Dear Friends,
 


This week our shul experienced a most unusual and meaningful Simchat Torah. 

Instead of marking Simchat Torah as a day filled with dancing,  we gathered in the BACH tent for a masked, socially distanced  service. There was still an abundance of smiles from our youth as they received individually wrapped candies carefully prepared by Alana Jakubowitz. Jonathan and Liz Gardner, our amazing youth directors, led a very well received kiddie hakafos. Every child had a chance to dance with their own Torah, and had an opportunity to come and find the letters of their name in a real Torah. The singing was leibedik, and the energy was palpable. We concluded with a neilas hachag, listening to beautiful divrei torah from our young couples and singing highlights from our Yamim Noraim davening. 

 
As I think of this experience, I am reminded of a classic question, trying to understand why we declare Chazak Chazak Venitchazek when we complete a Chumash. Some Halachic authorities find the practice of declaring Chazak difficult. When someone is called up for an Aliyah, a blessing is recited before and after the Torah reading. We usually are not allowed to interrupt between the Mitzvah and its blessing. Why, then, do we recite Chazak? Is it an interruption, a hefsek between the reading and the blessing? Shut Maharam Mintz, a 15th century halachic authority explains (Siman 85) that saying Chazak at the end of a Chumash is akin to saying Hadran at the end of learning a Messechta. When we complete a tractate there are angels who claim that our attachment to Torah is weak and that we are learning a book but we lack intention to stay attached to it once we complete it. For this reason, it is our custom to declare “Hadran Alach” with fervor at the close of our learning a Messechta. We are committed that we will return to this tractate and that our attachment to Torah will continue. The same is the import of Chazak. When we complete a Chumash there are angels who accuse us of learning and then disconnecting. We declare “Chazak Chazak” to affirm that we will continue to hold on to the Chumash and guard its precious legacy. We will not abandon our learning. We will immediately start afresh. One who is truly attached to Torah may recite a blessing on the learning; thus, the declaration of devotion and commitment is considered part and parcel of the experience of learning Torah. 
 
As a community we can all take pride in how we conducted ourselves during Simchas Torah. We ensured everyone was safe and at the same time had a very meaningful experience. It is a great source of pride for the community.  

For those who would like to take the inspiration of Simchas Torah and channel it into something concrete, please sign up to learn a chapter of Tanach here. This Simchat Torah we launched a special community-wide study of Tanach, with the hope of making a communal siyum on Shavuot. 

We truly seek to hold on to Torah!  We declared on Simchat Torah Chazak Chazak Venischazaik, alluding to the promise that hachut hameshulash lo bimhera yinatek, that we will hold on to Torah and return to its study repeatedly. May this accomplishment inspire us all to redouble our commitment to the study of Torah. Eitz Chayim Hi Lamachazikim Bah, Torah is a tree of life to those who hold on to it. May we merit to hold on to Torah throughout the year and to feel how it infuses us with life, meaning and inspiration.

 Yasher Koach to everyone who helped make such a memorable Simchat Torah 5781. 

Sincerely,

Rabbi Benny Berlin