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Each year we conclude the reading of the Torah and immediately move forward into Bereshit, Genesis. This is a wonderful metaphor for our lives. We begin so many things; we are conceived as precious creations of HaShem through our parents, we are born, we grow we experience so very much and then eventually our time is up and we shake off this mortal coil... Only to begin again!
We are conceived as precious creations of HaShem through our parents, we are born, we grow we experience so very much and then eventually our time is up and we shake off this mortal coil and move on, whether through the process of gilgul neshamot, reincarnation for more preperation or for the final redemption. We are all begin again -- and again!
If we are wise we are utilizing this divinely allotted time for matters of importance. If we are not wise we will use our precious time on materialistic pursuits and other things that don't matter.
For the past year we've been reading and studying the Torah. The Torah teaches us what matters in life and what does not. If we are wise we have been receiving its instruction and applying it to our lives. Now that we have reached the final verses of the Holy Torah what will we do?
The Yetzer Hara whispers into our ear, "Look at all the time you wasted! Yasher Koach you've finished it! Now let's do something else!" But those are wise will say "No! Nein! Non! Nahīṁ! Nyet! No, I have only scratched the surface! I will begin again, and again, and again! Torah is everything! Realizing this is the purpose of Gilgul Neshamot.
Hence on Simchat Torah we both conclude and begin the Blessed Torah! At physical death we conclude one life and begin another. As the Children of Adonai we will never cease to exist and our realization of Adonai's greatness will never cease. The Written Torah of Moshe is our greatest joy! Our eternal occupation. The Written Torah is our guide to true life and peace!
Reb Natan, who penned so many of the writings through which we know our beloved Rebbe Nachman of Breslov wrote:
It was my custom to see the Rebbe every year after Simchat Torah. He would always ask me if I truly rejoiced on the festival. Many times he told me how the community celebrated in his house and how much pleasure he derived from their joy. Once the Rebbe spoke to me about Simchat Torah in the middle of the year. He asked me, "Do you now feel joy in your heart? Do you feel this happiness at least once a year?"
"Thank God," the Rebbe said, "God was with me and I was able to rejoice with all my heart many times each year. This joy was often so great that words cannot express it. This is the joy of being a Jew, of believing in God and it flows through the gates of everyone's heart and cannot be fully communicated. Within our group, when we rejoice, even the least accomplished one among us experiences a feeling of closeness to God that is beyond all description."
The Rebbe very much wanted us to be joyous all year round, particularly on Simchat Torah, Purim, Shabbat and the festivals. The Rebbe told me that once on Simchat Torah he was so overjoyed that he danced all by himself in his room – Sichot HaRan 299.Our Derech, our Path to God, is unending! As we draw ever closer to our Source and Destination how can we not be happy? We heading Home to be with our Beloved! As we once again begin Bereshit or Genesis, let us celebrate in sincere gratitude to HaShem, our Beloved.
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Be the Blessing you were created to be
And
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* Rabbi Shlomo Nachman ben Ya'akov © September 5, 2019 (last update: October 5,2023)
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Be the Blessing you were created to be
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Don't let the perfect defeat the good
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