of each individual’s personal connection to the Torah, in addition to the communal celebration.
- Beginning on Shemini Atzeret and lasting until Passover in the spring, a short prayer for rain is inserted into the second blessing of the Amidah (the Standing Prayer). This connects to the agricultural cycle of Israel, where rain is needed for crops during this period of time (fall/winter).
Ideas for Observing Simchat Torah this Year:
- A traditional Simchat Torah song calls us to “v’samachta b’chagecha v’hayita ach sameach, ” — to take joy in your holiday and be happy. It may sound surprising to be required to be joyous, but Jewish tradition calls us to access joy, even when things are difficult. Jewish joy is a core part of Jewish resiliency. Find an activity or plan a celebratory meal with your community to help you tap into that joy on a difficult day.
- Make an edible Torah scroll or a dish with honey and share it with roommates or friends. Sweet foods are often eaten on Simchat Torah because the words of Torah should be as sweet as honey in our lives.
- Many campus Hillels hold a Simchat Torah celebration on campus, sometimes with a party or dancing, and others unroll the entire Torah scroll, a tradition also practiced at many synagogues. Consider participating in a Simchat Torah celebration on your campus.
- Hillel International is proud to co-sponsor the Simchat Torah Challenge, which aims to encourage 10,000 Jews of all backgrounds to commit to reading the weekly Torah portion every week for one year. As we continue to address antisemitism both on our campuses and in our communities, we also recommit ourselves to Jewish learning and joy.
However you choose to celebrate these two special holidays, we hope you find glimmers of hope and joy in your Jewish identity during these challenging times. Happy holidays or chag sameach!