[Avodah] FW: Hakafot on Simchat Torah Night

[David J Havin]

Akiva Miller posted:

"Over the years, many posts in many threads have bemoaned the loss of
various minhagim, and changes to them, and have hailed the KAJ community as
a stalwart of retaining old-time Ashkenaz. The recent thread about Selichot
at Shacharit, Musaf and Mincha on YK is but one example.

 

I was thus very surprised to read in R' Yitzchok Levine's post, of Rav
Schwab adding Hakafot to Ma'ariv of Simchat Torah in not one, but two such
Shuls.  I'm curious what his reasons were, and what the shuls' reactions
were."

 

 

Professor Levine is not completely correct in what he writes.

Rabbiner Hirsch instituted Hakafot on Simchat Torah night, which was
contrary to the practice generally in Southern Germany.  The Grossgemeinde
(Rabbi Dr Marcus Horovitz) at the Borneplatz did not.  This was one of the
instances where the Grossgemeinde adhered more faithfully to Minhag
Frankfurt.

In 1919, Rabbiner Joseph Breuer was appointed Rav of the Frankfurt Klaus,
which was the oldest Shul in the city (1765).  It was not officially
affiliated with either KAJ or the Grossgemeinde.  Whilst the Klaus also did
not have Hakafot on Simchat Torah night, when Rabbiner Breuer founded KAJ in
Washington Heights, he continued the custom of KAJ in Frankfurt.

It is true, however, that Shearith Israel of Baltimore did not have Hakafot.
During Rav Schwab's second year (circa 1937) he had one Hakafa, the next
year three, the next year five and finally seven. The Hakafot were after
Yigdal to indicate that they were not part of the regular service and the
old Baltimore German members left before Hakafot.  Even under Rabbi Feldman
in the 60s the older members did not stay.

 

In 1931, Rav Schwab became an assistant to Rav Yonah Merzbach in Darmstadt.
In 1933, he became district Rabbi in Ichenhausen (Bavaria).  I know one of
the members of that community very well.  He told me that Rav Schwab changed
the Hakafot from a slow, almost funereal, procession which was so typical in
Germany, to a much livelier affair.  He had seen this during his time in the
East (Telz and Mir).  Rav Schwab attempted to blend aspects of both East and
West.  I am not surprised therefore that he instituted the changes in
Baltimore.

DJH