Historical Background
Public reading of Scripture has ancient roots in Jewish life, but the annual Torah-reading cycle developed gradually.
Jewish communities did not always follow the same schedule. In the land of Israel, a reading cycle lasting about three years was once common. In Babylonia, the Torah came to be divided so that the entire reading could be completed each year.
The Babylonian annual cycle eventually became the dominant practice. The final portion of Deuteronomy was read near the end of the autumn festival season.
During the early Middle Ages, celebration of this completion became attached to the second day of Shemini Atzeret in Diaspora communities. Over time, it acquired its own name and customs.
One important custom was to begin Genesis immediately after finishing Deuteronomy. This expressed the idea that Torah study never truly ends.
Processions, singing and dancing with the Torah scrolls also became characteristic of the celebration. Simchat Torah eventually developed into one of the most visibly joyful occasions in synagogue life.