One Year Later: Thoughts on Observing Simchat Torah

Celebrating Simchat Torah this year – the one year anniversary of the Hamas barbaric attack – is a daunting task. Some have suggested suspending dancing altogether – the pain is too overwhelming. Others have suggested dancing with more spirit than ever – responding to the enemy with a resounding Am Yisrael Chai.

Still others suggest that these feelings be sequenced; that is, time set aside for mourning followed by time for celebration.

Atah Hareita: Hashem Hu Ha’E-lohim

Atah hareita, the preamble to the hakafot, may stir feelings of piercing lament if dedicated to the murdered on that dark Simchat Torah Shabbat a year ago; to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives defending the Moledet (Homeland); to victims of terror; and in the prayer, too, that survivors and the bereaved feel the love of Am Yisrael, and with God’s help, be able to carry on. When reciting the first sentence, declaring “The Lord is God,” participants may be encouraged to personally dialogue with God, thanking Hashem for all His goodness, and, if some wish, respectfully and lovingly asking, “Dear God, ad matai, when will this end?”

Vayehi Binso’ah Ha’Aron: Ve’yafutzu Oivecha

As the Torahs are taken from the Ark, we internalize the hope – “Arise O Lord, and let our enemies be scattered” – may we soon be victorious.

Hakafot

Relative to the Hakafot which now follow, perhaps both the mourning and the celebration should mesh together, and accompany each hakafah.

One suggestion may be that before each hakafah, congregants can form either a large or concentric or separate circles. Circles represent the ongoing cycle of life, a galgal hachozer. When the circular motion reaches the lowest level it begins to slowly, slowly, move up.

While standing still, holding hands, each hakafah may be dedicated to a particular group most affected by the War. The rabbi, a congregant or an eye witness could then offer a thought, testimony, perhaps based on a selection from part of the liturgy of that particular hakafah. While the hakafot liturgy describes God’s benevolent attributes, it reverberates with the calling that we follow suit, fulfilling the mandate of imitatio Dei, walking in God’s ways.

The solemnity would reach its crescendo with the singing of a slow meditative niggun, followed by either singing the same niggun energetically, or another niggun, to dancing. Here are some humble suggestions:

Hakafah Alef: Go’el Chazak

The opening hakafah is a general plea that God be with us, helping us, redeeming us. Note the refrain repeated for each hakafah, now said for the first time, “hoshiah na, hatzlicha na, aneinu” – terms that describe our covenantal relationship with God.

Hatzlicha refers to God’s singular contribution in the redemptive process; hoshiah refers to our partnering with God in this mission – hopefully leading to aneinu, turning inui, our affliction, into oneh, our prayers being answered.

A rendition of Am Yisrael Chai, beginning at a slow pace and then quicker could follow. 

Hakafah Bet: Va’tik Ve’chasid

This hakafah may be dedicated to the evacuees; the tens of thousands forced out of their homes, in effect shrinking Israel’s northern and southern boundaries. The term vatik is used to refer to an “old-timer,” including one who is native to a place. Ve’chasid amplifies the righteousness of the call to return for those forced out of their homes.

This kavannah could be concluded with the meditative song Rachel mevakah al baneha, leading to a more celebratory Ve’shavu Vanim Li’gvulam.

Hakafah Gimel: Tov U’meitiv

The third hakafah is the hope that all our soldiers return safely. The Talmud understands this concept, tov u’meitiv to refer to our petition that the bodies of slain soldiers be returned for an honorable burial. More broadly, tov u’meitiv expresses the prayer that all our soldiers who go out, come back whole – in body and spirit. An appropriate niggun, slow and then picking up pace could be Ki Ve’simcha Teitzei’u U’ve’shalom Tu’valun.

Hakafah Daled: Lovesh Tzedakot

Lovesh tzedakah recognizes that Israel is fighting a just war, justly, while doing all it can to limit civilian casualties. The IDF is responding with strength to a barbaric attack that the enemy has promised to repeat. In this hakafah, emphasis can be placed on the IDF’s sacred mandate of Tohar Haneshek – Purity of Arms. The niggun could be a slow and then quicker rendition of Eileh Va’rechev Ve’eileh Va’susim. 

Hakafah Hey: Somech Ve’soeid

The fifth hakafah is the tefillah that the wounded be healed. And so we declare, O God, please support (somech) the wounded. Please bless and hold up (so’eid) the first responders, the healers, family and friends of the injured giving them the strength to overcome. We promise to do our share, alongside Yours. A song of healing could follow such as Hatov Ki Lo Chalu Rachamecha. 

Hakafah Vav: Podeh u’Matzil

The sixth hakafah speaks to the mandate of pidyon shvuiim, redeeming and rescuing the hostages held in suffocating tunnels. Here, we should call out the slogan of the Soviet Jewry movement, powerfully reverberating Moses’ demand of Pharaoh – Let Them Go. Stories of horrifying angst of hostages and of family can be shared, followed by the melody Tzion Tzion Tzion Halo Tishali. 

Hakafah Zayin: Tamim Be’ma’asav

The final hakafah speaks to the hope that one day soon Am Yisrael and the world will be tamim, more whole, more united. As the prophet says, on that day the great shofar will be blown; from all corners of the world people will come to Israel, committed to make the world a better place. A slow U’va’u Ha’ovdim could blend into a stronger, faster B’Yerushalaim, B’Yerushalaim.

* * *

My father, of blessed memory, often told the story of a man who called out, under the chuppah of his youngest child, gib mir a nagel – give me a nail! Asked to explain, he said, life is a circle, a wheel. Coming to this country, a survivor of the Shoah, my place was at the lowest point of the wheel. But slowly, slowly it has risen and now, with the wedding of my youngest, it has reached its zenith.

And so I call out: gib mir a nagel  – give me a nail to drive it into the wheel so it remains at its highest level.

Built into life are highs and lows; no matter the strength of the nagel, the wheel continues its revolutions. But this year, we offer the prayer that it endlessly ascend, reaching higher and higher, and higher still.

Ve’chen yehi ratzon.