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n. Judaism A festival celebrating the completion and subsequent new beginning of the cycle of liturgical readings from the Torah, observed on the 22nd or 23rd day of Tishri. [Hebrew śimḥat tôrâ, rejoicing in the Torah, Simchat Torah : śimḥâ, joy (from śāmēaḥ, to rejoice; see śmḫ in the Appendix of Semitic roots) + tôrâ, Torah; see TORAH.] |
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