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Podcast: The daily Hayom Yom with Rabbi Yosef Katzman
Episode: Hayom Yom 23 Tishrei - Customs and meaning of Simchas Torah
Description: אֵין קוֹרְאִים בַּתּוֹרָה בַּלַּיְלָהThere is no public Torah Reading at night.נְשִׂיאַת כַּפַּיִם בְּשַׁחֲרִיתThe Priestly Blessing is recited [only] at the Morning Service.אֵין נוֹהֲגִים לִפְרוֹשׂ טַלִּית עַל רָאשֵׁי הָעוֹלִים לְחָתָן תּוֹרָה אוֹ לְחָתָן בְּרֵאשִׁיתIt is not our custom to spread a tallis as a canopy over the head of the Bridegroom(s) of the Torah or the Bridegroom(s) of Bereishis.גַּם הָעוֹלֶה לַתּוֹרָה אוֹמֵר חֲזַק חֲזַק וְנִתְחַזֵּקThe person who is called to the reading of the concluding passage of the Torah says the words Chazak, chazak, venis’chazeik together with the rest of the congregation.בְּשִׂמְחַת תּוֹרָה תק"מ אָמַר רַבֵּנוּ הַזָּקֵןOn Simchas Torah, 5540 (1779), the Alter Rebbe declared: עֵץ חַיִּים הִיא לַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ — אֵלּוּ בַּעֲלֵי הֲשָׂגָה הַלּוֹמְדִים תּוֹרָה“It [i.e., the Torah] is a tree of life to those who hold fast to it” — this phrase refers to “masters of understanding,” the intellectual schol...