I understand that Ezra began the concept of an annual Torah cycle where each Parsha is to be read on a Shabbat (except if coinciding with Yom Tov.)
However, V'Zot Habracha was scheduled to be completed on a Yom Tov, not on a Shabbat. (In Israel, it is read on Shmini Atzeret which COULD coincide with Shabbat. Outside Israel, where V'Zot Habracha is read on the second day of Shmini Atzeret, it never occurs on Shabbat.)
Who began this concept of moving this weekly parsha away from Shabbat, and why did they do so?
Answer
It looks like the original reading of V'Zot Habracha fluctuated in time based on the 3-year Torah reading cycle. As the Bavli custom of finishing the Torah every year took hold, the reading of the final portion became fixed to Shmini Atzeret.
Here is how I understand the historical development
- Originally in Israel, the Torah was completed every 3 years, so the time of the reading of V'Zot Habracha changed every 3 years (the day of the final reading was referred to as "Yom Habracha" from the name of the parsha, see here)
- Meanwhile, in Bavel, the Torah was read every year and V'Zot Habracha was read on Shmini Atzeret to finish the holiday season "in style" (see here)
Reasons for reading V'Zot Habracha on Shmini Atzeret provided by some Rishonim (Sefer Ha-Eshkol, Sefer Ha-Manhig, Abudraham, Orchot Chaim, see references here) include
- so that the blessings of Moshe, as they appear in the final parasha of the Torah, are purposely read on the day on which we read how Shlomo Ha-Melekh blessed the people of the eighth day of Sukkot (Melakhim I chapter 8)
- because the Torah mentions the commandment of “simcha” twice on Soukot (see Devarim 16:15) (The Machzor Vitry 385)
Avraham Yaari's Toldot Chag Simhat Torah (Jerusalem: Mossad Harav Kook, 1998) appears to be THE standard reference on the history of the holiday, see here for a historical outline as well as here.
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