Symchat Torah, 23 October 2005
Psalm 150 Laudate Dominum
1 Hallelujah!
Praise God in his holy temple; *
praise him in the firmament of his power.
2 Praise him for his mighty acts; *
praise him for his excellent greatness.
3 Praise him with the blast of the ram’s‑horn; *
praise him with lyre and harp.
4 Praise him with timbrel and dance; *
praise him with strings and pipe.
5 Praise him with resounding cymbals; *
praise him with loud‑clanging cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath *
praise the Lord.
Hallelujah!
(1979 Book of Common Prayer)
This coming Tuesday is the feast of Simchat Torah. In Simchat Torah, which immediately follows Sukkoth, we read the final portion of Deuteronomy (Chapters 33 and 34), and then re-roll the Torah scroll back to Genesis and read Genesis 1:1-2:3. We do this to remember that the Torah is never ending. The Torah is fulfilled in Jesus, but still never ends.
This is one of the most joyful times in the synagogue. Many are given the opportunity to read, and people bring paper Torah scrolls from home, and people dance and sing. There is a sense of worship that is found only in an Orthodox liturgy. Both Orthodox Jews and Christians seem to realise that motion is involved with worship, we are to bow, prostrate ourselves, raise our hands, to clap and dance and truly to make a joyful noise in the Lord.
Praise and thankfulness are often mixed for us, but to be true Christians, we must learn to truly praise the Lord. Sometimes we make it difficult by filling up our churches with chairs and pews. Sometimes we are so solemn that we forget what it is to worship. Sometimes we forget what it is we are doing. There is a joy in the synagogue when we reach out to touch the Torah, the word of the Lord. The same joy is realised in Orthodox churches as worshippers reach out to touch the Gospel book as it processes down the centre of the church to be read. Do we anticipate with true joy the reading of God’s word. Do we take true joy in listening to his love letter and instructions to us, or do we handle it in a mundane way. I admit that sometimes we can tire, but if we are surrounded by joyful Christians who take joy in God’s word, and we realise as in the Lutheran Gospel procession that these are the words of life, then we will find joy in these words and celebrate them with joy and dancing.
Join with me Tuesday night or Wednesday morning and read the Simchat Torah readings and dance, dance and praise the Lord with your Bible or your Torah in your hands and praise him.
Shalom and blessings in the Name of Yeshua
+Mar Michael Abportus
mjthan@quik.com
1 Hallelujah!
Praise God in his holy temple; *
praise him in the firmament of his power.
2 Praise him for his mighty acts; *
praise him for his excellent greatness.
3 Praise him with the blast of the ram’s‑horn; *
praise him with lyre and harp.
4 Praise him with timbrel and dance; *
praise him with strings and pipe.
5 Praise him with resounding cymbals; *
praise him with loud‑clanging cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath *
praise the Lord.
Hallelujah!
(1979 Book of Common Prayer)
This coming Tuesday is the feast of Simchat Torah. In Simchat Torah, which immediately follows Sukkoth, we read the final portion of Deuteronomy (Chapters 33 and 34), and then re-roll the Torah scroll back to Genesis and read Genesis 1:1-2:3. We do this to remember that the Torah is never ending. The Torah is fulfilled in Jesus, but still never ends.
This is one of the most joyful times in the synagogue. Many are given the opportunity to read, and people bring paper Torah scrolls from home, and people dance and sing. There is a sense of worship that is found only in an Orthodox liturgy. Both Orthodox Jews and Christians seem to realise that motion is involved with worship, we are to bow, prostrate ourselves, raise our hands, to clap and dance and truly to make a joyful noise in the Lord.
Praise and thankfulness are often mixed for us, but to be true Christians, we must learn to truly praise the Lord. Sometimes we make it difficult by filling up our churches with chairs and pews. Sometimes we are so solemn that we forget what it is to worship. Sometimes we forget what it is we are doing. There is a joy in the synagogue when we reach out to touch the Torah, the word of the Lord. The same joy is realised in Orthodox churches as worshippers reach out to touch the Gospel book as it processes down the centre of the church to be read. Do we anticipate with true joy the reading of God’s word. Do we take true joy in listening to his love letter and instructions to us, or do we handle it in a mundane way. I admit that sometimes we can tire, but if we are surrounded by joyful Christians who take joy in God’s word, and we realise as in the Lutheran Gospel procession that these are the words of life, then we will find joy in these words and celebrate them with joy and dancing.
Join with me Tuesday night or Wednesday morning and read the Simchat Torah readings and dance, dance and praise the Lord with your Bible or your Torah in your hands and praise him.
Shalom and blessings in the Name of Yeshua
+Mar Michael Abportus
mjthan@quik.com
posted by The Synod of Saint Timothy at 22:18
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