Dancing with the Creator

I never cease to be amazed at what I can learn from studying the feasts and festival cycles of Israel. For years I simply paid no attention to their significance, even though I taught Old Testament classes in both churches and college classroom settings. My response was usually, "These are for Israel and not for us today." Now I have learned that that response was only half correct: yes, the feasts and festival cycles were given for Israel to guide them in their relationship with a holy God; but, also yes, they can share much with us today.

Last year I made a determined effort to read through the Torah - the first five books of the Bible, also known as the Pentateuch or the Books of Moses - as they were being read in the synagogues around the world. I found a brief devotional book, written by a young rabbi, who shared thoughts associated with each of the scripture portions. God literally began to open those often difficult portions of Scripture to my heart. I began to notice truths I had not seen before. Perhaps it was because I was taking time to ponder those passages in a new way.

Today marks the final day of the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot. Tonight will be the final meal served in the sukkahs and then they will be dismantled and put away for another year, much like we do our Christmas decorations at the end of December. But there is one final event to mark the end of Tabernacles. It is known as Simchat Torah, or the Rejoicing in the Torah.

Friday will mark the observation of this special day. On this day the Torah scrolls will be removed from the "aron kodesh" (holy ark) - the place where the scrolls are contained in the synagogues - and will be embraced and celebrated with dancing and rejoicing. Priestly blessings are recited with many synagogues huddling all the children under the tallit (prayer shawl) to receive the words Jacob gave to his children so many years ago, as recorded in Genesis 48:16).

Friends, when was the last time you held the Word of God in your arms and danced in joy before the Lord because of it? If you are honest as I was, it has never been done. Somehow I never think of handling the Word and dancing as being related. But, remember David danced before the Ark of the Lord. The Psalmist said that God turns our mourning into dancing. The Word of God is to be our joy. Perhaps we could learn something from our Jewish friends and clasp the Word in our arms and rejoice over it. Perhaps then it will become for us more than just another book, but what it truly is - the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God!

As part of Simchat Torah, the final Torah portion for the year will be read - the closing two chapters in Deuteronomy, and the first Torah portion for the coming year will also be read - the opening chapters in Genesis.

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Ancient words. Words read every year about this time. Words expounded upon by many rabbis in synagogue services this weekend. Yet words that carry a new sense of excitement and wonder. God created! Things did not happen by chance! There was no magic pool from which life began! There was no lightning strike that ignited the protein molecules and sent them on their way! (I always wondered where the lightning came from and how the protein molecules got into that pool and, for that matter, how the pool came to be - never got any answers!)

I would encourage you, sometime this weekend, to reread Genesis 1 and 2 and give some reflection to the powerful truth that God is your Creator. Perhaps you might want to take a stroll in the woods - in Minnesota this is truly one of the most amazing season - and praise God for creating such brilliant colors. Celebrate the Word and your Creator! Perhaps that will be your personal Simchat Torah!