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Simchat Beit HaShoeivah

 

 
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Simchat Beit HaShoeivah
 
 
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Simchat Beit Hashoeivah or Simchas Beis Hashoeiva is a special celebration held by Jews during the Intermediate days of Sukkos
Sukkot

Sukkot , is a Hebrew Bible pilgrimage Jewish holiday that occurs in autumn on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei . The holiday lasts seven days, including Chol Hamoed....
. In the days of the Temple in Jerusalem
Jerusalem

Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and its List of Israeli cities in both population and area, with a population of 747,600 residents over an area of if Positions on Jerusalem East Jerusalem is included....
, a unique service was performed every morning throughout the Sukkot
Sukkot

Sukkot , is a Hebrew Bible pilgrimage Jewish holiday that occurs in autumn on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei . The holiday lasts seven days, including Chol Hamoed....
 holiday: the Nisuch HaMayim (???? ????—lit. "pouring of the water") or Water Libation Ceremony. According to the Talmud
Talmud

The Talmud is a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Halakha, Jewish ethics, customs, and history. It is a central text of mainstream Judaism....
, Sukkot is the time of year in which God judges the world for rainfall; therefore this ceremony, like the taking of the Four Species
Four Species

The Four Species are three types of branches and one type of fruit which are held together and waved in a special ceremony during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot....
, invokes God's blessing for rain in its proper time.






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Simchat Beit Hashoeivah or Simchas Beis Hashoeiva is a special celebration held by Jews during the Intermediate days of Sukkos
Sukkot

Sukkot , is a Hebrew Bible pilgrimage Jewish holiday that occurs in autumn on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei . The holiday lasts seven days, including Chol Hamoed....
. In the days of the Temple in Jerusalem
Jerusalem

Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and its List of Israeli cities in both population and area, with a population of 747,600 residents over an area of if Positions on Jerusalem East Jerusalem is included....
, a unique service was performed every morning throughout the Sukkot
Sukkot

Sukkot , is a Hebrew Bible pilgrimage Jewish holiday that occurs in autumn on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei . The holiday lasts seven days, including Chol Hamoed....
 holiday: the Nisuch HaMayim (???? ????—lit. "pouring of the water") or Water Libation Ceremony. According to the Talmud
Talmud

The Talmud is a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Halakha, Jewish ethics, customs, and history. It is a central text of mainstream Judaism....
, Sukkot is the time of year in which God judges the world for rainfall; therefore this ceremony, like the taking of the Four Species
Four Species

The Four Species are three types of branches and one type of fruit which are held together and waved in a special ceremony during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot....
, invokes God's blessing for rain in its proper time. The water for the libation ceremony was drawn from the pool of Shiloah in the City of David
David

David , was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. He is depicted as a righteous king, although not without fault, as well as an acclaimed warrior, musician and poet ....
, and the joy that accompanied this procedure was palpable. (This is the source for the verse in Isaiah
Isaiah

Isaiah is the main figure in the Biblical Book of Isaiah, and is traditionally considered to be its author. He was an 8th-century Before Christ Judean prophet who declared that all the world belonged to God and that God will destroy it....
: "And you shall draw waters with joy from the wells of salvation" (Isa. 12:3).

Afterwards, every night in the outer Temple courtyard, tens of thousands of spectators would gather to watch the Simchat Beit HaShoeivah (Rejoicing at the Place of the Water-Drawing), as the most pious members of the community danced and sang songs of praise to God. The dancers would carry lighted torches, and were accompanied by the harps
Harps

Harps is the plural of harp, a stringed musical instrument.Harps can also refer to:*Harps GAA, an Irish sports club* High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher, a spectrograph used for research in astronomy....
, lyres, cymbal
Cymbal

Cymbals are a modern percussion instrument. Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various cymbal alloys; see cymbal making for a discussion of their manufacture....
s and trumpet
Trumpet

The trumpet is a musical instrument with the highest Register in the brass instrument family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BC....
s of the Levites. According to the Mishnah
Mishnah

The Mishnah or Mishna is a major work of Rabbinic literature, and the first major redaction into written form of Jewish oral traditions, called the Oral Torah....
 (Tractate Sukkah), "He who has not seen the rejoicing at the Place of the Water-Drawing has never seen rejoicing in his life." Throughout Sukkot, the city of Jerusalem teemed with Jewish families who came on the holiday pilgrimage and joined together for feasting and Torah study.

Nowadays, this event is recalled via a Simchat Beit HaShoeiva gathering of music, dance, and refreshments. This event takes place in a central location such as a synagogue, yeshiva, or place of study. Refreshments are served in the adjoining Sukka. Live bands often accompany the dancers. The festivities usually begin late in the evening, and can last long into the night.

Im001261

Jerusalem

In Jerusalem, there is a Simchas Beis HaShoevah at many Hasidic main synagogues on most nights of Sukkos. Particularly the eastern part of Meah Shearim is very busy, with large festivals being held at Karlin
Karlin (Hasidic Dynasty)

Karlin-Stolin is the name of a hasidic dynasty originating with Rebbe Aaron the Great of Karlin in present-day Belarus. Karlin was one of the first centres of chasidim to be set up in Lithuanian Jews ....
, Toldos Aharon
Shomer Emunim (Hasidic dynasty)

Shomer Emunim is a devout, insular Hasidic Judaism sect. It was founded in the 20th century by Rabbi Arele Roth. Based in Meah Shearim, Jerusalem, its dress code includes the traditional Jerusalemite white yarmulke and gold-coloured bekishe and requires married women to cover their hair without wearing wigs....
, Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok
Shomer Emunim (Hasidic dynasty)

Shomer Emunim is a devout, insular Hasidic Judaism sect. It was founded in the 20th century by Rabbi Arele Roth. Based in Meah Shearim, Jerusalem, its dress code includes the traditional Jerusalemite white yarmulke and gold-coloured bekishe and requires married women to cover their hair without wearing wigs....
 and Breslov
Breslov (Hasidic dynasty)

Breslov is a branch of Hasidic Judaism founded by Rebbe Nachman of Breslov a great-grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, founder of Hasidism. Its adherents strive to develop an intense, joyous relationship with Names of God in Judaism and receive guidance toward this goal from the teachings of Rebbe Nachman....
. The largest of these is the one at Toldos Aharon. Other places where festivities are held are the main synagogues of Dushinsky
Dushinsky (Hasidic dynasty)

Dushinsky is one of the few List of Hasidic dynasties not named after the place where it originated; instead, it is named after the surname of the Rebbe....
 and Belz
Belz (Hasidic dynasty)

Belz is a Hasidic Judaism named for the town of Belz, a small town in Western Ukraine. The town has existed since at least the 10th century with the Jewish community being established during the 14th century....
, as well as tens of smaller places around the city.

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