October 7th – The day G-d put the Torah away

As religious, “Torah observant” Jews, we like to think our way of life and religious outlook or “hashkafa” is right. We like to think “they” are to blame, “they” – the others – not us, are the cause of G-d’s wrath. “They” have sinned and we are all collectively punished.

But, sometimes, we need to look inwards and reflect – however painful that is.

October 7th, was also simchat torah. I remember when the sirens went off – we were at the katamon shteiblech, celebrating simchat torah – getting ready to dance with our sacred sefer torah.

But, then G-d decided to take the sefer torah out of our hands and put it back in the aron kodesh. Yes, G-d separated us from the sefer torah – the means through which he connects with and talks to us. We became a nation at Mount Sinai – and G-d told us all – stop – I don’t want you to hold my Torah – I want you to put it back in the aron kodesh.

In Jewish law, when a sefer torah falls, you need to fast; when a sefer torah burns – you need to do kriya like a mourner. In other words, in Jewish law, when G-d takes the sefer torah out of your hands – it’s a bad sign for us – we need to do teshuva and mourn – we need to mend our ways. G-d isn’t happy with us – even though, we think we’re doing it all right – in the eyes of G-d – no! – there’s a problem, a weakness, an error – in our avodat hashem.

There is a famous story, when Rav Y.B. Soloveichik’s wife was dying of cancer, he went to shul and saw the sefer torah fall out of the aron kodesh and he then knew his wife would die – and she did soon after. The message being, when something happens to the sefer torah in our presence, its a very bad sign.

The mishna in Sukkah writes that on Sukkot, if it rains and you have to leave the sukkah that’s a sign that G-d isn’t happy, G-d clearly was showing us on simchat torah, but us having to put down the sefer torah and go into our bomb shelters that there was something wrong with us – yes, US – and we can’t blame “them.”

Looking back at what was going on before October 7th 2024 and since, you can often hardly believe what you hear from the religious, “Torah observant” rabbanim and politicians in Israel and abroad. For instance, the sefardi chief rabbi telling yeshiva students to rather leave Israel than go to the army..

Whether the attitude to secular Jews or the state of Israel or serving in the army and taking an equal role in defending and serving the country, maybe the fact that G-d separated us from the sefer torah on that most sacred day – simchat torah- – when we are supposed to celebrate our relationship with our Torah and G-d, is something that we should think about and reflect on – if we are honest and humble enough.

Praying for better times.