Meal for Chag at night. However, one may snack in small quantities. Some immerse in a Mikvah after midday (12:25pm).
Shmini Atzeret / Simchat Torah Night
Candle-lighting (Monday night) is at 5:33pm. The Brachot are L’Hadlik Ner Shel Yom Tov and Shehecheyanu. One should try to light an extra candle (preferably a Yizkor candle) in memory of the Kedoshim who perished on Simchat Torah 5784 and those since then. One should ensure that some practical benefit is derived from the candles after Shabbat and Chag begins. One needs to be especially attentive to this on Shmini Atzeret / Simchat Torah, when it is common for the entire family to be at Shul until late. When a man is required to light candles, he does not recite Shehecheyanu, as he will be doing so in Kiddush.
Simchat Torah Davening (Tuesday)
Many say the verse of Vayedaber Moshe before the Amidah. The Sephardic custom is to say Eileh Moadei and some, Chabad and those who follow the Gra, have the custom not to say any Passuk. Before Hakafot, some have the custom to make Kiddush. For those who do make Kiddush before Hakafot, please see the section, Seudat Chag later on page 72. A woman who needs to recite Kiddush should not say Shehecheyanu, as she already did so at candle-lighting.
Hakafot
Ordinarily, a Sefer Torah may not be moved to another location merely for one time use. However, if necessary, one may be lenient on Shmini Atzeret / Simchat Torah. The Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe – citing the Rebbe Rashab – states: The forty eight hours of Shmini Atzeret and Simchat Torah should be dearly cherished. Here in Israel it is the twenty four hours of Shmini Atzeret / Simchat Torah. At each moment, it is possible to draw buckets and barrels of treasures, both material and spiritual, and all this is accomplished by dancing. The joy of Simchat Torah is even more pronounced than that of Simchat Beit Hashoeva or Chag in general.
Atah Haretah (and Av Harachamim) is recited. Different people are honored with leading the recital of each verse. The Chabad custom is to recite Atah Haretah three times. At the end of Atah Haretah and Av Harachamim, the Passuk of Vehaya Zarachah is recited three times as well. Only afterwards is the Aron Hakodesh opened. All the Sifrei Torah – even ones which are not Kosher – are brought out of the Aron Hakodesh for Hakafot, with their crowns. For each Hakafah, different people are honored with holding the Sifrei Torah. One may not refuse the honor of holding the Torah during a Hakafah (unless the Torah is too heavy for him), just as one may not refuse an Aliyah. For each Hakafah, the Sifrei Torah circle the Bimah once, after which the congregation sings and dances until the Gabbai announces the end of the Hakafah. The Sifrei Torah are returned to the Aron Hakodesh between each Hakafah.
The Sifrei Torah may be given to boys under the age of Bar Mitzvah during the dancing, but not for the actual circuit around the Bimah. Children are given flags and encouraged to participate in the dancing. While dancing, stop for a moment, open your eyes, and pay attention to those around you. Look for the boy standing there alone, the boy who came with his mother to Shul, the boy whose father may be celebrating elsewhere, with another family, is fighting for our safety, has been taken hostage, murdered, or left this world. Bring him into the circle, put him on your shoulders, make him feel part of it. Do not leave any child behind. Do not let anyone feel missed out. Give them at least one Hakafah at this big celebration.
A person in the year of Avelut does not go to Hakafot alone, and is instead accompanied. Ordinarily, one stands when the Sifrei Torah are outside the Aron Hakodesh. However, it is common practice to permit sitting during Hakafot. It is still praiseworthy to stand when possible, especially during the actual Hakafot circuits around the Bimah. Either way, one should stand when the Sifrei Torah are being brought out of the Aron Hakodesh and when they are returned.
As we relive the hardest day Israel has experienced, last year Simchat Torah, before we return the Sifrei Torah, the community should stop, to say Tehillim and Mi Shebeirach for those who perished as well as to say a Mi Shebeirach for the safety and return of our soldiers and hostages. We should never forget, and even though Simchat Torah is supposed to be a happy and joyous day, we still need to remember the Kedoshim.
After all of the Hakafot, the Sifrei Torah are returned to the Aron Hakodesh, and Aleinu is recited after it is closed. Some communities read from the Torah after Hakafot. One who visits another Shul which is still performing Hakafot should rejoice and sing with them.
Seudat Chag
After Hakafot, one eats the meal for Chag, unless he already did so before Hakafot. A woman who needs to recite Kiddush should not say Shehecheyanu, as she already did so at candle-lighting. If a man repeats Kiddush exclusively for a woman (or women), he should remember not to recite Shehecheyanu, as they already did so at candle-lighting. The Challah is dipped in salt, and not in honey. [More than a K’beitzah (a measurement of volume equal to the displacement of 57ml of water) of Challah must be eaten, as per every Shabbat and Chag.]
Ya’aleh Veyavo in Bentching
If one forgets Ya’aleh Veyavo in bentching, but remembers before saying Hashem’s name at Bonei Yerushalayim, he goes back. If one remembered after that, but before beginning the next Brachah, he recites the extra Brachah as printed in some Birkonim. If one already began even the first word (Baruch) of the next Brachah, one must begin bentching again. The Harachaman for Chag is recited in that order.
Hallel – Simchat Torah Day (Tuesday)
Full Hallel is recited. When reciting Hallel, one may not interrupt it – other than for those things that one may respond to during the Brachot of Kriat Shema. [I.e. If the Chazzan recites Kedushah, one responds Kadosh, Baruch and Yimloch. When the Chazzan says HaE-l Hakadosh, one answers Amen. When the Chazzan says Modim, one answers the three words Modim Anachnu Lach. When the Chazzan recites Kaddish, one answers Amen Yehei Shmei etc, and Amen to D’Amiran B’Alma. One also answers Barchu and Amen when the Brachot are recited before and after an Aliyah or Haftorah.] It is preferable to recite Hallel with the Minyan. If one is not up to the Minyan, this creates a dilemma; on the one hand it is appropriate to recite Hallel with the congregation, and on the other hand, it is appropriate that one davens in the correct order. If one forgot to recite Hallel, he should recite it with a Brachah any time he remembers, until sunset. If one mistakenly recited half-Hallel, he must repeat the entire Hallel (without a Brachah).
Shmini Atzeret / Simchat Torah Day
After Shacharit, it is customary to make Kiddush as a preparation for Hakafot. However, a full Seudah should not be eaten until after Mussaf. Some only make Kiddush after having an Aliya. Atah Haretah is conducted in most communities in the same fashion as the previous night, together with seven separate Hakafot. The Chabad custom is that the seven Hakafot are recited consecutively, without the Gabbai announcing the end of each Hakafah. The Sifrei Torah are held by the same people throughout, and they circle the Bimah three and a half times in total; half a circuit per Hakafah. There is no singing and dancing until after the circuits are all completed. After the dancing and singing, the Sifrei Torah are returned to the Aron Hakodesh, which is then closed. The Aron Hakodesh is reopened for Kriat Hatorah, and 3 Sifrei Torah are taken out.
During Kriat Hatorah, everyone receives an Aliyah. This can be achieved a number of ways:
- By forming a number of smaller Minyanim.
- By repeating the first five Aliyot multiple times, even though the entire Minyan has already heard these Aliyot. [Obviously, a Minyan must remain present and listen to Kriah the entire time.]
- Multiple people may be called up for each Aliyah; they all make the Brachah all together. The usual restriction of family members receiving consecutive Aliyot does not apply, and they may even ascend to the same Aliyah. For Kohen, only Kohanim participate. Similarly, for Levi, only Levi’im participate.
The last Aliyah before Chattan Torah is designated as Kol Hanearim. All children participate, and an adult receives the Aliya with them, making the Brachah on their behalf with a Tallit spread over all of them. [It is not the Chabad custom to recite Hamalach Hagoel. It is also not the Chabad custom to spread a Tallit over them, nor over the Chattan Torah and Chattan Bereishit.] The Chattan Torah or Chattan Bereishit may be a Kohen or Levi. They may also be related to each other. One who received an Aliyah earlier may still receive one of these Aliyot. [However, the same person should not be called up for both Chattan Torah and Chattan Bereishit in the same Minyan.] Multiple people may be called up to these Aliyot. The congregation stands for the last Passuk of the Torah, after which they all respond Chazak Chazak v’Nitchazek. The Chattan Torah responds as well.
During Chattan Bereishit, the congregation recites aloud – before the Baal Koreh – each Passuk that begins Vayehi Erev. At the last Veyehi Erev, the congregation reads from that Passuk until the end of the Aliyah out loud, followed by the Baal Koreh. According to the Chabad custom, Hagbah is performed as usual, and not by reversing one’s hands and turning the Torah mid-air, which is the custom in most communities. Some have the custom to do Hagbah prior to Leining. Each of the first two Hagbahot occur only after the next Sefer Torah has already been placed down. If there are only two Sifrei Torah, the first Sefer Torah is reused for Maftir. After Haftorah, the special Piyuttim printed in the Siddur are recited, and everyone sings and dances exuberantly. There is a custom that the Chattan Torah and Chattan Bereishit sponsor a Kiddush in honor of the completion of the Torah.
Shmini Atzeret / Simchat Torah Mussaf
Just before Yizkor, we should remember last year’s tragedy and remember those who were murdered just for being Jewish. We should celebrate those who survived and we should celebrate those who went out to save lives and honor the dead. Those rescue workers have been scarred for life and we need to remember their heroism and pray for their continued success and support. Yizkor is recited before Mussaf. Those who leave the Shul for Yizkor may recite Av Harachamim after Yizkor if they wish to. Needless to say, when davening Mussaf, one must be fit to stand before the King. After the Kaddish before Mussaf, the Gabbai announces Mashiv HaRuach u’Morid HaGeshem. From that point onwards, one recites Mashiv HaRuach u’Morid HaGeshem in the Amidah. If one heard this announcement before davening Shacharit, he recites Mashiv HaRuach u’Morid HaGeshem in the Amidah of Shacharit as well. This does not apply when one is davening Shacharit together with another Minyan. If one mistakenly said Morid HaTal, he continues the Amidah and doesn’t repeat it.
The Chazzan recites the special Tefillah of Geshem during Chazarat Hashatz. The congregation joins in for each of the six paragraphs that begins with Zechor. When the Chazzan concludes each of these paragraphs, everyone says the refrain out loud all together. Chag ends at 6:44pm.
Shabbat Bereishit (Shabbat Mevarchim)
Candles are lit at 5:28pm. Vi m’shtelt zich avek Shabbat Bereishit, azoy geit a gantz yohr – As we conduct ourselves on Shabbat Bereishit, so goes the rest of the year. There are different customs regarding the ending of some Aliyot. According to Chabad custom, Chamishi ends at Perek 4 Passuk 22, and Shishi ends at Perek 5 Passuk 24. The Molad will be Wednesday Morning, 12:54am and 8 Chalakim. [Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan is Wednesday and Thursday.] A Kiddush is conducted after davening in honor of Shabbat Mevarchim and Shabbat Bereishit. Tzidkotecha is not recited. Vihi Noam and V’atah Kaddosh are recited on Motzei Shabbat, Shabbat ends at 6:44pm.
