We are now sitting in the middle of the high-holiday of "Sukkot." Having already experienced the long prayer sessions and fasting of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, our close connection to G-d comes out into the open and is expressed during Sukkot in a way of joy. At the end of Sukkot, we celebrate one more special day (outside of Israel=2 days) known as "Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah"-the joy/celebration of the Torah. Our sages say that dancing with the Torah in shul on Simchat Torah is equal in greatness and holiness to fasting on Yom Kippur. "Joy breaks all boundaries" our sages tell us, and if you don't feel happy...then dance! Because by dancing and "pretending" to be joyful, one is led to a true joy. G-d Wants us, as Jews, to be joyful: "Serve G-d in joy"-Psalm 100, and this week of Sukkot, known as the happiest of festivals, is a good time to start!
But what about "Simchat Torah"? What's so special about this day over the 7 days of Sukkot and even Yom Kippur, that we celebrate to such an extreme? I mean, it's easily understood why we should be joyful; we're celebrating our Torah, in which G-d has given us DIvine Laws of justice and righteousness and a true guide to life. A book that, by shaping our lives to it, brings us to true happiness.
But why now? why the day after Sukkot specifically?
The Torah says: "On the eighth day you will have a holy convocation...it is an atzeret." Our Rabbis of old explained why this day had to come immediately after Sukkot ended; G-d is Saying: "I have detained you with Me, like a king who invited his children to a feast for a certain number of days, and when the time arrived to take leave, he said, 'My children, please remain with me for yet another day' your separation is difficult for me." G-d can't bear to see us go. (The Lubavitcher Rebbe adds: If one looks closer at the words, it says "your separation", b/c only in our eyes does it appear that we have been separated from G-d after the holidays end. But it doesn't say "Our Separation," for G-d Never leaves His children)**
SO this Tuesday night, let's go to a Chabad House or wherever we are, and let's celebrate G-d's Torah that He Gave to His Beloved Children. And let's also remember that even when the holidays have ended, that the whole pt. was to bring the joy and message of Sukkot, to our entire year, to our day to day life. That G-d is always with us. Chag Sameach!
-Daniel
{To find your local Chabad House and it's schedule for the festivities, check: http://www.chabad.org/centers/
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**A 2nd interpretation by the Rebbe: "your separation"=G-d Is Pained when one Jew separates from another.
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