Simchat Torah: Meanings and Observances

Sh’mini Atzeret concludes the festival of Sukkot. In Reform Jewish tradition, it is celebrated simultaneously with the holiday of Simchat Torah. On Sh’mini Atzeret we do not celebrate in the sukkah or bless the lulav and etrog. It is a day of complete rest and a special time to gather together.

Each week throughout the year a parashah—portion of the Torah—is read. The reading of the Torah is organized so that the entire Torah is read completely each year. On Simchat Torah we celebrate the conclusion of this reading cycle and its immediate restart.

The Torah consists of five books—this is the origin of calling the Torah the Five Books of Moses. The Five Books in English and Hebrew are: Genesis—Bereishit, Exodus—Sh’mot, Leviticus— Vayikra, Numbers—B’midbar and Deuteronomy—D’varim. With joy and delight, we celebrate Simchat Torah by taking out the Torah, dancing singing and marching around the sanctuary in circuits called hakafot, and listening to the final verses of Deuteronomy and the first verses of the book of Genesis.

From The Jewish Parent Page of the Union for Reform Judaism