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Weekly Comments by Moran Rosenblit
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Simchat Torah the Rejoicing with/of the Torah.
Filed under: The Feasts of Israel — Moran @ 5:24 am
Simchat Torah the Rejoicing with/of the Torah.
This weekend the Jewish people around the world will celebrate Simchat Torah, which means the Rejoicing with/of the Torah. It is a celebration marking the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah reading and the beginning of a new cycle. It is a great time of celebration and Dancing in Synagogues as all the Torah scrolls are carried around in seven circuits (hakafot).
While this celebration is not mentioned or commanded in Scripture, but rather comes from tradition, I believe it represents a wonderful thing: a celebration centered around God’s Word.
God’s word is a precious gift to humankind; He gave us His Word in order for us to learn about Him, His character, and His desire for our lives. The only way for us to know any of this is by reading and studying the Word of God. The foundation for the entire Bible is the first five books, where we learn about the Creation, our history, God’s attributes, the things that are pleasing to Him etc.
Sadly, many followers of the Messiah choose to ignore the first part of God’s word, His Torah (literally meaning “teachings”), which are the first five books of the Bible. Many see it through the negative eyes of what is called the “law”. But let’s look at what our beloved King David wrote about such “law”:
“1Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.” Psalm 1:1-2
As I stated, many believers hold a very negative view of the Torah; I would like to challenge this view. David said that His delight is in the Law of the Lord, that you are being blessed when you spend time thinking about it, meditating about it. Rav Shaul (Apostle Paul) said, “We know that the law is good if one uses it properly.” 1 Tim 1:8.
I believe we have to look at “the Law” or as I prefer to call it, “God’s teaching” in a positive way. These are the things that are pleasing to God, and in the same way I desire to please my wife by doing - or not doing - certain things, how much more would I like to do the things that are pleasing to our God and stay away from those things that are not pleasing to Him!
My faith in Yeshua has given me the freedom to choose to obey Him. Accepting the Messiah into my life means that I have accepted the New Covenant that He as promised through the Prophet Jeremiah:
31 “The time is coming,” declares the LORD, ”when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD.33 “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Jer 31:31-33 (emphasis mine)
God has put His Word in my mind and has written it on my heart; He has given me the desire to live my life according to the way He desires me to live it; He has given me the freedom to obey it and has redeemed me from all of my iniquities through the Sacrifice of His Son.
As I see it, Simchat Torah is a time to reflect upon what Yeshua did for me; it is a time to see the areas in my life of which I need to repent, as well as to apply His Word more and more into my heart and life. I hope you will do the same.
Shabbat Shalom
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