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Simchat Torah: Finding Your Letter of Torah

9/24/2013

 
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The Hebrew month of Tishrei is one long marathon of Jewish rituals. We blasted into this month with Rosh Hashanah. We raised ourselves up with the White Fast of Yom Kippur. We entered the comfort of Sukkot's shelter. We are now in the last hurrah of Tishrei with the holiday of Sh’mini Atzeret and Simchat Torah.

Tomorrow evening, we will light the candles for the holiday on which we read the last words of the Torah and — immediately after — begin again by reading the first words. Traditionally, everyone in the congregation receives an aliyah on Simchat Torah.

(The day on which this ritual is performed varies by movement and by congregation. In the Reform congregation I serve, we will celebrate Simchat Torah on Friday night).

People often ask me about this practice. Why do we not start reading the Torah anew on Rosh Hashanah when we begin the Jewish year? Why is the Torah reading cycle ended and begun on one of the most obscure of all Jewish festivals, when we are exhausted by all the other holidays of this month?

The Chasidic master known as Me’or Einayim (Menachem Nochum Twerski) explained that Simchat Torah is the day on which each of us is reconnected to Torah in a way that can only happen after all the other holidays of Tishrei are finished (Me'or Einayim, Emor). He said that since there are 600,000 letters in the Torah and there were 600,000 Jews who received Torah at Mount Sinai, we conclude that each Jewish soul has a spiritual connection to one of the Torah’s letters. Simchat Torah is the day on which each of us reconnects with our special letter. We can only do this after we have been purified by repentance on the High Holy Days and comforted by dwelling in the sukkah. On this day, each of us finally merits to have an aliyah — to come up to the Torah — to meet the letter that sings to our souls. 

Seen from this perspective, Simchat Torah is not just a day for rolling the Torah from one end to the other. It is the day on which we unroll ourselves to discover our unique place within the Torah. This is the task for which we have been preparing all month.

In what letter will you find your soul? Are you the letter Vav that begins the commandment, V’ahavta l’rei’acha kamocha, “Love your neighbor as yourself”? Are you the Zion of Zachor et Yom haShabbat l’kad’sho, “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy”? Are you the silent Aleph that yearns for God as it whispers, Ani Adonai Eloheichem, “I am Adonai your God”? There are a multitude of different kinds of Jews, each with his or her own place and mission in the cosmos of the Torah.

You have traveled a long journey to reach this day. You have listened for the voice of the divine in the shofar’s blasts. You have dug deep into your past mistakes to seek atonement. You have sat under the roof of the sukkah to contemplate the stars. Now comes the culmination, the moment of ascending into Torah to discover your soul.


Other Posts on This Topic:
End Beginning End Beginning
Vayakhel-Pekudei: Being a Dwelling for God

IWe link
9/24/2013 11:18:45 pm

Thank you for this post. I would never have come to the idea to identify with ONE letter of Torah but it is an interesting approach. I find it very inspiring and meaningful to identify with biblical characters. Chag sameach.

Barb L
9/25/2013 05:53:37 am

I have never really connected with Simchat Torah before but have found myself spending a surprising amount of time today wondering what "my letter" might be.

What am I drawn to? I think first about Shabbat morning service where I am most drawn to Eilu Finu and its theme of boundless gratitude. Maybe there is some letter in gazelle that is meant for me. But wait, that's not from The Five Books, maybe not even from the Bible, so not the Torah that you intend.

Then what? Is there a Torah portion I particularly connect to? Yes, Naso, for various reasons. How to narrow it down? The priestly blessing connects me to my non-Jewish heritage in a way that most of what we do in Judaism does not. Growing up, it was the final benediction (in English) from our minister at the close of church service. It is this one tiny tunnel from my current self to my growing-up self and I am glad that it is there. But how to narrow this down? A word -- shalom -- the essence of what Judaism has brought to me. A letter -- mem -- the shape itself signifying wholeness. Yes, that's the one.

Thank you for this teaching and giving me the chance to engage with Torah today. Now, I realize "the letter" might be more of an
assignment than a choice. In which case, I sincerely hope it's not a
letter associated with stonings or war. Even leprosy would be better than that. :)


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