The Order of Hakafot for Simchat Torah is part of the Sukkot service of the traditional weekday siddur. The full Hebrew text with English translation appears below; open it in the free interactive siddur to follow along.
On the corresponding day of Shemini Atzeret the following Torah scrolls are taken from the Ark, carried during the Hakafot processional circuits around the bimah, and then read from.
You have been shown to know that the Lord is God; there is none else aside from Him. [Give thanks] to Him who alone performs great wonders, for His kindness is eternal. There is none like You among the supernal beings, O my Lord, nor any deeds like Yours. May the glory of the Lord be forever; may the Lord find delight in His works. May the Name of the Lord be blessed from now to all eternity. May the Lord our God be with us as He was with our fathers; may He not forsake us nor abandon us. Say: Help us, God of our salvation, gather us and deliver us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to Your holy Name and glory in Your praise. The Lord is King, the Lord was King, the Lord will be King forever and ever. The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace. May our words find favor before the Master of all things. Whenever the Ark set out, Moses would say, “Arise, O Lord, and Your enemies will be dispersed, and Your foes will flee before You.” Ascend, O Lord, to Your resting place, You and the Ark of Your might. May Your Kohanim be garbed with righteousness, and Your dedicated Levi’im sing for joy. For the sake of David Your servant, do not turn away [the pleas of] Your anointed. It will be said on that day: Behold, this is our God in whom we put our hope that He will deliver us; this is the Lord for whom we hoped, let us rejoice and delight in His deliverance. Your kingship is a kingship over all worlds, and Your dominion is throughout all generations. For from Zion shall go forth the Torah; and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
Most compassionate Father, may it be Your will to do good to Zion; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. For we put our trust in You alone, O King, sublime and exalted God, Lord of the worlds.
While the Torah Scrolls are being carried in procession around the bimah, the following verses are cited responsively for each Hakafah circuit. First Hakafah:
We implore You, Lord, deliver us; we implore You, Lord, grant us success; we implore You, Lord, answer us on the day we call. God of all spirits, deliver us; examiner of hearts, grant us success; mighty Redeemer, answer us on the day we call.
The Torah of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul. A Psalm by David. Render to the Lord, children of the mighty, render to the Lord honor and strength. Render to the Lord the honor due His Name; bow down to the Lord in resplendent holiness. The voice of the Lord is over the waters, the God of glory thunders; the Lord is over mighty waters. For the Choirmaster; a song with instrumental music; a Psalm. May God be gracious to us and bless us; may He make His countenance shine upon us forever. We implore You, by the great power of Your right hand, release the captive. For I have said, the world shall be built with kindness.
The testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making wise the simpleton. The voice of the Lord resounds with might. Then Your way will be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. Accept the prayer of Your people; strengthen us, purify us, Awesome One. Yours is the arm which has the might; strengthen Your hand; raise high Your right hand.
The precepts of the Lord are just, rejoicing the heart. The voice of the Lord resounds with majesty. The nations will extol You, O God; all the nations will extol You. Mighty One, we beseech You, guard as the apple of the eye those who seek Your unity. You shall give truth to Jacob and kindness to Abraham.
The mitzvah of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon. He makes them leap like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox. The nations will rejoice and sing for joy, for You will judge the peoples justly and guide the nations on earth forever. Bless them, cleanse them; bestow upon them forever Your merciful righteousness. At Your right hand is eternal bliss.
The fear of the Lord is pure, abiding forever. The voice of the Lord strikes flames of fire. The peoples will extol You, O God; all the people will extol You. Powerful, Holy One, in Your abounding goodness, guide Your congregation. Lord, our Master, how mighty is Your Name over all the earth; You have placed Your majesty upon the heavens.
The judgments of the Lord are true, they are all righteous together. The voice of the Lord makes the desert tremble; the Lord causes the desert of Kadesh to tremble. The earth has yielded its produce; God, our God, will bless us. Only and exalted One, turn to Your people who are mindful of Your holiness. The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and benevolent in all His deeds.
Holy and awesome One, deliver us; merciful and gracious One, grant us success; keeper of the covenant, answer us on the day we call. Supporter of the sincere ones, deliver us; eternally invincible One, grant us success; perfect in His ways, answer us on the day we call.
[His commandments] are more desirable than gold, than much fine gold; sweeter than honey or than the drippings of the honeycomb. The voice of the Lord causes the does to calve, and strips the forests bare; and in His Sanctuary all proclaim His glory. The Lord sat [as King] at the Flood; the Lord will sit as King forever. The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace. God will bless us, and all, from the furthest corners of the earth, shall fear Him. Accept our supplication and hear our cry, You who knows secret thoughts. Lord, Yours is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in heaven and on earth [is Yours]. Lord, Yours is the kingship and You are exalted, supreme over all rulers. The Lord will be King over the entire earth; on that day the Lord will be One and His Name One. And in Your Torah it is written: Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One. Blessed be the name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever.
During Shacharit after the reading of the Torah, this is said:
Rejoice and exult on Simchat Torah, and pay homage to the Torah; for its goods are superior to all other goods, more precious than fine gold and gems. Let us delight and rejoice with this Torah, for it is our life, our strength and our light. I extol my God and exult in Him; I put my hope in Him. I praise Him in the assembly of His people who are near to Him; my God, my Stronghold in whom I take refuge. Let us delight and rejoice with this Torah, for it is our life, our strength and our light.
With all my heart I sing of Your might, and recount Your praises. In joy bring us back to Your House, on account of Your kindness and Your truth. Let us delight and rejoice with this Torah, for it is our life, our strength and our light.
The angels have gathered together, facing one another, and saying to each other: Who is he, and from where is he who holds on to the Throne, upon whom is spread out His cloud? Who went up to heaven? Who went up to heaven? Who went up to heaven and brought down the Torah in which we trust?
The angels have gathered together, facing one another, and saying to each other: Who is he, and from where is he who holds on to the Throne, upon whom is spread out His cloud?
The angels have gathered together, facing one another, and saying to each other: Who is he, and from where is he who holds on to the Throne, upon whom is spread out His cloud?
I will rejoice and exult in the joy of Torah; the Mashiach will come with the joy of Torah. The Torah is a tree of life—life to all—for with You is the source of life. Abraham rejoiced in the joy of Torah; Isaac rejoiced in the joy of Torah; Jacob rejoiced in the joy of Torah; Moses rejoiced in the joy of Torah;
Aaron rejoiced in the joy of Torah; Elijah rejoiced in the joy of Torah; Samuel rejoiced in the joy of Torah; David rejoiced in the joy of Torah; Solomon rejoiced in the joy of Torah.
Fortunate are you, Israel; fortunate are you, Israel; fortunate are you, Israel that God has chosen you, and given you the Torah as a heritage, a gift in the desert.
Hebrew text follows the traditional vocalized siddur. Provided for personal prayer and study. Part of a family of free Jewish apps.