Today is the Last of the High Holy Days, The Days of Awe

Last night I attended the final official Shabbat of the High Holy Days on the Jewish Calendar. Called Simchat Torah, in English the Joy of the Torah. It is the eighth day of Feast of Tabernacles. Rabbi Kevin spoke of this celebration last night in a way I have never heard or thought about before. He said it is a looking forward to a time where the Messiah will once again live or Tabernacle among His People. I always thought of it as a looking back as a remembrance when in fact as I am learning the Hebrew culture often looks back, at the present, and in the future all at once.

In fact the Hebrew culture makes thing so much different in learning about the Bible. One such example is in Jewish culture the day starts and does not end at sundown. Which I had never thought about, but if your read in Genesis it always says it was the evening and the morning of the day. This is why I say today is the final day of the Feasts. Because the Day started last evening. The first thing I did in the day was to celebrate the Torah.

Another part of the festival is a joy to my heart. The children are brought to the front a prayshall is spread over them. The Rabbi speaks to them of the importance of the Torah in their lives and how important it is for them to recognize not only the importance, but the sweetness of God's Word. Then the Aaronic Benediction is said over them. Then the party sttarts as the children dance and sing as the Torah is carried around the sanctuary.This is Psalms 78:6 in action.

This Feast specifically the eighth day signifies also reaching the end of the Torah and rolling the scrolls back to the beginning to Genesis. This is one great Jewish party. People dance, sing, and celebrate the word of God. By the Word of God I mean the giving of the Ten Commandments, The coming of the Messiah, the writing of the new testament as well as the day of Pentecost where we received the Holy Spirit who writes the word on our hearts. This is one of the festivals the Torah commands be celebrated forever and in Revelations it speaks of us celebrating the festival in the Millennial Reign. Both the final of the 52 week reading of the Torah was read and the first reading of the Torah was read. This begun the reading of 5777. I am sharing this with you now. So, next year on October 13 the next day of Simchat Torah you will understand what all the partying is about. You will be able to tell your children to get ready because someday they will celebrate too the Joy of the Word.

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