Rejoicing in the Law -- Simchat Torah

We rejoice with Israel and the Jewish people as today we celebrate the Law (the Word of God). At 8 AM this morning, the synagogues around the world were packed as the last pages of Deuteronomy 34 were read. The first five books of the Bible (often called the Books of Moses) are called the Torah. The services continue, once the scroll has been rolled back with the reading at the beginning of the Bible in Genesis. Several people take turns reading Genesis 1:1-2:3. This represents the reading of the yearly Torah cycle.  Most services last around three hours as men and women rejoice over the Book given to Israel by God through Moses.

The Torah scrolls are taken out of the Ark (an ornamental closet which contains the scrolls) and is carried around a platform. The scroll is carried in a procession while others are singing and dancing. Jewish people around the world will parade their precious Torah scrolls around their synagogues in circles call hakafot.

The Jewish People have diligently preserved the Word of God for more than 3,000 years, and Simchat Torah gives joyful expression to the Jewish People’s love of the Torah. Will you join them in your heart, praising God for preserving His Word for us?