Rabbi Norman Solomon talks about the Jewish New Year celebration of Simchat Torah – and how it gave 17th century diarist Samuel Pepys a shock

ON OCTOBER 14, 1663, Samuel Pepys paid a second visit to the recently opened synagogue at Creechurch Lane, London. Jews had been excluded from England from 1290 to 1656.

He was astonished. Pandemonium appeared to be let loose, as grey-bearded men holding Torah scrolls pranced and cavorted about the synagogue like young goats.

Whether by accident or design Pepys had chosen to indulge his inquisitiveness on the day of Simchat Torah, the great celebration at the end of the Jewish New Year season when the reading of the annual Torah cycle is completed and recommenced, with joyful processions singing hymns of praise to God in gratitude for his gift of Torah.

Torah is our name for the first five books of the Hebrew Bible. They are handwritten on a parchment scroll.

We have our theologians, our mystics, our liturgical poets too.

There are many ways to God. Over the course of three weeks of New Year celebrations we have run the gamut from the self-critical introspection of Rosh Hashana (the New Year itself) and Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) when we stand in awe before the mighty King, through Succot (Tabernacles), which combines harvest thanksgiving with acknowledgement of our dependence on God’s protection.

On the final day, Simchat Torah, which this year fell on Friday, God becomes a joyful presence in our midst as we dance in celebration of His word.

The theologians are right; we cannot talk about God.

But we can sing and dance.