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Danielle Peleg Gallery

"Off the Beat"
Art Sale

Simchat Torah

Saturday, October 22
10am - 6pm
Sunday, October 23
11am - 5pm
20-70% OFF
25% OFF
Custom Framing

When: the 23rd of Tishrei, which this
year starts at sundown, Thursday, Oct.
20, until sundown, Friday, Oct. 21.

From classical to transitional
to contemporary

A wonderful opportunity for
designers and ail dealers
to acquire art

500 Large VI/orks at $150
200 Works at $95
50 Works at $25

Hurry In for the best selection!

Danielle Peleg Gallery
4301 Orchard Lake Rd .
at Lone Pine Rd
Crosswinds Mall
West Bloomfield, MI 48323
248.626.5810

www.daniellepeleggallery.com
www.facebook.comlpelegqallery

otlrearing it... sell it!...
or 13ORROW on it!

I

You can't enjoy jewelry if it's sitting in your safe

deposit box. Sell or borrow on it for immediate cash.
We deal in jewelry, watches, diamonds and coins.

A Service to
Private Ownerst
Banks & Estates

Contact Larry Allan

33700 Woodward Ave. • Between 14 Mile & Lincoln • Birmingh m MI

1)=,

Keep your company top of mind with our readers.

ADVERTISE WITH US! CALL 248.351.5107

32

October 20 m 2011

Psalm Study
At Beth Ahm
Congregation Beth Ahm's weekly
study group, which meets 9 a.m.
Saturday mornings just prior to
Shabbat services, will explore the
"Psalm of the Day" in Jewish liturgy.
Rabbi Steven Rubenstein will
focus on the messages of the psalms
and why they are linked to a particu-
lar day of week.
The first half-hour session will be
on this Shabbat, Oct. 22. All are wel-
come. Beth Ahm is located at 5075 W.
Maple in West Bloomfield, and Rabbi
Rubenstein can be reached at (248)
851-6880.

Adat Shalom Looks At
'The Poetry of Prayer'
Adat Shalom Synagogue in
Farmington Hills will sponsor a
series on "The Poetry of Prayer" 7:30
p.m. Tuesdays, Nov. 1, 8 and 15.
Rabbi Rachel Shere and Lynne
Golodner will look at the language of
prayer and explain how both Hebrew
and English can be poetic and
inspiring. By the end of this class,
participants may construct their own
poetic prayer imbued with personal
meaning and inspiration.
All are welcome at no charge.
Contact Caren Harwood, (248) 851-
5100 or charwood@adatshalom.org .

What It Celebrates: Simchat Torah
("Rejoicing with the Torah") is not a
separate holiday, but rather a celebra-
tion of the completion of the annual
Torah-reading cycle. Simchat Torah
is not mandated by the Torah, and
in fact, is not even mentioned in the
Torah. It is completely rabbinic in
origin.
In Israel, Simchat Torah is combined
with Shemini Atzeret ("the Eighth Day
of Assembly"), whereas in the diaspo-
ra, it is combined with the second day
of Shemini Atzeret. It is the only time
when we read the Torah at night.

Tremendous selection,
all beautifully framed

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How We Celebrate: Because
Simchat Torah is also Shemini Atzeret,
the liturgy is that of Shemini Atzeret.
The distinction between the two
is that the Simchat Torah service
includes hakafot, a series of proces-
sions around the sanctuary by congre-
gants carrying Torah scrolls.
The parade is done seven times,
each time with different people hold-
ing the scrolls. Each circuit is accom-
panied by the chanting of verses,
mostly from Psalms, followed by the
spirited singing of hymns, along with
dancing and merriment. Everyone in
the synagogue joins in.
In congregations where the mem-
bers are especially enthusiastic (and
energetic), the hakafot can last for
hours. In neighborhoods with many
synagogues, people often go from
synagogue to synagogue, joining the
various hakafot celebrations.
On all other Jewish holidays, the
synagogue service includes a read-
ing of the relevant Torah portion.

On Simchat Torah, we read an entire
sedrah (Torah portion), as would be
done on Shabbat. In this case, it is the
last sedrah, V'Zot Ha-Bracha, which
completes the Torah cycle.
The custom on Simchat Torah is
to call up to the Torah every person
in the synagogue, member or not (in
Orthodox and traditional congrega-
tions, it's men only). The person who
receives the final aliyah is called up
with great ceremony and is known
by the honorific title Chatan Torah
("bridegroom of the Torah"). An
unfolded talit is held aloft over the
table where the Torah is read to form a
chuppah, or canopy.
Then, all of the children (that is,
below bar or bat mitzvah age) in the
synagogue, accompanied by an adult,
are called up. This is known as kol
ha-ne'arim ("all the youth"). The same
chuppah is held over their heads. The
adult recites the blessings, and the
last subsection is again read. Then,
the children are blessed, and, in some
synagogues, showered with candy.
Because Judaism regards the study
of Torah as a never-ending obligation,
the reading of the final Torah portion
is followed immediately by a reading
of the very first Torah portion, Parshat
Bereshit, Genesis. The person assigned
this aliyah is known by the honor-
ific title Chatan Bereshit ("Genesis
Bridegroom") and is called up with
great ceremony and also stands under
a chuppah. As the Torah reader ends
each paragraph in the Torah portion,
the congregants sing a traditional
chant.
The service then continues with
the usual holiday prayers and every-
one goes home to a festive meal. The
remainder of the day is observed in
the same manner as Shemini Atzeret.

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