From: Torah Online list-torah@ohrtmimim.org
Subject: Torah Online - Simchat Torah
Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2003 08:04:53 +0100

SIMCHAT TORAH:
(Why We Dance, and Why We Read The Torah In An Unusual Order)

Every Simchat Torah we dance with the Torah and read the last portion in the
Torah, 'Zot HaBracha' in the Synagogue.

This is unusual;

Firstly, the Torah is a serious and complicated book, and it seems a bit
disgraceful to just dance with it the entire holiday! Why don't we sit down
and learn it on such an auspicious occasion?

Secondly, because we read 'Zot HaBracha' on Simchat Torah, it becomes the
ONLY Torah portion that is not read on a Sabbath. (Unless Simchat Torah
happens to fall on Shabbat).

Why don't we read a special holiday portion as in all the other holidays?
What is the special connection between Zot HaBracha and Simchat Torah?

To understand this here is a short story told by the third Rebbe of Chabad;
the Tzemach Tzedik (1789 - 1866)

The Rabbi of a certain city was a great Talmudic Scholar. Because, however,
the funding of the local Yeshiva (Talmudic academy) was also upon him he had
to travel several times a year to collect money from local businessmen.

But he never had any trouble. Exactly the opposite; his reputation went
before him and wherever he visited he was treated with great honor and given
handsome donations.

But it so happened that on one of his journeys he lost his way and just one
hour before the Holy Shabbat he found himself in an isolated village where
not one Jew was to be found.

How he cursed his miserable luck! He would have no opportunity to pray with
a group of Jews or even hear the Torah reading. He headed for the nearest
inn, paid for a room and asked for two candles to light to fulfill the
commandment of lighting Shabbat Candles. Before he lit them he went into a
corner and prayed the afternoon 'Mincha' prayer with weeping and a broken
heart.

His only consolation was that he had brought along a book of the Talmud and
would at least be able to uninterruptedly sink himself into it for the
entire Shabbat.

Then, just as he was about to light the candles a fine carriage pulled up in
front of the inn, a well-dressed man came out of it, entered the inn and sat
down in one of the chairs to rest.

Meanwhile our Rabbi lit the candles and when he noticed that the visitor was
staring at the flames he began a conversation.

The visitor turned out to be a Jew that, like so many of his brethren, had
left the practices of his fore-fathers and was now on the way to some
business meeting.

Our Rabbi suggested that he remain for the Shabbat and when he refused, he
began explaining the greatness of the Shabbat, the severity of transgressing
it and the wonders of Judaism in general.

He had never really met anyone quite so confused as this fellow and to his
amazement he listened to his speech and agreed to stay!

The entire Shabbat the Rabbi forgot about his Talmud and occupied himself
only with this stranger; telling him stories, listening to his problems etc.
etc. and his work bore fruit. The stranger decided to return to Judaism.

When the Rabbi saw that he had such an effect on another Jew it aroused him
to the essence of his heart; it was the first time he had ever done such a
thing and it stirred him to a new sort of devotion to HaShem and His Torah.
He revealed that a Jew can be higher than the Torah itself.

And that is what this holiday stresses; that the JEWS are HAPPY with the
Torah because we have the ability to RAISE the Torah and even make it dance!


And that is why it is so important to read Zot HaBracha. Because it ends
with the breaking of the tablets (see the last Rashi)!

Now, it is unusual for any Torah portion to end on such a bad note, how much
more so the ENTIRE Torah!

But in reality it is not bad at all. Moses broke the Holy Tablets in order
to save the Jewish people after they sinned with the Golden Calf. So he was
showing the same point; the Jews (even the worst sinners) are essentially
higher than the Torah. The Jews and G-d are ONE.

The real purpose of the Torah is only to enhance and stress this ONEness and
bring it into revelation.. and that will occur only with the arrival of
Moshiach and the Raising of the dead.

Which is also indicated in 'Zot HaBracha' as Rashi explains on sentence
34:2; "G-d showed Moses everything that would happen to ISRAEL until the
Raising of the Dead."

May this Simchat Torah give us the power, joy and Bracha (blessing) to
really reveal Moshiach who will strengthen the Jewish people and fill the
world with the awareness of G-d like water fills the ocean!!!

Moshiach NOW!!!

Rabbi Tuvia Bolton
Yeshiva Ohr Tmimim
Kfar Chabad, Israel

Torah Online site:
http://www.ohrtmimim.org/torah

- posted by Izak @ 12:47 AM