Simkhat Torah: Sefira Cycle Dances (Hakafot)

Simkhat Torah is the final holyday marking the culmination of the High Holyday period. Evening service is prayed. After the Amidah, Kiddush is often made on strong spirits. The Atah Harayta is recited, responsively led, verse by verse by different members of the community, often with gentle clowning and honoring of these individuals. With a special reading of verses we honor those who have been important parts of our holyday experience Sefira Cycle Dances- Hakafot We "give legs" to the Torah, dancing the rainbow of seven cycle-dances (hakafot)which somehow express all the possible holyday experiences we have been through. After the dances which are customarily danced with spirited energy the Torah is removed and two individuals (or groups) are honored with the final reading and the initial readings of the Torah. Simkhat Torah thus symbolically marks an end of the past (tne end of the annual cycle of weekly Torah readings) and a fresh beginning (of the coming annual cycle.) 1) First Hakaf a Ana Adonai,hoshiana. Ana Adonai,hatzlikhana. Ana Adonai,anayanub'yom koraynu. Elohay harukhothoshiana. Bokhaynl'vavothatzlikha na. Go'aylkhazakanaynub'yomkoraynu. Sweetness of apples-in-honey sweeten our lives. Peak experience lift us from fears. Divine Klzesed dance in our dances. Anaynu, Anaynu, b'yom koraynu. 2) Second Hakaf a Dovayr tzedakot hoshia na. Hadur bilvusho hatzlikha na. Vatik v'khasid anaynu b'yom koraynu. Power to choose, help us discern. Strength and dicipline, help us survive. Divine G'vura dance in our dances. Anaynu, Anaynu, b'yom koraynu. 3) Third Hakaf a Zakhv'yasharhoshiana. Khomayldalimhatzlikha na. Tov umaytivanaynub'yomkoraynu. Harmonious balance restore our harmony. Multiculty harmonizer synthesize our diverse energies. DivineTiferet come dance in our dances. A naynu, Anaynu, b 'yam koraynu. 4) Fourth Hakafa Yoday-a makhshavothoshia na. Kabir v'na-or hatzlikhana. lovayshtzedakotanaynub'yom koraynu. Strength of Endurance help us persist. Victory longevity labor through us. Divine Netzakhcome dance in our dances. Anaynu, Anaynu, b'yom koraynu. 5) Fifth Hakaf a Melekholamimhoshiana. Na'orva'adirhatzlikha na. Somaykhnoflimanaynub'yomkoraynu. Music and rhythm, dance through our lives. Pulsations of splendor, attune us to life. Divine Hod come dance in our dances. Anaynu, Anaynu, b'yom koraynu. 6) Sixth Hakaf a Ozayrdalimhoshiana. Podehumatzilhatzlikhana. Tzurolamimanaynub'yomkoraynu. Intimate closeness alleviate our aloneness. Godly Loving, flow through us. Divine Y esod come dance in our dances. Anaynu, Anaynu, b'yom koraynu. 7) Seventh Hakafa Kadosh v'nora hoshia na. Rakhum v'khanun hatzlikha na. Shomer habrit anaynu b'yom koraynu. Tomaykht'mimim hoshia na. Takif la'ad hatzlikhana. Tamim b'ma'asovanaynu b'yomkoraynu. Grounded fulfillment quiet our hearts. Final completion help us be complete. Divine Malkhut come dance in our dances. Anaynu, Anaynu, b'yom koraynu. Sisu v'simkhub1simkhatTorah,u'tnu kavodlatorah. Simkhat Torah, Sacralize Torah. The Torah is returned to the ark. It is removed again and members are called up for special Aliyot - for the KhatanTorah (ending the Torah) and Kallah B'raysheet (Beginning the Torah). We read from the end and the beginning, looping the spiral of the Torah around to its next level in the cosmic evolutionary dynamic. Kaddish and Alaynu are recited to end the evening. (These pages are from the Meta-Siddur by Rabbi David Wolfe-Blank