We are about to enter זמן שמחתנו — the time of our gladness. Yet we are still reeling from the horrific events that began nearly a year ago, and are still occurring daily, that make it so difficult to rejoice.
We will soon read over Sukkos from Koheles, where King Solomon speaks of aעת ספוד — time to wail, and a עת רקוד — time to dance. These two periods are contrasted as conflicting with each other, intimating they cannot coexist.
There is a fascinating assertion made by two very diverse schools of thought.
Both the Netziv, the famed Rosh HaYeshivah of Volozhin, and the great Chassidic master, the Holy Kohen of Lublin, Reb Tzadok, teach that on Sukkos there is an injunction to dance!
Although all the holidays are referred in the Torah as חגים — festivals — Chag HaPesach; Chag HaShavuos; Chag HaSukkos, nevertheless Sukkos is the only one where the verse tells us 'For seven days תחג — shall you celebrate', as a directive.
Is this merely a synonym for joy?
The word חוג literally means to encircle, an allusion to dancing which often is expressed by people dancing together in a circle.
King David in Tehillim uses as a metaphor for people on a ship tossed about in a stormy sea: תחגו — they reeled and staggered like a drunken man, twirling about in his stupor. (107 27)
These great sages both reveal that on Sukkos in addition to שמחה — being joyous, one must also תחג — dance!
There is though a subtle divergence in the approaches of these two giants.
Reb Tzadok sees in the simile of the 'dancing drunkard' the essence of this mitzva.
One who subjects himself completely to the will of G-d, removing inhibition, when sensing joy in one's relationship with G-d will instinctively break out in unbridled and unabashed dancing.
This is our mission on Sukkos, to quash our selfish attitudes and interests and focus purely on honoring G-d.
The Netziv on the other hand asserts that independent of our being in a state of joy, one must push oneself to dance nevertheless, displaying our confidence in our good fortune in having been victorious in our judgment on Rosh Hashana.
Perhaps the outer expression will arouse within us the inner joy our soul inevitably senses and explode in genuine happiness.
One who can connect to this idea can see even in the worst of times the joy of fulfilling G-d's will even when it may be purposely painful, believing that everything that comes our way is meant for our soul's greater benefit. Something we may not be able to fathom now, but one day it will be revealed how joyous it really is.
The saintly father of the Belzer Rebbe of today, The Rav of Bilguraya, Rav Mordechai Rokeach related what he had observed in the dark days he spent in the Cracow ghetto.
Many had already lost their loved ones. Their lives hung daily by a thread, fearful of what the next moment may bring.
As he was walking through the alleyways of the ghetto he heard singing. He followed the sounds to discover it was emanating from a cellar on the outskirts of the ghetto.
He opens the door and cannot believe his eyes. A group of ten young Chassidim are dancing in a circle with enthusiasm, in what inconceivably appears to be joy amid the darkness outside.
Astounded, he was beside himself. Here he was an adult, the son of a Rebbe, having absorbed much Torah and chassidus over many years, and yet he was broken and shattered from the tragedies around him. Yet these young fellows were exuberant. Where did they draw their strength from, he wondered, to cleave so joyously to G-d under these terrifying and depressing circumstances.
One of the young men, who appeared to be less than thirteen, seeing his distress calls out to the Rav, "Reb Yid, doesn't our Creator want something from us even now, so why not then do His will with joy?"
He reached out for the Rav's hand, bringing him into the circle and danced with them.
The Rav survived the war, and later discovered that these young Gerrer Chassidim subsequently perished amidst their 'dance of joy'.
We have a tough job ahead, but evidently our beloved Father in Heaven believes we are up to the task. Even amid our wailing over the state of the hostages; the fate of those who perished; their loved ones who are suffering; the plight of those wounded; the many families displaced from their homes, we can muster a moment of pure submission to grab each other's hands and dance over our privilege to serve G-d with joy.
May G-d see our struggle to express our closeness to Him and bring us all finally home.
חג שמח
באהבה,
צבי יהודה טייכמאן
