Simchat Torah

The culmination of the holiday period ends with the celebration of Simchat Torah. We have completed the cycle of reading all fifty four portions of the Torah.
The last one, וזאת הברכה, is read on this day, and we read the first portion of בראשית, Genesis, as well.
The focus here is to dance and show gratitude that we were given the greatest gift given to mankind. The Rabbis made it clear that without Torah, the world would return to the chaotic state of תהו ובהו that existed before creation.
The Torah is the anchor of the Jewish people. Its study has kept us alive as a people. It is remarkable that we survived as a people while great empires have risen and fallen.
If one were to study Jewish History, he would be amazed to learn how the greatest book of the Oral Law, was written under the most trying conditions.
Somehow these books managed to spread among our people, before the printing press was invented in 1440. And the Talmud survived despite efforts by the Christian Crusades, that actively burned whatever copies of the Talmud that they could.
The emphasis in every Jewish home was on Torah study. As soon as a child would learn to speak, he was taught, תורה צוה לנו משה, that the Torah was commanded to us by Moshe.
The greatest honor would be to reach the level of Talmid Chacham. The greatest Nachat for parents was to have a son or grandson who was a Talmid Chacham.
My beloved rebbe, Rabbi Zelig Starr, once pointed out that the literal translation of this title, would be insulting in certain circles. Literally, Talmid Chacham means, “smart student.”
If someone tried to complement a university professor and tell him that he is a “smart student,” he would be insulted.
But Judaism demands constant study as is mentioned in the Haftarah of Simchat Torah, והגית בו יומם ולילה. The entire verse states that the words of Torah shall not be removed from our mouths, and we shall “speak of them by day and by night.
We also rejoice with the Torah because of the joy that Torah study brings to us. When we are immersed in it, all that matters is delving into its teachings. At that time, all of our daily worries are put on hold as we attempt to connect to the teachings of our sages. There is nothing sweeter than the sweet taste of Torah.
Let us rejoice and celebrate the gift of the Torah. And let us resolve to make Torah study a greater priority in our lives. It will add so much meaning to our lives and bring tremendous blessings to our families and to all of Klall Yisrael.