Simch’at Torah – Joy of the Torah
Importance: Low. The feast is not directly commanded anywhere in the Scriptures. Nevertheless, there's nothing wrong with celebrating the gift of the Scriptures!
Mood: Celebratory
Background: Eight days from the beginning of Sukkot, at sunset, we will be celebrating God’s gift of the Bible on Simch’at Torah (Sim-hawt Toe-rah). It’s as though Hashem is a good host. He has invited guests to His Feast for seven days (Sukkot) but when it’s time to finish, He’s enjoyed Himself so much He asks us to remain one more day!
We get the idea from Leviticus 23:36, but it’s simply a chance to hold a party and celebrate the giving of the Scriptures.
Practice: Because of the association with fire, we have a bonfire and everyone gets a chance to discuss the importance of their Bibles in their lives. Even children can get a chance to publicly thank Adonai for the gift of His divinely inspired Word. We also encourage one another to discipline ourselves to reading it daily.
In 2011, we are holding a "dessert potluck" to demonstrate how sweet the Word is to us and how we would just as soon skip all other activities and go straight to Scripture study!
This can also be a great time to focus on Scriptural education, so in the future we can make this time when we mark the end of Bible school sessions and the beginning of new sessions or graduations through levels of Bible education.
Mood: Celebratory
Background: Eight days from the beginning of Sukkot, at sunset, we will be celebrating God’s gift of the Bible on Simch’at Torah (Sim-hawt Toe-rah). It’s as though Hashem is a good host. He has invited guests to His Feast for seven days (Sukkot) but when it’s time to finish, He’s enjoyed Himself so much He asks us to remain one more day!
We get the idea from Leviticus 23:36, but it’s simply a chance to hold a party and celebrate the giving of the Scriptures.
Practice: Because of the association with fire, we have a bonfire and everyone gets a chance to discuss the importance of their Bibles in their lives. Even children can get a chance to publicly thank Adonai for the gift of His divinely inspired Word. We also encourage one another to discipline ourselves to reading it daily.
In 2011, we are holding a "dessert potluck" to demonstrate how sweet the Word is to us and how we would just as soon skip all other activities and go straight to Scripture study!
This can also be a great time to focus on Scriptural education, so in the future we can make this time when we mark the end of Bible school sessions and the beginning of new sessions or graduations through levels of Bible education.
Simch'at Torah Message
Welcome to Simch’at Torah! Welcome to the party! What’s not to like about a party? Even the dullest shlimazel loves a party! But the best parties are based on a real reason to celebrate: the birth of a child, a wedding, or the recognition of effort or achievement like a graduation or a promotion. If there was ever a cause for celebration, it would be the great gift of the Word of God.
Today is Simch’at Torah. Let me explain to you the background from which Simch’at Torah emerges. Every Sabbath in synagogues all over the world, Jews read a section of the Torah, beginning with Genesis and reading all the way through to the end of Deuteronomy over a period of the year. The cycle ends on Simch’at Torah.
Today is Simch’at Torah. Let me explain to you the background from which Simch’at Torah emerges. Every Sabbath in synagogues all over the world, Jews read a section of the Torah, beginning with Genesis and reading all the way through to the end of Deuteronomy over a period of the year. The cycle ends on Simch’at Torah.
The Judaic approach
On Simch’at Torah, the Torah scrolls are taken out of their altars and carried in a joyful procession, led by children, seven times around the room. Why seven times? For many, Simch’at Torah is considered to be a wedding. It’s in anticipation of being reunited with God as a bride and groom. The marriage symbolism in the relationship between Hashem and His people are found in these seven processions because they call to mind the tradition of a bride circling the groom sevent times.
Everyone sings and dances and kisses the scrolls. Why? What are they doing? They are attempting to show their love and reverence for the Word of God. They give thanks to Hashem for the gift of His commands.
The constant cycle of reading, the circles walked around and around the sanctuary, commemorate the principle of unending Torah learning. If there is a practical application to Simch’at Torah it is that studying and learning from God’s Word must be a life-long process. There’s always something to learn from the Word. In fact a respectful term for a great Torah scholar is talmid ch’ach’am which means “wise student”. The term reflects the idea that no one ever learns everything the Scriptures have to offer in one short human life. Thus the greatest rabbis are the ones who are perpetual students. We should remain students of the Scriptures our entire lives and on into eternity!
Everyone sings and dances and kisses the scrolls. Why? What are they doing? They are attempting to show their love and reverence for the Word of God. They give thanks to Hashem for the gift of His commands.
The constant cycle of reading, the circles walked around and around the sanctuary, commemorate the principle of unending Torah learning. If there is a practical application to Simch’at Torah it is that studying and learning from God’s Word must be a life-long process. There’s always something to learn from the Word. In fact a respectful term for a great Torah scholar is talmid ch’ach’am which means “wise student”. The term reflects the idea that no one ever learns everything the Scriptures have to offer in one short human life. Thus the greatest rabbis are the ones who are perpetual students. We should remain students of the Scriptures our entire lives and on into eternity!
The delights of Bible study
Torah Study by Yossi Rosenstein
And what’s not to like about Bible study? Not only do we find explanations for the origins of the universe, the point of human existence and the ultimate end of all things, but we find practical guidance for daily issues. In the Scriptures we are given all the principles required to instruct our behavior in any ethical dilemma.
Not only that, but Adonai throws us little fascinating nuggets every once in a while; just enough to keep us on our toes and reveal to us that there is much, much more available to those who are willing to dig deep.
Let me give you two examples. One I’ve shown you before and one I have not. First let me reiterate that I am no kabbalist. I put no stock in numerology and the vast majority of the garbage that goes under the name “Bible code” out there. However, that doesn’t mean that I don’t believe there are ANY cool tricks the Holy Spirit planted in the original text to make sure the scribes kept the transcriptions exact.
Not only that, but Adonai throws us little fascinating nuggets every once in a while; just enough to keep us on our toes and reveal to us that there is much, much more available to those who are willing to dig deep.
Let me give you two examples. One I’ve shown you before and one I have not. First let me reiterate that I am no kabbalist. I put no stock in numerology and the vast majority of the garbage that goes under the name “Bible code” out there. However, that doesn’t mean that I don’t believe there are ANY cool tricks the Holy Spirit planted in the original text to make sure the scribes kept the transcriptions exact.
YHWH's name embedded in the Torah
I told you before that if you go to the book of Genesis (remember that I’m talking about the Hebrew text, not the English text) and look for the first time the letter T or “tav” appears and you count forward to every fiftieth letter, you will find that it spells TORH. You will find the same thing in the book of Exodus. In the book of Leviticus the system doesn’t work. What you do is you find the first time the letter Y or “yod” appears and count forward every eighth letter and you discover the name of God YHWH. Turn to Numbers and you’re back to the every fiftieth letter but this time in both Numbers and Deuteronomy the word for Torah is spelled backwards! So it looks like this:
Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy
TORH TORH YHWH HROT HROT
It’s like Adonai is making sure we understand that the real point of all the Law is Him; a right relationship with Him.
TORH TORH YHWH HROT HROT
It’s like Adonai is making sure we understand that the real point of all the Law is Him; a right relationship with Him.
YHWH's name on the cross
By the way, just to show you God’s wonderful sense of irony, consider this: His name YHWH was literally written on the cross.
In the first century it was common to simply list the first letters of titles or commonly understood phrases. It’s kind of like how we see the letters UPS and automatically understand “United Parcel Service” is meant. In John 19:19 we read,
If Pilate followed the custom, then the Hebrew version would have read YHWH. No wonder the chief priests objected.
In the first century it was common to simply list the first letters of titles or commonly understood phrases. It’s kind of like how we see the letters UPS and automatically understand “United Parcel Service” is meant. In John 19:19 we read,
- John 19:19-20 HCSB Pilate also had a sign lettered and put on the cross. The inscription was: JESUS THE NAZARENE THE KING OF THE JEWS (20) Many of the Jews read this sign, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.
If Pilate followed the custom, then the Hebrew version would have read YHWH. No wonder the chief priests objected.
- John 19:21-22 HCSB So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Don't write, 'The King of the Jews,' but that He said, 'I am the King of the Jews.'" (22) Pilate replied, "What I have written, I have written."
Yeshua's name embedded in the Torah
Let me show you something else. Jesus’ Hebrew name is Yeshua. If you look carefully you will discover Yeshua’s name imbedded in the text of the Torah in seven different locations. Just look for the letter yod then count forward forty-two characters. The seven locations are:
Genesis 28:6, 7, 8
Genesis 38:9, 10, 11
Exodus 20:3, 4, 5
Numbers 13:17, 18, 19
Numbers 27:16, 17, 18
Numbers 33:8, 9, 10
Deuteronomy 34:9, 10, 11
There are many such wonderful nuggets in the Scripture.
Genesis 28:6, 7, 8
Genesis 38:9, 10, 11
Exodus 20:3, 4, 5
Numbers 13:17, 18, 19
Numbers 27:16, 17, 18
Numbers 33:8, 9, 10
Deuteronomy 34:9, 10, 11
There are many such wonderful nuggets in the Scripture.
Foundation of Ezrach' found in Genesis
Of course for us, the more important facts are not the fascinating but largely impractical codes. What is more critical to us are the passages that give us insight into living. We need things that change our minds, our philosophy of life. Let me show you something I just learned yesterday.
In the Hebrew culture, one does not have to be genetically related to be a descendent of a person. Clearly, every person who plays the flute or the lyre are not genetic descendents of Jubal. It is in the sense of their common affinity; their common value system and priorities, that Jubal is their father. This is the concept the apostle Paul was expressing when he said,
So, this obscure passage in Genesis serves to emphasize at least two things: first, it underscores, the Adonaic understanding of ezrach’. Second, it emphasizes the fact that the New Covenant authors, though writing in Greek, were first and foremost culturally and linguistically bound by the Hebrew language. It behooves us to interpret all New Covenant ideas through the filter of Hebrew language and culture.
- Genesis 4:21 HCSB His brother was named Jubal; he was the father of all who play the lyre and the flute.
In the Hebrew culture, one does not have to be genetically related to be a descendent of a person. Clearly, every person who plays the flute or the lyre are not genetic descendents of Jubal. It is in the sense of their common affinity; their common value system and priorities, that Jubal is their father. This is the concept the apostle Paul was expressing when he said,
- Romans 9:6-8 HCSB But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. (7) Neither are they all children because they are Abraham's descendants. On the contrary, in Isaac your seed will be called. (8) That is, it is not the children by physical descent who are God's children, but the children of the promise are considered seed.
- Galatians 3:6-7 HCSB Just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness, (7) so understand that those who have faith are Abraham's sons.
- Galatians 3:29 HCSB And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, heirs according to the promise.
So, this obscure passage in Genesis serves to emphasize at least two things: first, it underscores, the Adonaic understanding of ezrach’. Second, it emphasizes the fact that the New Covenant authors, though writing in Greek, were first and foremost culturally and linguistically bound by the Hebrew language. It behooves us to interpret all New Covenant ideas through the filter of Hebrew language and culture.
Ahavat ha Torah
So I hope that if nothing else, I’ve been able to whet your appetite for the Word of God. I hope that this Simch’at Torah your passion for the Scriptures will be inflamed and you will rededicate yourself to increased study.
