Simchat Torah honors the book at the heart of our religion. Depending on one's tradition, it begins at sunset on Sunday or Monday. On this holiday, we complete the fifth and final book of the Torah, Deuteronomy, and return to Genesis, the beginning. Casting aside solemnity, we begin again with uninhibited merriment. In synagogue celebrations, children march with miniature Torahs as congregants shower them with candy.
Adults dance around the sanctuary with the sacred scrolls.
And in some synagogues, rabbis unfurl the entire scroll, encircling the congregation in the immensity of Torah. And those who have little familiarity with the Torah scroll may be staggered by its sheer weight. As the People of the Book, we have much to celebrate. Yes, the Torah is formidable. Recognizing that, the rabbis divided it into manageable weekly parashot, or portions, enabling us to complete the cycle every calendar year.