The joyous ritual of hakkafot—circling the synagogue with Torah scrolls on Simḥat Torah—emerged surprisingly late in Jewish liturgical history, becoming widespread only in the mid-eighteenth century. Through analysis of rabbinical texts spanning the geonic period through the 1700s, including manuscripts, published works, and documented customs across Ashkenazic and Sephardic communities, a clear evolution emerges from localized practices to standardized celebration. The ritual's modern form synthesizes R. Isaac Luria's personal kabbalistic practices with earlier Ashkenazic customs, drawing inspiration from the seven circuits performed on Hoshana Rabbah. R. Ḥayyim Vital's Sha'ar Ha-kavvanot documents a crucial transition from simply removing Torah scrolls to performing seven formal circumambulations. As revealed through examination of eighteenth-century publications, the timing of these circuits gradually shifted from the conclusion of Simḥat Torah to its beginning. The ritual's widespread adoption throughout the Jewish diaspora ultimately stemmed from two key factors: the growing influence of kabbalistic literature and the active dissemination efforts of emissaries from Israel who promoted these practices across diverse Jewish communities.