Establishing the Annual Torah Cycle
וְשֶׁיְּהוּ קוֹרְאִין בְּשֵׁנִי וּבַחֲמִישִׁי – עֶזְרָא תִּיקֵּן?! וְהָא מֵעִיקָּרָא הֲוָה מִיתַּקְנָא! דְּתַנְיָא: ״וַיֵּלְכוּ שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים בַּמִּדְבָּר וְלֹא מָצְאוּ מָיִם״ – דּוֹרְשֵׁי רְשׁוּמוֹת אָמְרוּ: אֵין מַיִם אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הוֹי כׇּל צָמֵא לְכוּ לַמַּיִם״. כֵּיוָן שֶׁהָלְכוּ שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים בְּלֹא תּוֹרָה, נִלְאוּ, עָמְדוּ נְבִיאִים שֶׁבֵּינֵיהֶם וְתִיקְּנוּ לָהֶם שֶׁיְּהוּ קוֹרִין בַּשַּׁבָּת, וּמַפְסִיקִין בְּאֶחָד בַּשַּׁבָּת, וְקוֹרִין בְּשֵׁנִי, וּמַפְסִיקִין שְׁלִישִׁי וּרְבִיעִי, וְקוֹרִין בַּחֲמִישִׁי, וּמַפְסִיקִין עֶרֶב שַׁבָּת, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יָלִינוּ שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים בְּלֹא תּוֹרָה.
The Gemara discusses the second of Ezra’s ordinances: And that they should read the Torah on every Monday and Thursday. The Gemara asks: Did Ezra institute this practice? But it was instituted from the beginning, i.e., long before his time. As it is taught in a baraita with regard to the verse: “And Moses led Israel onward from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water” (Exodus 15:22). Those who interpret verses metaphorically said that water here is referring to nothing other than Torah, as it is stated metaphorically, concerning those who desire wisdom: “Ho, everyone who thirsts, come for water” (Isaiah 55:1). The baraita continues: The verse means that since the Jews traveled for three days without hearing any Torah they became weary, and therefore the prophets among them arose and instituted for them that they should read from the Torah each Shabbat, and pause on Sunday, and read again on Monday, and pause on Tuesday and Wednesday, and read again on Thursday, and pause on Shabbat eve, so they would not tarry three days without hearing the Torah. Evidently this practice predates Ezra.
תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר: עֶזְרָא תִּיקֵּן לָהֶן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיְּהוּ קוֹרִין קְלָלוֹת שֶׁבְּתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים קוֹדֶם עֲצֶרֶת, וְשֶׁבְּמִשְׁנֵה תוֹרָה קוֹדֶם רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה. מַאי טַעְמָא? אָמַר אַבָּיֵי וְאִיתֵּימָא רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּכְלֶה הַשָּׁנָה וְקִלְלוֹתֶיהָ.
It is taught in a baraita: Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar said: Ezra enacted for the Jewish people that they should read the portion of the curses that are recorded in Leviticus before Shavuot and the portion of the curses that are recorded in Deuteronomy before Rosh HaShana. The Gemara asks: What is the reason for this? Abaye said, and some say that it was Reish Lakish who said: In order that the year may conclude together with its curses, and the new year may begin without the ominous reading of the curses.
אֶלָּא לְמַאן דְּאָמַר ״צַו ... אֶת קׇרְבָּנִי״, מִי מִתְרְמֵי בְּהָהוּא זִימְנָא? אִין — לִבְנֵי מַעְרְבָא דְּמַסְּקִי לִדְאוֹרָיְיתָא בִּתְלָת שְׁנִין.
However, according to the one who said that the portion of “Command the children of Israel, and say to them, My offering” is read as Shekalim, does that portion ever occur at that time of the year? That portion usually occurs much later in the year, in the summer. The Gemara answers: Yes, it sometimes occurs that this portion is read during the beginning of Adar, for the people of the West, i.e., Eretz Yisrael, who complete the cycle of reading the Torah not in one year but in three years.
אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי. אֲנָא מִן יוֹמוֹי לָא אִיסְתַּכְּלִית בְּסִפְרָא דַאֲגַדְתָּא. אֶלָּא חַד זְמַן אִסְתַּכְּלִית. אַשְׁכְּחִית כָּתוּב בָּהּ. מֵאָה וְשִׁבְעִים וְחָמֵשׁ פַּרְשִׁיּוֹת שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה דִּבֵּר אֲמִירָה צִיוּוּי כְּנֶגֶד שְׁנוֹתָיו שֶׁלְאָבִינוּ אַבְרָהָם.
Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said, I never looked into a book of sermon concepts, except that once I looked, and I found written there: The 175 paragraphs where in the Torah is written speech, saying, commandment, correspond to the years of our father Abraham.
Mikra: Text, Translation, Reading and Interpretation of the Hebrew Bible in Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity, ed. Martin Jan Mulder, exec. ed. Harry Sysling, Chapter 4 by Charles Perrot, pg. 150
There is another point. Reading and teaching go hand in hand....Teaching calls for reading and vice versa. May it not be said that unlike the proseuchae perhaps of the Diaspora, which appeared primarily as 'houses of prayer', the Palestinian synagogues aimed originally at responding to a need for instruction? Not enough attention has been paid to the layout of these buildings of before 70 C.E. which are in all probability to be designated synagogues -- at Gamla, Masada, and the Herodion. They may be said to 'petrify' as it were the seating arrangements of the disciples in a circle around their master. These ancient synagogues were not oriented towards Jerusalem but towards the reader and lecturer in the middle of the building. And of course, these masters taught on the sabbath above all.
החילוקים שבין אנשי מזרח ובני ארץ ישראל (מתקופת הגאונים – מהדורת מרדכי מרגולית [5698], עמ' 88)
אנשי מזרח (- בני בבל) עושין שמחת תורה בכל שנה, ובני ארץ ישראל - לשלוש שנים ומחצה.
The Differences Between Those in the East and Those in Eretz Yisrael, pg. 88
Those in the East make Simchat Torah each and every year on Chag Sukkot, and in every city and state they read the same Torah section. Whereas those who live in Eretz Yisrael make their Simchat Torah every three and a half years, and each village finishes at a different pace.
מסעות בנימין, צ"ט
ושם (בקהיר) שני בתי כנסיות, אחת לאנשי ארץ ישראל ואחת לאנשי בבל 'כניסה אל עראקיין', ואינן נוהגים כולם מנהג אחד בפרשיות ובסדרים של תורה, כי אנשי בבל נוהגים לקרות בכל שבוע פרשה, כמו שעושין בספרד, ובכל שנה ושנה מסיימים את התורה, ואנשי ארץ ישראל אינם נוהגים כך, אבל עושים מכל פרשה ג' סדרים ומסיימים את התורה לסוף ג' שנים, ויש ביניהם מנהג ותקנה להתחבר כולן ולהתפלל ביחד ביום שמחת תורה וביום מתן תורה.
Benjamin of Tudela, Itineraries, 98
Two large synagogues are there [in Cairo], one belonging to the men of the land of Israel and one belonging to the men of the land of Babylon… the men of Babylon are accustomed to read a portion every week… the men of Palestine do not do so, but divide each portion into three sections and finish the Torah at the end of three years. The two communities, however, have an established custom to unite and pray together on Simchat Torah and on Shavuot.
Simchat Torah as Siyyum
וְאָמַר אַבָּיֵי: תֵּיתֵי לִי, דְּכִי חָזֵינָא צוּרְבָּא מֵרַבָּנַן דִּשְׁלִים מַסֶּכְתֵּיהּ עָבֵידְנָא יוֹמָא טָבָא לְרַבָּנַן.
And Abaye said: May I receive my reward because when I see a young Torah scholar who has completed a tractate that he studied I make a feast for the Sages.
"וַיָּבוֹא יְרוּשָׁלָיִם וַיַּעֲמֹד לִפְנֵי אֲרוֹן בְּרִית ה' וַיַּעַל עֹלוֹת וַיַּעַשׂ שְׁלָמִים וַיַּעַשׂ מִשְׁתֶּה לְכָל עֲבָדָיו" (מלכים א ג:טו), אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: מִכָּאן שֶׁעוֹשִׂין סְעוּדָה לְגָמְרָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה.
“And [Shlomo] went to Jerusalem, stood before the Ark of the Covenant of God and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings... and he made a banquet for all his servants” (Kings I 3:15). Rabbi Elazar said: From here we learn that one makes a feast for the completion of the Torah.
(מתורגם לעברית)
"וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי עֲצֶרֶת, פָּר אֶחָד אַיִל אֶחָד." הֲרֵי פֵּרְשׁוּהוּ בַּעֲלֵי הַמִּשְׁנָה, לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁזִּמֵּן אוֹרְחִים, לְאַחַר שֶׁשָּׁלַח אוֹתָם, אָמַר לְאֵלּוּ בְּנֵי בֵיתוֹ: אֲנִי וְאַתֶּם נַעֲשֶׂה סְעוּדָה קְטַנָּה. וּמָה עֲצֶרֶת? כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל א ט:יז) זֶה יַעְצֹר בְּעַמִּי, וְאֵין עֶצֶר אֶלָּא מַלְכוּת. מִצַּד הַשְּׁכִינָה הָעֶלְיוֹנָה עוֹשֶׂה סְעוּדָה גְּדוֹלָה, וּמִצַּד הַמַּלְכוּת סְעוּדָה קְטַנָּה. וְנוֹהֲגִין לַעֲשׂוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל עִמָּהּ שִׂמְחָה, וְנִקְרֵאת שִׂמְחַת תּוֹרָה. וּמְעַטְּרִים לַסֵּפֶר תּוֹרָה בַּכֶּתֶר שֶׁלּוֹ, רֶמֶז סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה לְתִפְאֶרֶת, הַשְּׁכִינָה - עֲטֶרֶת תִּפְאֶרֶת.
“And on the eighth day, a finale, one bull, one ram”. The bearers of our tradition have explained: This is like a king who invited guests, and after he sent them away, he said to his household, “You and I, let’s make a small meal together”.
And what is “Atzeret”? It means as it says (Shmuel I 9:17), “This [man] will govern my nation” – the word עֶצֶר means Malchut, kingship. From the side of the Upper Shechina, a large feast is made; while from the side of Malchut, a small meal.
And Yisrael is accustomed to rejoice on this day, and call it Simchat Torah. And they crown the Sefer Torah with its’ crown, as the Sefer Torah is a hint to Tiferet, the Shechina – the crown of Tiferet.
וכבר ראיתי כתוב שבכל שנה ושנה היה הכהן הגדול, או הנביא, או השופט, או גדול הדור, קורא בחג הסוכות חלק מן התורה, ושהיה משלים ספר בראשית ואלה שמות ויקרא ובמדבר סיני בשש שנים... ובשנה השביעית היה המלך מסיים התורה, ומכאן נשאר המנהג בימינו, שהיום השמיני חג העצרת האחרון, נקרא יום שמחת תורה, בו אנו משלימים את התורה, עומד הגדול שבקהל ומסיים אותה... לדמיין מעשה המלך בזמן ההוא.
I’ve seen written that each year, the Kohen Gadol – or the prophet, or Judge, or Gadol HaDor – would [publicly] read a portion of the Torah on Sukkot, and would complete Bereishit through Bamidbar within six years; and in the seventh year, the king would complete the Torah… And it is for this reason that the custom remains in our days that the final [second] day of Shemini Atzeret is called Simchat Torah, on which we complete the Torah, and where a great person within the community goes up to complete it… to be similar to the events of the king during that time.
(א) סדר יום שמחת תורה ובו סעיף אחד
הגה: וקורין יום טוב האחרון שמחת תורה לפי ששמחין ועושין בו סעודת משתה לגמרה של תורה... ועוד נהגו במדינות אלו להוציא בשמחת תורה ערבית ושחרית כל ספרי תורה שבהיכל ואומרים זמירות ותשבחות וכל מקום לפי מנהגו ועוד נהגו להקיף עם ספרי התורות הבימה שבבית הכנסת... והכל משום שמחה ונהגו עוד להרבות הקרואים לספר תורה... עוד נהגו לקרות כל הנערים לספר תורה..
Rama: This last day is referred to as Simchat Torah, because we rejoice and make a celebratory feast on that day to celebrate the completion of the Torah… We also have the custom in these lands… to remove all of the Torah scrolls in the ark and recite songs and praises… We also have the custom to encircle the bimah with the scrolls… all [of these customs are] out of joy. We also have the custom to call up many people to the Torah… we also call up all of the children.
The Takeaway: Why Is Our Torah Cycle Valuable?
הרב יהודה הברצלוני, ספר היצירה
ובישיבה יש מנהג כי ביום הכפורים בעת מנחה אומר מן בראשית עד יום אחד בעל פה, ומביאים ראיה כי כל עשרת ימי תשובה השטן עומד להשטין את ישראל ואומר: הרי תורה שנתת לישראל כבר גמרו אותה, וכאשר הקב"ה שומע שהתחיל מבראשית, מיד גוער בשטן ואומר לו: הרי ראית מיד שגמרו התחילו מרוב אהבתם את תורתי, ומיד ידום השטן בעל כורחו.
R. Yehuda ben Barzillai (11th-12th cent.), Commentary to Sefer Yetzirah, p 166 (trans. R' Yonah Hain)And in the yeshiva there is a custom on Yom Kippur to recite from Bereshit through the first day of creation by heart at the time of the afternoon prayer. And they cite as a proof that the Satan spends the Ten Days of Repentance trying to derail Israel and says, ‘Behold, the Torah that You have given to Israel, they have already finished it.’ And when God hears that they have started from Bereshit, God immediately excoriates Satan and says, ‘Have you seen that immediately upon completing, they began [again] due to their great love of My Torah!” Immediately, Satan was silenced against its will…
Für Gesetzes-Freude.[1] | For Simḥat Torah. |
אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם שֶׁלוֹ כָּכָה,מֵאֶלֹהָיו וְגֹאֲלוֹ יִשָּׂא בְרָכָה | So blessed are his people,[2]He will receive a blessing from his elo’ah and redeemer.[3] |
Freude über das Gesetz,Freude über deine göttlichen, heiligen, trostreichen und beseligenden Offenbarungen und Verheißungen.Freude, daß wir das Jahr in der Beschäftigung mit deiner heiligen Schrift verbracht haben.Dieser Freude ist der heutige Tag geheiligt,und wohl dem, der diese Freude empfindet und sich ihr ganz hingiebt! | Joy over the Torah,Joy over your divine, holy, consoling, and comforting revelations and promises.Joy that we have spent the year in the study of your holy Scriptures.To this joy is this day sanctified,and blessed is he who feels this joy and gives himself wholly to it! |
Wir haben heute den letzten Abschnitt deiner heiligen Lehre gelesen und zugleich den ersten Abschnitt derselben, die Geschichte deiner Schöpfung, wieder angefangen. Möge dieser Kreislauf uns ein Vorbild für unser Leben sein! Mögen wir nie aufhören nach deinem Gesetze zu leben, möge der thörichte Gedanke uns nie beschleichen, als hätten wir jemals genug gethan; mögen wir nie still stehen auf dem Wege unserer Vervollkommnung. Möge dein Wort stets unsere Freude sein, und mögen wir deinem Bunde treu sein, wie es in der Schrift heißt: „Und siehe! dieses ist mein Bund mit ihnen, spricht der Ewige! Mein Geist den ich auf dich gelegt, und mein Wort, das ich in deinen Mund gelegt habe, soll weder aus deinem, noch aus deiner Kinder und ihrer spätesten Nachkommen Mund weichen, von nun an bis in Ewigkeit, spricht der Ewige.” (Jesaja 59, 21) — | Today we have read the last section of your sacred teaching and at the same time we have started again the first section of the same, the history of your creation. May this cycle be a model for our life! May we never cease to live according to your Torah, may the foolish thought never creep upon us as if we had ever done enough; may we never stand still on the path of our perfection. May your word always be our joy, and may we be faithful to your covenant, as it is written: “And behold, this is my covenant with them, says the Eternal! My spirit which I have put upon thee, and my word which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy children, nor out of the mouth of their latter generations, from henceforth even for evermore, saith the Eternal.” (Isaiah 59:21) — |
Rabbi Sacks - Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah: Family Edition
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But by the time Simchat Torah had spread throughout the Jewish world, Jews had lost virtually everything: their land, their home, their freedom and independence, the Temple, the priesthood, the sacrificial order – all that had once been their source of joy. A single devastating sentence in one of the piyutim of Ne’ilah (at the close of Yom Kippur), summed up their situation: Ein shiur rak haTorah hazot, “Nothing remains but this Torah.” All that remained was a book.
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It was, as we say in our prayers, “our life and the length of our days”. It was the legacy of their past and the promise of their future. It was their marriage contract with God, the record of the covenant that bound them unbreakably together. They had lost their world but they still had God’s word, and it was enough.
More than enough. On Simchat Torah, without being commanded by any verse in the Torah or any decree of the Rabbis, Jews throughout the world sang and danced and recited poems in honour of the Torah, exactly as if they were dancing in the courtyard of the Temple at the Simchat Beit HaSho’evah, or as if they were King David bringing the Ark to Jerusalem. They were determined to show God, and the world, that they could still be ach same’ach, as the Torah said about Succot: wholly, totally, given over to joy. It would be hard to find a parallel in the entire history of the human spirit of a people capable of such joy at a time when they were being massacred in the name of the God of love and compassion.
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Simchat Torah was born when Jews had lost everything else, but they never lost their capacity to rejoice. Nechemiah was right when he said to the people weeping as they listened to the Torah, realising how far they had drifted from it: “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nechemiah 8:10). A people whose capacity for joy cannot be destroyed is itself indestructible.