Where are we? We have just completed Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur? At our Kol Nidre service on Yom Kippur, we ask G-d’s permission to pray with sinners/avaryanim. All are welcome to repent. After Yom Kippur, we are all alike, we are clean of sin, have a clean slate and are joyous in the status of our pure state. G-d forgave us, and if you can imagine the release and relief two parties have when they are holding a grudge against each other for a year, and then there is forgiveness by the parties, and there is joy that you can resume your close relationship again. That is the joy that we feel post Yom Kippur as we go into Sukkoth with absolute trust that when we enter our temporary unsecure dwelling, that G-d is there to protect us.
We have also just completed the Torah portions of Vayelech where Moses warns the Jews that they will continue to sin if they are not careful, and the dire consequences of sinning. G-d then gives the Jews the Torah portion of Haazinu, where the Jews are to memorize a song to G-d so that when they do sin, the song will bear witness on behalf of G-d and the Jews, G-d will remember His promise to the Jews and accept their penitent prayers. We are taught in Parshat Haazinu that when we are in trouble, we turn to G-d, and do as King David did, sing G-d’s praises. We discussed last week, the greatness of a people if they can be in trouble, and have the faith that what appears to be trouble is actually G-d’s goodness and we can continue to sing G-d’s praises through our troubles.
This brings us to Simchat Torah. Why is it that at the completion of saying the Torah throughout the year, we do not do what we do on Shavuoth, and study the Torah all night long, rather we dance with the Torah all night long? The Lubavitcher Rebbe states that each person is different in their Torah knowledge and Torah learning capabilities, and this separates one from others. The Parshah that we read on Simmchat Torah states: Deuteronomy 33:5 “He (G-d) became King over Jeshurun when the numbers of the nation gathered the tribes of Israel in Unity.” G-d our father, wants to see us united. No matter what level of Torah scholar you are, everyone can clap, sing and dance in joy with each other and G-d over having completed the recitation and learning of the Torah over this year. We rejoice at what we each accomplished, and we rejoice together at our united accomplishment of having focused our lives and weeks around Torah and its learning and recitation.
We are joyous as a nation for having survived one more year, we are eagerly anticipating starting over again, the recitation and learning of the Torah, for each time Torah is learned, there is a new idea and nuance that emerges from Its pages, and it betters us.
Thank you G-d for forgiving each one of us and all of us, thank you G-d for providing for each one of us and our nation and thank you G-d for giving us the Torah which each one of us understands on her own level, but which we thank G-d for giving to the Jews as a guide for how to live a high quality of life.
Chag Sameach!!!
Good Shabbos.
-Suri