Simchat Torah

Rare card · No. 33768

Simchat Torah (Hebrew: שִׂמְחַת תּוֹרָה, lit. 'celebration of Torah'; Ashkenazi: Simchas Torah), also spelled Simhat Torah, is a major Jewish holiday that celebrates and marks the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings, and the beginning of a new cycle. It is the final celebration of the autumn festival season of the Hebrew month of Tishrei, spanning September and October, which begins with the High Holy Days. Simchat Torah is a component of the Biblical Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret ("Eighth Day of Assembly"), which follows immediately after the festival of Sukkot. Simchat Torah's main celebration occurs in the synagogue during evening services. In many Orthodox as well as many Conservative congregations, this is the only time of year at which the Torah scrolls are taken out of the ark at night and are also read at night. In the morning, the last parashah of Deuteronomy and the first parashah of Genesis are read in the synagogue. On each occasion, when the ark is opened...

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