iPad won't activate

Why does my iPad Pro suddenly restart showing a screen that says it has updated to 13.7 (when it already had 13.7) and needs to be activated, which it won't do even after I put in my Apple ID and my passcode. After several futile attempts, it tells me to connect to a Mac or PC with iTunes, but after connecting to my Mac, nothing happens. (I don't think my MacBook has iTunes, at least I can't find it.) After repeated efforts of turning the iPad off, then on, and getting totally frustrated, it finally comes back where I can reach the desktop. My iPad just did this for the third time in a couple of months, and it's always in the wee hours when Apple Support is closed so I can't reach a live person! Granted my iPad is old, a 9.7” model (with the larger surround so that you can actually hold it without touching the screen area) but it usually works just fine, and I do use it all the time. This upgrading fluke has me baffled. And I do have automatic update turned off, even though it tells me I should upgrade to 14.3 (which ruined an iPhone 7 when it automatically upgraded to 14.0.1 but that's another tale.)