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The Torah says that, "For seven days you shall dwell in a Sukkah, and the eighth day shall be for you Atzeret (an ending)." Since we are in Diaspora we celebrate Shmini Atzeret and Simchat Torah over the course of two days, as opposed to Israel where they are celebrated on the same day.
The Torah goes into great detail regarding the sacrifices that were brought in the Tabernacle and later in the Holy Temple. Sukkot was interesting in that sacrifices were offered in behalf of all the nations of the world. Each day a different number were brought until at the end special sacrifices were offered exclusively for the Jewish people.
A story is given to illustrate this interesting system. A king once had a vast banquet for many days for all of the different peoples who populated his many lands. At the end of the banquet he invited his closest friend to stay on one more day so they could celebrate together, just the two of them. The same is the situation on Shmini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. G-d celebrates exclusively with the Jewish people, as it were. And that is part of the reason why it is such an incredibly joyous occasion.
...the holiness of the time [Simchat Torah] pervades the atmosphere to such a degree that we do not even have to open the Torah to celebrate it. We merely dance with it to show how much we love it. When dancing with the Torah everyone is equal whether he is the greatest scholar or the simplest layman
Many wonder why we do not do this type of celebration on the holiday of Shavuot, which after all is the holiday on which we actually received the Torah?
Our sages reply that only after the people had the Torah for some amount of time were they able to appreciate the greatness of the gift. That is why the celebration becomes so completely and overwhelmingly happy on Simchat Torah. Furthermore our Rabbis point out that the holiness of the time pervades the atmosphere to such a degree that we do not even have to open the Torah to celebrate it. We merely dance with it to show how much we love it. When dancing with the Torah everyone is equal whether he is the greatest scholar or the simplest layman. It does not matter on Simchat Torah, for the Torah is the inheritance of every Jew.
It is on Simchat Torah that we have the custom to call up the children to the Torah for a blessing and so that they may bless the Torah. During the day of Simchat Torah we dance with the Torah again and make further Hakafot. Many congregations change their typical custom and make Kiddush in the middle of the prayers so that they may insure that everyone is in the "proper frame of mind" when the Torah is completed, started again, and danced with. The Priestly blessing takes place earlier in the service than it normally would to preclude the possibility that our holy Cohanim (priests) may imbibe too much during the celebration and not be able to properly bless the flock.
All in all, there is no holiday more joyous. It is considered a tremendous Mitzvah for each and every Jew to attend a Simchat Torah celebration!
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