Chag Simchat Torah Sameach - Happy Holiday!
Tishrei 21, 5785/September 23, 2024
The final two days of the Tishrei twenty two day holiday season rise to a dramatic crescendo as Israel readies herself with special prayers and supplications for a good year ahead, a year of victory and peace, a year of blessing and abundance, of abundant rain and prosperity, of health and brotherhood, of unity and good tidings.
The seventh and final day of Sukkot, known as Hoshana Rabbah, is considered to be the final day to influence HaShem's judgment. As we know, on Rosh HaShanah our judgment was written down. On Yom Kippur it was sealed. But that sealed judgment is not actually delivered until Hoshana Rabbah, giving us one last opportunity to straighten our ways and appeal one last time to HaShem. This is an allegory, of course, and we always have the opportunity to do teshuva (to return to HaShem and our intended paths), but nevertheless, the drama and import of our Hoshana Rabbah prayers are not taken for granted.
On Hoshana Rabba Jews circle the teiva (prayer stand) in synagogue seven times with their arba minim (four species) in hand and utter in unison, prayers and supplications for heavenly blessings. A special emphasis is placed upon prayers for abundant rains of blessing in the upcoming winter months, and for a bountiful year of grains and fruits in the land of Israel. These prayers are every bit as heartfelt and personal as our prayers for our own well-being and success, a clear display of the deep soul connection between the people of Israel and the land of Israel. Our integrity and our adherence to the way of Torah will ultimately determine if our prayers will be answered affirmatively or not. On HoShana Rabbah our entire year ahead is hanging in the balance.
The final act of the unique Hoshana Rabbah prayer is the beating of five willow branches against the ground, again accompanied by prayers for blessings in the year ahead. Known as hatavat ha'aravot, this is an ancient and venerated custom which began during the time of the Hebrew prophets. Considered so essential to the wellbeing of the nation of Israel, Hoshana Rabbah will never fall on a Shabbat, which would prevent the beating of the willows.
Hoshana Rabbah is the last day that we sit in our sukkot, and it is immediately followed by Shemini Atzeret, the Eighth Day Assembly. Unlike Sukkot, during which a total of seventy bulls were offered up on the altar on behalf of the seventy nations, on Shemini Atzeret only a single bull was offered, symbolizing the nation of Israel. It is understood that Sukkot is a holiday on behalf of all the nations, as foretold by the prophet Zechariah, and being fulfilled in our days: "And it will come to pass that everyone left of the nations who came up against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to prostrate himself to the King, HaShem of Hosts, and to celebrate the festival of Tabernacles." (Zechariah 14:16)
Tradition holds, however, that following the great celebration of Sukkot,HaShem requested a quiet festive day alone with just His people Israel, before we all head on our ways into the new year. This quiet festive day is Shemini Atzeret.
However, in the passage of time a third guest was invited, as it were, to partake in the festivities of Shemini Atzeret. This third guest is the Torah itself, the covenant which binds Israel to her G-d. Hence the other name for the holiday - Simchat Torah - which means, literally, the Joy of Torah. On Simchat Torah we conclude our annual cycle of the reading of the Five Books of Moses by reading the final two chapters of Deuteronomy which contains Moshe's final blessings of the tribes of Israel and his death upon Mount Nevo after being given a glimpse into the land that he will not enter. Immediately after concluding the final verses we read the opening verses of Genesis, describing G-d's creation of the world in six days and His rest upon the Shabbat. Thus the new year of reading Torah begins on the very day of its conclusion. Not a moment passes that Israel is not immersed in the study of Torah. The reading of the Torah is accompanied by joyful singing and dancing with congregants taking turns carrying and dancing with each of the synagogue's multiple Torah scrolls.
And thus concludes the twenty two festive days of the month of Tishrei. At last we are ready to step forth into the new year. May HaShem guard over our valiant soldiers fighting Israel's enemies. may He heal the injured and bring Israel's hostages back, safe and sound, to their families. May HaShem shower with compassion all who have suffered loss during Israel's year of war for her survival. May G-d grant us all, Jews and Gentiles alike, a good year ahead, a year of hope and blessing, of health, and prosperity and glad tidings. And may we all say, "Amen!"
Chag Sameach - have a joy-filled holiday!
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