Steve Conover: Thank you so much for joining us for the Friends of Israel Today. I'm Steve Conover. With me is our host and teacher, Chris Katulka. I'd like to encourage you right at the outset to visit our website, foiradio.org. Again, that's foiradio.org. You can listen to over nine years worth of content on the site. It features Chris Katulka’s teaching and insightful interviews with a host of great guests. Again, that's foiradio.org.

Chris Katulka: Steve, the Jewish festivals for 2024 are winding down. The last one that the Jewish people celebrated was the Feast of Tabernacles, but that ends with a joyous celebration called Simchat Torah, the rejoicing in the law. And so today we're going to talk about the history of Simchat Torah and what that means for us as believers as well.

Steve Conover: Yes, Chris, Simchat Torah might be a term that many of our listeners have never heard, so we hope you stay tuned for that. But first in the news, last week, the Israeli Air Force carried out airstrikes on a dozen sites in Iran, involved in producing solid fuel for long range ballistic missiles. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his address at the opening of the Knesset winter session said, “We severely damaged Iran's defense systems and its ability to export missiles.” He added, “These are industrial factories of death and we struck them hard.”

Chris Katulka: Well, here's my take. The Ayatollahs and the leadership of Iran are quickly being cornered by Israel. Within just a few weeks, Israel has taken out Hamas and Hezbollah's key leadership, the ones that Iran relied on, and now the IDF is knocking on Tehran's door. The question remains whether Iran will respond to Israel's direct attack. We'll have to wait to find out.

Chris Katulka: Simchat Torah stands out as one of the most delightful holidays on the Jewish calendar. Second only to Purum in its purpose to rejoice and celebrate. This joy radiates the holiday's name itself, which means rejoicing over the law, but it's much more than a celebration of law or even teaching. It's a holiday dedicated to joy in the written Word of God, a joy that fills every corner of Jewish life from their homes to their synagogues and even their entire communities. The Torah is the heart of Jewish identity. In fact, the Hebrew word for Torah can be translated as teaching or doctrine or even instruction. The Torah refers specifically to the first five books of Moses, which are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, numbers, and Deuteronomy. The Torah contains narratives. It contains laws and teachings that form the basis of Jewish faith and traditions. 

Simchat Torah has a dual significance, actually. It's a holiday filled with celebration, but it also holds a significant purpose to honor the Word of God and to take delight in his instructions and to renew the commitment that the Jewish people have to God's teachings. Through this unique holiday, joy overflows not only for what the Torah teaches, but also for the connection it brings between the Jewish people and their Creator. Every year the Jewish people publicly read through the Torah. Each week they read a new portion called the parashat. By the end of the year, the entire law has been read out loud to the congregation. Simchat Torah is celebrated at the end of the cycle of public Torah reading, with singing and clapping and dancing. It marks the conclusion of this cycle and the immediate beginning of another. The end and return to the parashat reinforces the idea that the study and reverence of the Torah are timeless and a never ending pursuit. It goes on and on and on. 

Surprisingly though Simchat Torah is not mentioned as a distinct holiday in the Bible or even in other Jewish literature, like the Talmud. The holiday developed over time, taking shape in the ninth and 10th century AD as a distinct Jewish holiday. While Simchat Torah is not directly commanded in the Bible, the practice of public Torah reading is deeply rooted in Scripture. Numerous examples of public readings can be found in the Old Testament. Remember when Joshua was reading the law to the entire nation of Israel in Joshua chapter eight? And by the time you get to the New Testament, the custom of reading the law of Moses on Sabbath was widely practiced in the synagogues. Now, originally reading through the Torah in Israel took about three years to complete, but with the influence of Jewish communities in Babylon, the reading portions were lengthened to fit within a single year.

This one year cycle continues in most Jewish communities today with the Torah divided up into 54 segments or portions. That's where we get the idea of parashats, allowing it to be read in entirely within the year. This structure allows Simchat Torah to function as both a celebration of the year's end and a fresh start for a new year of Torah study. The celebration of Simchat Torah is honored on the Hebrew calendar date of the 23rd day Tishrei. That's the Hebrew month Tishrei, typically falling between September or October. Now in Israel it coincides with Shemini Atzeret, the eighth day of the Feast of Tabernacles. As the last festival on the Jewish calendar year, it really holds a unique place bringing the fall festival season to a close. In the synagogue festivities begin with evening services. All of the Torah scrolls are removed from the ark, the cabinet where these sacred texts, the Torah, the prophets, the writings are kept and they are paraded around the sanctuary with a joyous procession known as hakafot.

This sevenfold circuit around the synagogue is accompanied by singing and clapping and dancing as the entire community joins in the expression of their joy. The children take part as well. They carry flags decorated with apples and pictures of the Torah and colorful traditions that add to the delight of the day. A unique aspect of Simchat Torah is the evening Torah reading. This is the only time during the year when the Torah is read at night symbolizing the continuous nature of the relationship between the Jewish people and their sacred text. During the following morning services, the procession repeats and after the final hakafot, all scrolls are returned to the ark except for three, which are used for the Torah readings of the day. Simchat Torah honors two distinct individuals during the reading. I love this, the Chatan Torah and the Chatan Bereishit.

The first honor, Chatan Torah, goes to the person who reads the final portion of the Torah concluding the cycle. The second, Chatan Bereishit, is given to the person who reads from Genesis signifying the beginning of a new cycle. This transition reflects the perpetual nature of Torah study. As soon as one cycle ends, a new one begins. It's a celebration that really never ends—an endless journey through God's Word. Simchat Torah, the rejoicing in the law, is also a holiday of feasting. Following the service, the Chatan Torah, who concludes the reading of the year, often provides a festive meal for the entire congregation. In some communities, this feast is a huge banquet, reinforcing the joy of the occasion and the bond among those who share the love for God's Word. With the conclusion of Simchat Torah, the festive fall season of Jewish holidays comes to an end and there are no more holidays on the Jewish calendar until the Winter Festival of Hanukkah.

Many years ago, I remember doing ministry in Brooklyn, New York with a former Friends of Israel representative. The Orthodox Jewish community invited both of us to come and celebrate Simchat Torah. We started by eating dinner in a sukkah outside of the Jewish man's house who invited us, but after the meal, we walked to the synagogue where the Torah was brought out and the men started to dance and sing. Now I want to talk more about this experience when we return after the break because I have some thoughts about what I saw trying to process all of it as a Bible believing Christian, so you're going to want to stick around.

Chris Katulka: Steve, for 10 years I've had the privilege of hosting the Friends of Israel Today radio show and serving alongside you.

Steve Conover: Chris, I love working with you and the team and it's been my joy to be part of the FOI radio ministry now for nearly 30 years,

Chris Katulka: And really this is why it's an honor for both of us to ask you, our listeners, today to join in on the ground level to help broadcast biblical truth all around the world. Whether Friends of Israel Today is airing on a local radio station or through our podcast, never before has it been so needed to have the truth of God's Word running throughout the airwaves.

Steve Conover: Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” Friends, we need your help to continue to produce and broadcast the Friends of Israel Today.

Chris Katulka: Now, the Friends of Israel Today radio program is supported by donors, listeners, and friends like you. See, we believe that if you have a passion for God's Word, then you should have compassion for God's Chosen People. And our goal is to raise $50,000 this month to continue to produce and broadcast the program that you're listening to right now. With your financial gift today you will be taking the gospel to the ends of the earth with trustworthy, uncompromising biblical teaching.

Steve Conover: If the Friends of Israel Radio program has been a blessing to you and you'd like to make it possible for all to hear, you can make a gift right now at foi.org/radiosupport and from the bottom of our hearts, thank you. Again, that's foi.org/radiosupport.

Chris Katulka: Welcome back everyone. We're talking all about Simchat Torah, which means rejoicing in the law. It's when the Jewish people celebrate the law that God gave to the Israelites. Simchat Torah has profound significance for both Jewish people and biblical Christians. In the Jewish faith, the Torah is more than just a collection of laws. It's the written expression of God's relationship with his people. It serves as a guide and a source of comfort shining brightly as a light of hope and instruction in a world that's really filled with a lot of uncertainty. For Christians, this celebration of the Torah also resonates because we too share a deep appreciation for the Scriptures and for God's enduring promises. Biblical Christians find a unique connection to Simchat Torah through the belief in God's incarnate Word, Jesus Christ. The gospel of John opens with these profound words, ‘In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and the Word became flesh,” verse 14, “and dwelt among us.”

In Christian belief, in our belief, Jesus is the Word made flesh. The ultimate revelation of God to humanity. Through Jesus' life, teachings and actions, God's Word took on a new tangible form. That's why the writer of Hebrews in Hebrews 1:1-3 describes this very vividly. “In these last days,” the writer of Hebrews says, “He has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature.” Just as the Jewish people rejoice over Torah, Christians rejoice in Jesus, who is the Word just as the apostle John teaches. His teachings, His love, His sacrifice are a source of hope and life. His resurrection is viewed as the ultimate triumph over sin and death, bringing cause for joy that transcends really all of our troubles. And just as the Torah is revered and memorized and studied daily, so is Jesus revered and followed by Christians worldwide. Believers find in God's Word, whether written or incarnate, a source of strength, guidance, and unchanging truth in a world, again, that seems to be shaken all the time.

In a time when right and wrong can seem as fleeting as the sands on the shore, the Word of God stands firm. And Simchat Torah serves for us as a reminder of this steadfastness as the holiday really encourages us to both gratitude and a renewed commitment to God's teaching. Remember both Isaiah 40:8 in the Old Testament and 1 Peter 1:24-25, because Peter quotes from Isaiah, says that “the grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever.” As Simchat Torah closes out the Jewish festival season, it's a beautiful reminder that joy in God's Word is meant to be a lifelong journey. It invites both Jews and Christians to remember that the Scriptures, they're not just a historical text, but also living words that continue to inspire us, encourage us, guide us, and change us, and connect believers to their faith, to deepen our relationship with the Lord.

In this joyous holiday, the community joins together to sing and clap and dance, celebrating not only the conclusion of one Torah reading cycle, but to begin another. It's a celebration of continuity and tradition, but even more so, it's a celebration of life itself. Life is grounded in the eternal promises that God made in the Scriptures. That's why we rejoice in God's Word. For Christians, the joy of Simchat Torah can inspire us to a similar enthusiasm for our own Scriptures, for the person and work of Jesus, “the Word made flesh.” In honoring both the written and incarnate Word of God, Christians can find reasons to rejoice daily, celebrating the faithfulness, love and salvation that the Bible reveals to us. I believe that Christians can learn from the Jewish people during Simchat Torah. When Jewish people bring out the Torah, they dance around it. They kiss their hand and then touch the Torah.

If a person drops the Torah by accident, they have to fast for 40 days. The Jewish people have a real reverence for God's Word, and what's interesting is that over the years I've seen Christians just kind of take their bibles and throw it on the table or stack other books on top of it at the coffee table. I don't think this is a sin, but look at the difference between how Jewish people revere God's Word. We need to have a reverence for God's Word, but kissing and dancing around the Torah isn't enough either. But what's more important? Simply saying God's Word is sacred or obeying the words of the scriptures, opening the scriptures, studying the scriptures, letting each word impact our lives and change us more into the image of Christ. See, there's a fine balance to be learned here when we watch our Jewish friends dancing with the Torah and honoring it. There's a fine balance between reverence and actually reading God's Word. So as Christians, we should have both reverence for God's Word, reading his truth to change us into his image, which enables us to recognize that this celebration, it's not merely for a single day, but it's a timeless call to delight in God's Word. A joy that should really transcend generations and bring life to those who embrace it. This is Simchat Torah today and it's a joyous call for all of those who love God's Word.

Steve Conover: Israel, on the verge of becoming a state, a teenaged Holocaust survivor arrives on her shores alone. His name is Zvi Kalisher. Little did he know, his search for a new life in the Holy Land would lead him to the Messiah. Zvi, enthusiastic to share his faith, engaged others in spiritual conversations, many of which can be found in our magazine, Israel My Glory. While Zvi is now in the presence of his Savior, his collected writings from well over 50 years of ministry continue to encourage believers worldwide. Now, Apples of Gold, a dramatic reading from the life of Zvi.

Mike Kellogg: Most of the world is against God’s Chosen People, Israel. This nation occupies a very small piece of land, yet it is the subject of more news reports than any other nation. Jealousy fuels this animosity.

Throughout the Bible, God tells Israel not to fear. As the Lord protected us from Pharaoh in Egypt, so He will protect us from our present-day enemies.

Now we are in a situation similar to when Pharaoh chased the Israelites to the Red Sea. We are surrounded by Arab nations whose favorite slogan is, “Butcher the Jews! Cast them into the sea!” But we must never repay them with hatred. We must show them the love of Christ.

Often I have the opportunity to speak with my Arab neighbors. Just as with the ultra-Orthodox Jews, we sometimes speak for many hours before we get around to the most important subject of all, faith in Christ.

When I speak with Arabs, I must first draw them away from their blind hatred of the Jewish people. Then we can begin to speak about faith in Christ. They are usually interested in continuing our dialogue about Christ.

Recently, my neighbors had with them a sheikh, one who knows the Koran. I spoke with him, and he began by asking, “Where does the Torah say this land belongs to the Jews?” Quickly I showed him Genesis 13:14–17, Genesis 15:18, and Exodus 23:31, where the Lord promised the land of Israel to Abraham and his descendants forever.

The sheikh immediately said, “That cannot be. The Koran says it is not so.”

I replied, “Ask your teachers when the Bible was written and when the Koran was written. They will have to tell you honestly the Bible was written first. It is the authentic Word of God.”

He asked, “How can you, a Jew, speak about Christ?” 

I replied, “I believe because Christ is written about in the Jewish Scriptures. As a good Jew, I must believe what is written there.”

Then they began to ask me more questions, just as the ultra-Orthodox Jews do: “Are you a Christian? Are you one of those who carries a big cross down the Via Dolorosa on Good Friday?”

I answered, “I belong to the living God, not to idols. I believe in the One who was pierced for our transgressions, as it is written in Isaiah 53:5. You will not find this in the Koran, which was written by a man. The Bible was written by the Holy Spirit of God, who spoke through the prophets.”

By this time, more of my Arab neighbors had joined the group, and they seemed interested in what I was saying. I told them, “Perhaps one day all Arabs and Israelis will be able to come together and  speak as we are doing now. As it is written in Isaiah 11:6, one day ‘The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the  young goat, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a  little child shall lead them.’ But this prophecy can only be fulfilled once we all believe in Christ, the only one who can enable people to put aside their differences and hatred and love and serve one another through Him.”

Jesus commanded, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mk. 16:15). I pray we will soon see a great harvest among the Arabs, as well as among the Jewish people here in His Holy Land.

Chris Katulka: The impact of Zvi’s life in ministry in Israel, it didn't end when he went home to be with the Lord. In fact, Zvi’s legacy lives on. Our Friends of Israel ministry representatives continue to share the gospel in Jerusalem, Israel, and really all throughout the world. We also serve Holocaust survivors and their families. We provide free food, medicine and clothing, and we even promote the safety and security of the state of Israel and the Jewish people everywhere. So when you give to the Friends of Israel, your donation actually allows us to advance the gospel of our Messiah Jesus. You can give online by visiting foiradio.org. Again, that's foiradio.org. You can click right there on our donate link. Also, be sure to let us know where you listen when you contact us.

Steve Conover: Thank you for joining us for today's episode of The Friends of Israel Today. If the Lord is leading you to support our radio ministry, visit foi.org/radiosupport. That's foi.org/radiosupport.

Chris Katulka: Steve, I know this is going to be hard for our listeners to take in, but we are actually getting ready for the Christmas season coming up. That's right, Finding Messiah in Christmas is our new 25 day devotional that Friends of Israel has produced. This Christmas season, you can take a journey through Scripture to understand the prophecies that foretold the Messiah's birth. You can do it with your family and your loved ones as you prepare for December 25th to worship God for bringing His Messiah, Jesus, the one who would save the world, from Bethlehem. Again, you can get this amazing devotional by going to foiradio.org, and that's what we're going to be talking about next week.

Steve Conover: We hope you'll join us then. Our mailing address is FOI Radio, PO Box 914 Bellmawr, New Jersey 08099. Again, that's FOI Radio, PO Box 914 Bellmawr, New Jersey 08099. Our web address is foiradio.org. That's foiradio.org. Our listener line is 888-343-6940. Again, that’s 888-343-6940. Our host and teacher is Chris Katulka. Today's program was produced by Tom Gallione, edited by Jeremy Strong, who also composed and performs our theme music. Mike Kellogg read Apples of Gold, and I'm Steve Conover, executive producer. The Friends of Israel Today is a production of The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry. Passion for God's Word. Compassion for God's Chosen People.