Celebration

Oftentimes after a particularly lively Friday evening service, someone will come up to me at the oneg and say, “The music made me want to get up and dance!” I usually smile and say something vague like “That’s great!” although I’m really thinking, “So…why didn’t you?!!” I know that one of these days people will be winding their way through the aisles, celebrating Shabbat and expressing with their entire bodies the joy they feel in their hearts. There are some Friday nights as we welcome the Sabbath Bride at the end of L’cha Dodi that I look out and see people’s legs twitching and their toes tapping. It’s only a matter of time….

Well, the season to dance is upon us!

Simchat Torah is one of the most joyful celebrations we have in Judaism. Throughout our lives, our Jewish tradition brings us joy and comfort, gives us a sense of history and of purpose, and draws us together as individual families and as a community. It adds richness and meaning to our very existence not only on special occasions, but as we go through our mundane routines. The source of our tradition is contained in the Torah, and on Simchat Torah we demonstrate our love and gratitude for that tradition as we lift the scrolls in our arms and celebrate in dance and in song.

In the Reform movement, we celebrate only one day of the festivals, as opposed to the two-day celebrations in the conservative and orthodox movements. The two-day observance is based on an ancient custom that does not resonate with me personally. But as a cantorial student, I was always happy to take advantage of that disconnect in our calendars. I would lead Simchat Torah services in my student pulpit one night, and then return to New York City the next day to celebrate at a conservative synagogue on the Upper West Side. With some effort, our Reform service was a reasonably lively and enjoyable affair. We would dance for about 20 minutes with the scrolls as part of the evening service. When I got to New York, they had roped off an entire city block, and some 2,000 people danced in the street with Torahs for two hours to the accompaniment of a professional klezmer band. By the time it was over, I was exhausted. Only the truly hardy people then went down the block to an ultra-orthodox shul where the dancing went on until about 3:00am!

I’ve always been puzzled by the hesitation for unabashed celebration in many Reform synagogues. (I know we can party with the best of them!) Perhaps it’s because once we’re handed a Torah, we’re not sure what we’re supposed to do. So here are some of the “rules:”

The Torah is treated as you would an honored guest. It should never be left alone. When someone is carrying a Torah, there should be a group of people either following the Torah or surrounding it with dancing. (When a Torah is carried around the Sanctuary, you keep turning to face it so you don’t end up with your back to it — which would be a rude thing to do to a special guest.)

Everyone over the age of bar/bat mitzvah should have an opportunity to carry a scroll. That means EVERYONE. If you have never held a scroll, this is your chance! This is especially important for those who grew up in an age when women weren’t allowed to touch the Torah. If you don’t think you can hold it and dance around the room at the same time, let the people form a circle around you and surround you in celebration while you hold it. After you’ve held the Torah for awhile, hand it off to someone else.

Believe it or not, the most important rule for Simchat Torah is to have fun. The Torah actually commands us: “v’samachta b’chageka — you shall rejoice on your Festival.” In the liturgy, the Sukkot/Simchat Torah holiday is called “the season of our joy.” As the climax of our festival cycle, we are actually commanded to celebrate and enjoy.

So how about it? On Wednesday, October 6th we begin at 7:00 PM by consecrating our newest students at the beginning of their Jewish studies, and then . . . we dance!

L’shalom,
Andrew Bernard
Cantor