One More Day

This Wed. night-Fri. night, Jews (outside of Israel) will be celebrating the special holiday known as Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah (those in Israel only wed. night-thurs. night). On these days we complete the cycle of the reading of the Torah, and begin reading from the Torah's beginning from "Bereishit" - "In the Beginning of G-d's Creating..." The last of the 3 major holidays (Passover & Shavuot being the other 2) until the spring time, this holiday marks the end to the holiday of Sukkot, but in truth, is really a holiday onto itself. Why, after all of the previous holy days, did G-d Feel the need to give us another one?


The 11th-century sage, Rashi, explains the holiday as follows (based on Leviticus 23:36): [G‑d says to Israel,] "I have detained you [to remain] with Me." This is analogous to a king who invited his sons to feast with him for a certain number of days, and when the time came for them to leave, he said: "My sons! Please, stay with me just one more day; it is difficult for me to part with you!"

After the special closeness of the high holidays of Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot, G-d desires a short time to spend in seclusion with His people. But how do we act during this special time? Do we learn; do we pray?
We dance. We take the Torah (at a synagogue near you, specifically Thursday evening), and we simply dance with it. We revel in the special connection G-d has given us for so long, the precious Torah, to connect with Him beyond the holiday, throughout the year. As Rabbi Shalom DovBer Schneerson once said: The 48 hours of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah should be highly treasured. Every moment is an opportunity to draw bucket and barrel-fuls of material and spiritual treasures. And this is accomplished through dancing.

On Simchat Torah, we become the feet of the Torah and we dance for it. And as we leave the holiday season and embark on the coming year, we must pay close attention to the words of Rashi: "...and when the time came for them to leave, he said: "My sons! Please, your departure is difficult for me!" G-d never leaves. We are the ones who can "leave" from the connection & feeling of closeness to Him, especially felt during the high holidays. May we keep up the celebration of our connection to the one G-d throughout the coming year, with joy and gladness of heart.

Chag Sameach!

-Daniel