Simchat Torah

Shalom and Bracha!

   This Friday night, in honor of Shemini Atzeret, and Saturday night, for Simchat Torah, we take out the Torah scrolls and dance with them. Seemingly, both the holiday and the custom seem out of place! The Torah was given on Shavuot, Several months ago. Why make Simchat Torah now? We conclude the reading of the entire Torah and begin again on Simchat Torah. But why don't we do that on Shavuot? Furthermore, why do we rejoice by dancing with the Torah? Torah is made for studying. Why don't we rejoice by studying all night?

   After the Torah was given, Moshe shattered the first Tablets. Thereafter, he beseeched Hashem to forgive the Jewish people for having made the golden calf. On Yom Kippur, Hashem fully forgave the Jewish people and Moshe brought down the second Tablets. Together with the second Tablets, he was given a much deeper insight into the Torah. Since the second tablets are the tablets that remained, we celebrated Simchat Torah and conclude the cycle of reading the Torah in connection with the date of their being given. Yom Kippur rightfully should be celebrated as Simchat Torah, but as it is a day of fasting and atonement, we celebrate Simchat Torah shortly thereafter.

   As aforementioned, together with the second tablets came a new depth in Torah. Seemingly, to demonstrate forgiveness, it would have sufficed to merely replace the previous Tablets. Why then were we granted new depths? When a person does a sin, and thereafter does Teshuvah to the extent that Hashem forgives him, his bond with Hashem becomes stronger than before. The bond of the soul to Hashem is compared to a rope. When a rope tears and is tied back together, the knot is much thicker than the original rope. Similarly. When the Jewish people repented after the sin of the golden calf, the bond with Hashem was strengthened. Therefore, new depths in the Torah were revealed, symbolizing the deeper bond.

   In our connection to Hashem through Torah, there are different levels. Our minds are connected to the Will of Hashem via studying the Torah. On a deeper plane, our very essence is bound to Hashem through the essence of Torah. This is the bond we celebrate Simchat Torah. Therefore we take the Torah in its entirety, while it is covered, and rejoice with it. We rejoice with our whole being, which is expressed through dancing. As we dance, all of us are equal, because every Jew's essence is one with the essence of Torah.

   During the Yom Kippur war, the Rebbe raised the question how can we rejoice when our brothers are in danger? He explained that since we are in the time the Torah requires us to rejoice, our rejoicing brings Hashem's protection to the Jews in Israel. Joy is always a vessel for blessing. Especially in troubled times, when it is an expression of faith that all will be well.

   Whatever we sought to accomplish through prayer on Rosh Hashanah can be accomplished through dancing and rejoicing on Simchat Torah. May we go from the joy of Simchat Torah to the celebration of Moshiach's coming!!

Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach,

 Rabbi Biggs

The Talmud teaches that increasing Torah study brings Hashem's protection to the Jewish people and particularly to the people of Israel. In light of the current situation, I am seeking to multiply the number of people studying Torah. If you know of anyone who might enjoy Torah e mail, please send me their addresses.

There is a great holiday website at

http://www.chabadgn.com/holidays/jewishnewyear/