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<font size=3>At 08:22 AM 11/18/2012, R. Ben Waxman wrote:<br><br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">The three year cycle and haqafot
are two different issues.</font></blockquote><br>
No they are not. Congregations that observed the 3 year cycle did
not have HaKafos, since there was no completion of the Torah to
celebrate on the second day of Shemini Atzeres in Chutz
l'aretz. <br><br>
<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite=""><font size=3>According to
Professor Wikipedia
(<a href="http://bit.ly/TGO7Ip" eudora="autourl">http://bit.ly/TGO7Ip</a>
) the minhag of <br>
haqafot is relatively late, 16th century. So according to your logic, we
<br>
should all simply drop it.</blockquote><br>
The best discussion I know of about the development of Simchas Torah is
Avraham Ya'ari's book Toldos Simchas Torah. It was published by
Mosad HaRav Kook. If you can get a hold of a copy, I think
you will find it fascinating reading.<br><br>
As far as simply dropping Simchas Torah, I know of a number of
women who would be delighted to see this happen. They feel that
they have no "stake" in Simchas Torah at all. <br><br>
This does not mean, of course, that the observance of the second
day of Shemini Atzeres would not continue outside of EY. They
just feel that they have no part in the dancing, etc. that
takes place on Simchas Torah and would be happy if the men would go to
shul and daven as they do on other Yomim Tovim and return home. <br><br>
YL</font></body>
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