הקפות CONTROVERSY

 

הקפות CONTROVERSY In שלחן ערוך Hl. Shabbos & in Hl. YomTov the מחבר writes ולא מרקדין  one may not dance on Shabbos/YomTov. The רמ"א writes the reason we do not protest against the dancers  on Shabbos,  because מוטב שיהו שוגגין- and also today the reason for the גזירה is not so prevalent . הקפות (even without dancing) on Simchas Torah is not mentioned in טור  or שלחן ערוך. It is, the רמ"א, who writes about the מנהג of הקפות, but there is no mention of dancing. The משנה ברורה quotes the מהרי"ק , based on רב האי גאון, the מנהג of dancing on Simchas Torah. ר' האי גאון was מתיר dancing on Simchas Torah being it is the second day Yom Tov (דרבנן) (the מ"ב doesn’t mention 1st reason) and it’s done לכבוד the Torah. In Frankfurt the Minhag of הקפות was first introduced by R.S.R. Hirsch zt”l. Until then הקפות  on Simchas Torah was unheard of. One of the Gedolim in his times, R. Zalman Geiger zt”l protested poetically (Note the rhyme, wit and wisdom) against   this Polish* Minhag of הקפות*  רמ"א* (Cracow)

Zogt Ah Niggun

In many  Botei Medrashim/Yeshivos, some of the Nigunim during Hakafos are  Yiddish Nigunim (Gits Arein, Olam Habo etc.)

Reb Iser Zalman  Meltzer Zt"l used to sing during the Hakafos the song “Kometz Alef Oh Kometz Bais Boh- and  the song

“Omar Abaya”. R.Isser Zalmen said these were the Nigunim

they sang in Volozhin Yeshiva during the Hakafos.

In some Ashkenaz Shuls, they are Makpid not to sing any 

songs with Pesukim . They sing only the Piyutim printed

in the Machzor and Nigunim without words.

It is very likely , that in the olden days they would not sing Pesukim and therefore sang only Yiddish Nigunim etc.

Many are not aware there is an Issur to sing Pesukim.

They are also not aware that the Poskim  tried desperately

to justify why almost everybody sings Pesukim and are not

concerned with the Gemoro – התורה חוגרת שק- עשאוני

בניך כמין זמר .

Reb Moishe Feinstein writes (Igros Moshe Y.D.2: 142) He doesn’t know of a good reason to justify it.

R. Chaim Kanyevsky Shlita holds one may only sing Pesukim

If the intention is to praise Hashem. Singing Pesukim for Simcha is forbidden even for  Choson/Kallah.

Reb Elyashuv zt”l is Matir if one's intention is to pronounce with the Nigun the meaning of the words ,for instance, מה אהבתי תורתך then one is allowed to sing.(The music should match the words and help in the Kavana). 

There is also a problem singing the Piyut of האדרת והאמונה on

Simchas Torah.

The Mogen Avraham writes (O.Ch. 565) one may not say this

Piyut ברבים except for once a year on Yom Kippur.

Could be that by adding the Yiddish words צוא וועמען צוא וועמען 

might solve the problem.אמבצי

Dancing On Simchas Torah

In all of Shulchan Aruch, the Mitzvah of dancing, is mentioned only twice.

Once for a Kallah and the second time for after Kiddush Levanah. 

The Mechaber doesn’t even mention Hakafos on Simchas Torah.

It is, the Rema, who mentions Hakafos, but no mention of dancing.

The Mishna Verurah quotes the Maharik in the name of Rav Hai Gaon, the Minhag of dancing on Simchas Torah.

 In Frankfurt the Minhag of Hakafos was introduced by Reb Shamshon Rafoel  Hirsch. Until then there were no Hakafos done.

One of the Gedolim in his times, Reb Zalmen Geiger zt”l wrote poetically against  the this Polish Minhag of Hakafos.

בפ"פ ובכל המדינות הנוהגות מנהג אשכנז אין מקיפין בשמחת תורה “

עם ס"ת לא ביום ולא בלילה אך עתה חדשים מרחוק באו להקיף

בבהכנ"ס כמנהג פולין לאור הנר ---- ואין כל חדש תחת השמש*

ולא תחת החזן ולא תחת הרב בתוך חבורה, הנוהגת כשורה,

ומחזקת התורה, הכתובה והאמורה, הלא מחכמי אשכנז גזורה,

לא תקיפו בשירה ובזמרה, כי זה מחקי אנשי אמונה טפלה

לעבודתם הזרה,  ובארצכם לא תעשון כן בעבודתכם היקרה,

הקדושה והטהורה, כי אם לכו בדרך הישרה ,,                   

וגם אנכי מוסיף, להזהיר ולהטיף, אף אם החנוני** מקיף,

כל הישר הולך לא ילך אחריו להקיף,, אך ילך בדרך אבותיו,

וירבו ימיו ושנותיו"                                                             

READ HERE about the beautiful story of Simchas Tora That never happened 

The Beautiful Story Of The Chasam Sofer That Never Happened.

There is a famous story of R Avraham Abish (Rov in Frankfurt). On Simchas Torah, instead of doing the Hakafos with a Sefer Torah, he took a young child in his hands and did theHakafos. He said that this child is the future Sefer Torah of Klal Yisroel. 

The child name was Moshe Sofer (Chasam Sofer)


This most beautiful story, all it is, is a story.

Even tough the Rema brings the Minhag of Hakafos on Simchas Torah. This Minhag was not established in Frankfurt until Reb Shamshon Refoel Hirsh  instituted it. (with much opposition)


In the times of R. Avraham Abish there
were no Hakafos on Simchas Torah 

Throwing cakes to children on Simḥat Torah, by Johann Leusden in Philologus Hebræo-Mixtus, Utrecht, 1657