1

The verse you recited previously, "The Torah which Moshe commanded us is the inheritance of the congregation of Yaakov," relates how Moshe gives every Jew the entire Torah as an eternal inheritance. Surely, this applies to every Jew in the present generation, men, women, and children. Regardless of a child's age, he has been granted the entire Torah as his personal inheritance.

Certainly, this applies to a child[113] who is old enough to have begun to say Modeh Ani each morning, immediately upon awakening. This statement begins one's service of that day and permeates the totality of that service. Every aspect of a person's conduct -- even the most elevated spiritual service -- should be affected by one's grateful acknowledgement of G-d. Similarly, such acknowledgement is the spirit behind the blessings one recites when benefiting from the world; for example, before drinking a glass of water, one recites the blessing shehakol, proclaiming how "everything was created by His word"[114] and acknowledging how He makes the world available for the benefit of man, allowing him to be healthy, live actively, and develop in both a spiritual and a material sense.[115]

This development will prepare us for the ultimate Redemption of the entire Jewish people. Herein there is a connection to the holiday of Sukkos, for at that time, we will benefit from the Sukkah made from the skin of the Leviathan. In that Era, the oneness of the Jewish people -- a concept which is true at all times[116] -- will be openly revealed and we will see how "all Jews are fit to dwell in a single Sukkah."

The mitzvah of Sukkos makes us conscious of how "I caused the children of Israel to dwell in Sukkos when I took them out of the land of Egypt." Thus it raises our hopes that "As in the days of your exodus from Egypt, I will show you wonders." Then G-d will take every Jew out of exile,[117] and do so in a wondrous fashion.

The potential for this is increased in the present year, a year of "wonders in all things" (niflaos bakol). The latter word relates to the threefold expression of blessing given to our Patriarchs bakol mikol kol. The latter phrase is numerically equivalent to the word kabetz meaning "gather," which alludes to the ingathering of the exiles in the Era of the Redemption. Then G-d will take every Jew individually out of exile and "on the clouds of heaven" -- which are faster than airplanes -- bring him to Eretz Yisrael, Jerusalem, and the Beis HaMikdash.

There we will celebrate the Simchas Beis HaShoevah. Although this celebration began at night, at the beginning of the day, it is drawn down over the entire day. These celebrations should be so great that "we did not taste sleep;" the intensity of these celebrations should be so powerful that the thought of sleep should not even occur to one.

Each one of us can see this in his own life. When one's happiness is very powerful, it permeates every aspect of one's conduct and prevents one from sleeping.

Such happiness was experienced by the Jews in the Beis HaMikdash and will be experienced again in the Era of the Redemption when the entire Jewish people will gather in the Beis HaMikdash. The knowledge of this forthcoming celebration will intensify our celebrations at present. This is particularly true since Sukkos is the third festival (when counting from Pesach) and the Torah mentions happiness in connection with it three times. This should prompt powerful celebrations and should motivate everyone of you to serve as examples to your friends and parents, showing them how to celebrate Simchas Beis HaShoevah and indeed, how to increase your celebration beyond that of the previous days. This in turn will prepare us for the ultimate celebration in the Era of the Redemption, an eternal celebration that will encompass the entire Jewish people, beginning with Jewish children.

2

Today is the afternoon of the fourth day of the Sukkos holiday which lasts seven days.[118] Thus more than half the holiday has passed. Our Sages taught that the majority of an entity is considered as the entire entity. Thus since you have surely celebrated Sukkos with great happiness -- and influenced others to rejoice as well -- you will surely continue and increase your celebrations in the days to come.

This is particularly true for we are approaching Shabbos which is referred to as "the days of your rejoicing," and Hosha'ana Rabbah. The latter name means "great salvation" which, needless to say, will be accompanied by great rejoicing. This will lead to the rejoicing of Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah.

There is a connection between Simchas Torah and the ushpiz, the "honored guest" associated with the present day, Moshe Rabbeinu. (As a preface, the concept of ushpizen is related to Sukkos, for at that time, every Jew conducts himself like a guest, i.e., he leaves his home and dwells in new surroundings for seven days.) Since Moshe gave the Jews the Torah, the day on which he is the ushpiz has a connection to Simchas Torah, the day of our rejoicing with the Torah.

Together with Moshe come all the other ushpizen, Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Aharon, Yosef, and David. They all celebrate when they see that "The Torah that Moshe commanded us is -- actively and in a manifest manner -- the inheritance of the congregation of Yaakov." They see how a Jewish child rejoices with the Torah, studies the Torah diligently, and with happiness, encourages other children to do so.

This serves as a preparatory step for the time when the entire Jewish people will be gathered together as one congregation[119] in the one land, in Eretz Yisrael. Then we will bring sacrifices in the Beis HaMikdash and celebrate with G-d in Simchas Beis HaShoevah. A foretaste and the beginning of this celebration will take place at present when we celebrate and dance in Simchas Beis HaShoevah at present. Similarly, the coming of this celebration will be hastened by our gifts to tzedakah and this will bring about continuing and growing light and joy.

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3

This gathering should also benefit other children who did not have the privilege to attend it. First and foremost, this refers to financial help for those who are in need, making an increase in tzedakah.

This is particularly relevant in America where Jews have distinguished themselves in their performance of this mitzvah. This applies throughout the entire year, but particularly in the days associated with a festival. This is especially true in regard to Sukkos, for since the obligation to celebrate is more powerful on Sukkos, the obligation to tzedakah is greater. This is particularly true because tzedakah has the potential to hasten the coming of the Redemption, for "Israel will be redeemed solely in the merit of tzedakah." Therefore, this gathering will conclude with the distribution of money to be given to tzedakah.

Before that, a niggun associated with Sukkos should be sung, then a niggun associated with the Redemption, and then a niggun that expresses the greatness of G-d. (The power of the latter niggun is emphasized by the fact that the words are in Russian and that language is used to proclaim that "there is nothing else but Him.")

This will lead to an increase of our celebration in Simchas Beis HaShoevah and an increase in joy leading to Simchas Torah. When G-d sees your resolution to carry out these activities, He will bring the redemption and take us "with our youth and our elders... with our sons and with our daughters" to Eretz Yisrael, to Jerusalem, and to the Beis HaMikdash. There we will celebrate Simchas Beis HaShoevah in the courtyard of the Beis HaMikdash.

   

Notes:

113. (Back to text) This acknowledgement is the first thing that, not only a Jewish child, but also all Jews -- including your parents and your teachers -- do upon waking in the morning.

114. (Back to text) Thus the blessing is an acknowledgment not only of G-d's creation of the water, but of His bringing all things into being.

115. (Back to text) For a Jew, spiritual and material activity are interrelated. When a Jewish child's body grows and develops, his soul should grow and develop. Just as G-d grants a Jewish child material food to develop his body, He also grants him spiritual food, Torah and mitzvos to develop his soul.

116. (Back to text) This concept is particularly relevant on the holidays and even on Chol HaMoed when our involvement with worldly things is minimized.

117. (Back to text) This surpasses the redemption from Egypt when there were some Jews who were not redeemed.

118. (Back to text) Shemini Atzeres, the eighth day, is a holiday in its own right as reflected by the fact that a separate blessing Shehechiyanu is recited on that night.

119. (Back to text) In contrast, in the time of exile, even when the Jews gather in congregations, there are several different congregations.