Shanah
tovah to one and all! I’m back!
I
realize it’s been a while since I last ruminated. There were these holidays and, thank God,
Yona’s Bar Mitzvah among other things keeping me busy. (See here
for my sermon given at the Bar Mitzvah entitled “Ha’azinu, Bob Dylan, and a Bar Mitzvah.”)
If you’re
interested in some of my holiday messages, please let me know, and I’ll be
happy to share them with you.
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Anyone out there
feeling a little bit of holiday overload?
It is natural to feel
a sense of relief now that the holiday season has concluded. It has been almost a month of intense eating,
disjointed schedules, family visits, travel, and missed work (unless you’re a
rabbi).
Since the holidays
ended, everyone I meet has been asking me, “Are you glad the holidays are over?”
or “Aren’t you relieved that the holidays are over?”
I understand their
thinking. The holidays are the busiest
time for a rabbi and other synagogue officials.
There are sermons to prepare, arrangements to make, congregants to seat,
and thousands of Sukkah meals. It is,
indeed, exhausting.
I answer, however, that,
despite all the work, I am sorry to see the holidays end. This is the time of year when people are
coming to shul and paying attention to what I think are important messages and
concepts. I view the holidays as being
like the World Series, and I am winning!
Simchat Torah, the
last day of the holiday season holds the key to understanding how we should be
feeling right now.
Simchat Torah is a
holiday that did not exist. The Torah commands
us to observe a holiday after seven days of Sukkot. We call that holiday “Shemini Atzeret.” Outside of Israel, this holiday lasts for two
days. The whole idea of celebrating the
cycle of reading the Torah only became widespread around 1,000 years ago.
Since this holiday
after Sukkot now has a theme, joyous celebration of the Torah, the name Simchat
Torah was born. In Israel, they
celebrate a one-day holiday that combines Shemini Atzeret with Simchat
Torah. In the Diaspora, since there are
two days of the holiday, we call the first day Shemini Atzeret and the second
day Simchat Torah.
The whole purpose of
the holiday is, as its name implies, to instill joy in being Jewish.
We start the year with
a wake-up call of the shofar to strive for a sweet year. Next, we have Yom Kippur, which allows us to
confront our past and try to make it right.
Then, we get a chance to celebrate the New Year surrounded by reminders
of God’s protection (the Sukkah) and encountering various themes and symbols of
Jewish community and joy (like the four species, Hallel).
Finally, it’s time for
the grand finale! How do we top three
weeks of holidays? Our wise ancestors
knew that the key to a great year filled with connection to Judaism is with simcha,
with joy.
Simchat Torah is all
about trying to get everyone to be happy with Judaism. We sing and dance. We encourage everyone to come close to the
Torah. We bring our children and show
them a good time. Judaism can be
fun. We honor the conclusion of the study
of the Torah, and we celebrate starting it again.
It’s all about the
simcha!
Rambam (Maimonides)
teaches (Laws of Shofar, Lulav, and Sukkah 8:15):
The happiness with which a person should rejoice in the
fulfillment of the mitzvot and the love of God who commanded them is a great
service …there is no greatness or honor other than celebrating before God…
Simchat Torah
concludes the holiday season so that the last thing we encounter is joy.
Simchat Torah may
conclude the holiday season, but it also marks the beginning of a new
year. We are now free of holidays, but
we have the joy of Simchat Torah echoing in our ears as a reminder to always be
joyous in our Judaism.
Simchat Torah is not
the end. It builds the momentum for how
we should approach our lives, our families, and our Judaism throughout the
year.
Too much of the
holidays? I don’t think so.
