Today is Simchat Torah and Jewish people are dancing in the streets here in Israel-2

Simchat Torah: The Beginning and Ending of the Parsha Cycle

"Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God.  They celebrated the festival [sukkot] for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation, there was an assembly."  (Nehemiah 8:18)

The Jewish People have diligently preserved the Word of God for more than 3,000 years, and Simchat Torah gives jubilant expression to the Jewish People’s love of the Torah. Besides rejoicing, another central theme to this special day is the completion of the annual cycle of weekly Torah readings. The last portion of Deuteronomy 34 will be read. But as soon as we end the cycle, we begin anew, and a portion from the first chapter of Genesis is read immediately afterward.  This serves to remind us that our study of the Torah never ends.

While holding the sacred Torah scrolls in this Tel Aviv

synagogue on Simchat Torah, about 400 people sang

and danced for joy over the Torah.

Torah Points in the Right Direction

What is Torah?  This Hebrew word Torah is often translated in English Bibles asLaw; however, this is a rather poor translation. The word Torah comes from the roots yarah, which means to shoot, aim, or point to, and morah, meaning teacher. Therefore, the Torah is God’s instruction to His people.  These instructions teach us how to live on this earth and point us to eternal life through Yeshua (Jesus). So, why do we have a special day just to rejoice in the Torah of God?

An open Torah scroll on the bema, a platform podium from which the

Torah and the Prophets are read.

It’s because the Word of God is a tree of life for us, and if we would just take hold of it, we would see that all its paths are pleasant and will lead us to peace (Proverbs 3:17; see also Proverbs 16:7 and Psalm 119:165). The Torah contains all the wisdom and instruction we need to live healthy, happy, successful, prosperous lives. "Be strong and very courageous.  Be careful to obey all the instructions [Torah] Moses gave you.  Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left.  Then you will be successful in everything you do. "Study this Book of Instruction [Sefer haTorah] continually.  Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it.  Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do."  (Joshua 1:7–8)

Rejoicing over the Torah, God's instructions, on Simchat Torah.

   

The Books That Constitute Torah

The Torah, in its strictest sense, includes the five books of Moses: 

Genesis(Bereisheet), Exodus (Shemot), Leviticus (Vayikra), Numbers (Bamidbar), and Deuteronomy (Devarim). However, Yeshua and Paul both quoted from other books of the Bible, including the Psalms and the Prophets, and also called them Torah (law). For instance, in John 10:34, Yeshua quotes Psalm 82:6 referring to it as the Torah, saying: “Is it not written in your Law (Torah), ‘I said, You are gods’?”  (John 10:34) In 1 Corinthians 14:21, Paul references the prophetic book of Isaiah, calling it the Law: “In the Law [Torah] it is written: ‘With men of other tongues and other lips I will speak to this people.’”  (1 Corinthians 14:21; compare to Isaiah 28:11)

Dancing and singing with the Torah on Simchat Torah.

Another word for Torah often used by Jewish people is the Tanakh, which is a Hebrew name for all the books of the Jewish Scriptures. This word is actually an acronym for Torah (Five Books of Moses), Nevi’im(Prophets) and Ketuvim (Writings: Psalms, Proverbs, etc).  The word Tanakhcomprises the first letters of each of these three words: T-N-K [Hebrew letters Tav, Nun, Kaf]. Orthodox Jews consider yet another compilation of writings as "Torah."  This is theTalmud (Mishnah and Gemara), which are rabbinical interpretations and commentaries of the written Torah. They believe both Scripture and commentary are the Torah because you cannot have the “written Torah” without the interpretation of the “oral Torah.” Sadly enough, most Orthodox Jews consider the oral law of greater weight and authority than the written Torah, and many spend the majority of their time in the study in these books.

An Orthodox Jewish man shows his love and joy of the Torah,

displaying it for all to see at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

Yeshua’s Teaching About the Law

God initially chose to reveal His Torah to the nation of Israel, and He gave them the mission to spread its light and teachings to every nation of the earth. While Yeshua (Jesus) fulfilled the Torah, God’s moral guidelines for mankind to live in righteousness, He also makes it clear that He did not come to abolish it. "Don’t misunderstand why I have come.  I did not come to abolish the Torah of Moses or the writings of the prophets.  No, I came to fulfill their purpose.  I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s Torah will disappear until its purpose is fulfilled. "So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven.  But anyone who obeys God’s Torah and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven."  (Matthew 5:17–19) Although Yeshua did not abolish the Law of Moses, He did fulfill its purpose, as well as the prophecies concerning His first coming.  (See Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 53; Micah 5:2; Daniel 9:25–26 and hundreds more.) Because of Yeshua, the light of the Word of God has spread across the globe. And yet, despite this, almost every Jewish person here in Israel (99%) still does not recognize Yeshua as the Messiah who fulfilled the writings of the Prophets.

Please stand us together with this Simchat Torah, as we bring Messiah Yeshua (Jesus), who is revealed in the prophecies of the Eternal Word of God, to the Lost Sheep of Israel.  You can make a difference that will last for Eternity.

Today is Simchat Torah and Jewish people are dancing in the streets in Israel-1

For generations, the Jewish People have been gathering at the Kotel

(Western Wall) to celebrate Simchat Torah with prayer and dancing.

Shall Rejoice today, on Simchat Torah!

At 8 a.m. this morning, the synagogues here in Israel were packed as we read the last pages of Devarim (Deuteronomy) and the beginning of Bereisheet (Genesis). The reading of the yearly Torah cycle had come to an end and a new one began.  Hallelujah! The services lasted about three hours, as the men and women relished the Book given to our people by God Himself through Moses—the most treasured Book in the world—the Torah (Five Books of Moses).

Parading the Torah outside of a synagogue on Simchat Torah in a suburb

of Tel Aviv, a tallit (prayer shawl) is held over the Sefer Torah.  Hundreds

of congregants danced and followed the procession.

In every synagogue throughout Israel this morning, the men joyfully danced around the bema (raised platform for reading the Torah), proudly and joyously holding the sacred Torah Scrolls. In our synagogue, there are 11 Torah scrolls, and as the silver crowns (ketarim) were removed from the Holy Parchment Scrolls, they glistened in the sunlight.  As the Rabbi and cantor sang from the Holy Word of God, the whole congregation gathered in one accord singing in Hebrew. All the men took turns reading from the Torah.  And the faces of the children, women, and men were beaming with smiles, rejoicing in the honor of the Holy Book that the One God of Israel entrusted to His Chosen People. 

The Torah scroll is raised for all to see at the

Western (Wailing) Wall in Jerusalem.

Today, here in Israel, it is still both Shmini Atzeret (Eighth Day of Assembly) andSimchat Torah (Joy of the Torah).  Elsewhere in the world, however, the wonderful holiday of Simchat Torah begins at sunset tonight at the conclusion of Shmini Atzeret (Eighth Day of Assembly), a Biblically mandated assembly celebrated the day after Sukkot ends:  “For seven days present food offerings to the LORD, and on the eighth day hold a sacred assembly and present a food offering to the LORD.  It is the closing special assembly; do no regular work.”  (Leviticus 23:36) Tonight at around 7:30 p.m., thousands of people will gather in each city and village square, throughout the Holy Land.  Hopefully, most of Israel's eight million people will be rejoicing in the Word of God. For the second time in 24 hours, they will dance around the Torah Scrolls, this time, throughout the night. “Oh, how I love Your Torah; It is my meditation all the day.  You through Your commandments, have made me wiser than my enemies…. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”  (Psalm 119:97–98, 105)

Israeli Jewish men celebrate Simchat Torah by dancing in circles

(hakafot) with the scrolls of the Torah at a synagogue in Sderot, Israel.

Simchat Torah is a joyous holiday when the Jewish People express their gratitude to God for giving us His great gift of the Torah. On Simchat Torah, ALL of the ornately decorated Torah scrolls are taken out of the Ark in which they are safeguarded, in contrast to Shabbat and regular holidays when only two are removed from the Ark. In the country where you live, the Jewish People will parade these precious Torah scrolls around their synagogues in circles called hakafot, accompanied by joyful singing and dancing. In many congregations, the celebrations are spilling out of the sanctuary into the street, where participants dance and sing while carrying the scrolls.

It is considered a mitzvah (good deed) to dance with the Torah and to rejoice

Sukkot begins, it's a Joyous Biblical Festival for both Jews and Christians-4

Yeshua on the Final Day of Sukkot: Hoshanah Rabbah

“I wash my hands in purity and circle around Your altar, O Lord.”  (Psalm 26:6)

The seventh and final day of sukkot is called Hoshanah Rabbah.  Hoshana comes from two words hoshah nah, meaning "Bring us salvation, please," and rabbah, meaninggreat.  This prayer to "bring salvation" was actually made by the priests every day of Sukkot.During the first six days of the feast, the priests would “place willow branches alongside the altar with the heads of the willow branches bent over the altar” to add joy to the holiday (Chabad).  The priests would then sound the shofar, circle the altar once, and say, "Anah Hashem hoshiah nah.  Anah Hashem hatzlichah nah(Please, God, bring us salvation.  (Please, God, bring us success)."

Jewish men at the Western (Wailing) Wall pray on Sukkot with the

Four Species.

On Hoshanah Rabbah, “The Great Hoshanah,” the priests circled the altar seven times. On this final day of Sukkot, probably during the water ceremony, Yeshua (Jesus) stood up and proclaimed Himself to be the source of Living Water—the salvation they joyfully prayed for.  He invited all who were thirsty to come and drink, the water representing the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh). “On the last and greatest day of the festival, Yeshua stood and said in a loud voice, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.’  By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive.”  (John 7:37–39)

Children play in the Pool of Siloam in Jerusalem, from which the High

Priest used to draw the water for the Water Offering in ancient times.

Sukkot in the End Times and the New Jerusalem

“For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle….”  (Zechariah 14:2)

Sukkot also has a connection to the Last Days and the New Jerusalem. The Haftarah (prophetic portion of Scripture) that is read for this holiday contains a graphic apocalyptic vision of the destruction of all the nations that will attack Jerusalem. Earthquakes, plagues, heavy darkness, and signs of nuclear destruction characterize judgment on the nations.  These are the manifestation of God’s personal intervention on behalf of Israel (Zechariah 14:12–15). The eyes of the world will be opened, and all the nations will see that Israel is the apple of God’s eye.  Woe to those who dare to touch her.

This Israeli is building the roof of his sukkah.

Vegetation such as palm will be lightly woven

through the beams so those inside can gaze up

and see the stars at night.

The Lord declares through the Prophet Zechariah, “It will happen in that day, that I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all the peoples.  All who burden themselves with it will be severely wounded….”  (Zechariah 12:3) In those days, all nations will be required to come to Jerusalem to celebrate Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles). Those who refuse will be cursed with lack of rain.  (Zechariah 14:16–19) While many Christians believe that God’s moadim (appointed times of Feasts and Festivals) have been abolished, Zechariah's Messianic prophecy clearly indicates that this is not so. Today, many Christians from the nations come every year to Jerusalem to celebrate Sukkot together with Israel in a beautiful foreshadowing of what will take place after the Lord returns and establishes His Messianic reign on earth.

Sukkot at the Western Wall in Jerusalem

God’s Timeline

“The Kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Messiah, and He will reign forever and ever.”  (Revelation 11:15)

While the spring feasts were fulfilled by the death and resurrection of Yeshua (Jesus), the fall feasts will be fulfilled with His second coming. Some believe that when Yeshua returns as Messiah King, he will be hailed by the blast of the shofar (ram's horn) on the Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah / Rosh HaShanah). His people will recognize Him as their Messiah and mourn nationally, perhaps ten days later on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). “I will pour on the house of David, and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication; and they will look to Me whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourns for his only son, and will grieve bitterly for Him, as one grieves for his firstborn.”  (Zechariah 12:10)

Dutch Jews enjoy a meal in the sukkah built by the Beth Shoshanna

Congregation at the Great Synagogue of Deventer.

On Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles), God will finally "tabernacle" with His people.  He will dwell among us, establishing His Messianic Kingdom of righteousness. “Look!  God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell [tabernacle] with them.  They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.”  (Revelation 21:3) This holiday reminds us that God will never forgot the People of Israel. And end-time prophecy (Zechariah 14:12–19) seems to suggest that this holiday isthe perfect time for the nations to also remember God’s people and stand with them.