English translation — ברכה-שמח"ת

A.

The reason why the last Yom Tov

(the second day of Shemini Atzeret)

is called Simchat Torah,

says the Rema<sup>1</sup>

: "Because they rejoice and make a festive meal on it for the completion of the Torah"<sup>2</sup>.

It has already been said many times,

that a name which is agreed upon according to Torah, although it is determined because of a particular matter

(a cause,

action and the like),

alludes to the content and essence of the thing that bears the name; and especially according to the known<sup>3</sup>

that "his name which they call him in the Holy Tongue" is the life-force of the created being,

it is even more understood that its content is expressed in the name<sup>4</sup>.

From this it is understandable in our matter: although that the last day of Yom Tov is called "Simchat Torah" because of the reason that then one is "rejoicing ..

with the completion of the Torah",

but since that the name was fixed upon the entire M.L."A.,

it is understood that the name "Simch"T" has a connection and a bond with all matters of the day.

Moreover: from this itself,

that "completion of the Torah" is on this day,

it is proven that the day essentially has a connection to

The joy of the completion of the Torah⁵.

With this it is understood what his holy honor, our master, my father-in-law, the Rebbe said⁶

that the blessing of Shehecheyanu of Simchat Torah is not only on the holiday,

but also on <b>Torah</b> - ostensibly, after all, the blessing of Shehecheyanu is because of that which it is a holiday

(the second of)

Shmini Atzeret - since however it is said on the day that has a special name in itself - Simchat Torah

which is called "Acharon Shel Pesach",

the name itself proves that its matter is Pesach,

but it is the end and conclusion,

unlike the name Shmini Atzeres,

whose content does not indicate a connection to Simchas Torah]

Even the matters that are substantively connected to Yom Tov Sheni Shel Galuyos,

they too are connected to Torah⁷

and its joy⁸.

2.

One must, however, understand: why should the blessing of Shehecheyanu on <b>Torah</b> be bound specifically with <b>Simchat</b> Torah?

Moreover: it is quite difficult to say so - the joy of this day is "the <b>completion</b> of the Torah"⁹,

and the blessing of Shehecheyanu is generally for a <b>new</b> matter,

which in our case would seemingly have been appropriate to connect with the <b>beginning</b> of the Torah¹⁰.

that the blessing of Shehecheyanu here is indeed not connected with the actual reading and study of the Torah,

but it is a thanksgiving for the <b>new joy</b>¹¹

which the <b>person has</b> from the aspect of "the <b>completion</b> of the Torah",

in the manner of the law in the blessing of enjoyments that "every joy of the heart that comes to a person"¹²

he must make upon it the blessing of Shehecheyanu.

According to this it will turn out,

that the blessing of Shehecheyanu is not on the Torah but on the <b>joy</b> of “the <b>completion</b> of the Torah”,

but from the wording of his honor, my father-in-law, the Rebbe, it is implied that the blessing is

<b>on the Torah</b>¹³

itself]

One must say that although the joy is determined on “the <b>completion</b> of the Torah”,

but the conclusion of the Torah is in a manner of automatically bound with the beginning of the Torah anew; because regarding Torah it is indeed not applicable a <b>duration</b> of time of the conclusion of the Torah,

since that <b>immediately and at once</b>,

afterwards - without interruption there is the <b>constant</b> obligation of

(beginning)

learning Torah anew - and as it is indeed the custom of Israel,

that immediately

After the conclusion of the reading of "Vezos HaBerachah" one begins to read Bereishis¹⁴

- and since the

(Simcha B)

completion of the Torah is <b>it is that which gives</b> that one should begin the Torah <b>anew</b>,

one could say that the blessing of Shehecheyanu is

(consequently)

connected with the <b>new</b> beginning of Torah -

It is however difficult from this: Since the obligation of Torah study is constant,

and he indeed learns Torah every day,

and the Torah that one completed,

the same Torah one begins <b>immediately</b> again - so in what way is it a <b>new</b> thing,

that one should make on it "Shehecheyanu"¹⁵?

And if because of the preciousness and importance of the Torah¹⁶

- it must be and it is

(since we are not dealing with the wicked)

"Every day they are in your eyes <b>as new</b>"¹⁷.

3.

So the explanation in this: Since Torah is the wisdom of the Holy One, blessed be He, and it is longer than the measure of the earth and broader than the sea¹⁸

Torah is infinite,

so when one finishes the Torah and one begins to read it and learn it again,

there is an obligation "to expand it"¹⁹

- to begin to learn the Torah in a new manner,

until a manner that is beyond comparison to the learning of the previous year.

And in this consists the joy of Simchat Torah and its connection to the blessing of Shehecheyanu on Torah: after one finishes the Torah, one makes a joy that one has completed one manner in the study of Torah,

and because of this one makes the blessing of Shehecheyanu, praise and thanksgiving, on the beginning of the study of Torah in a new manner.

And although the study of Torah must be with understanding and comprehension of the intellect,

which intellect is measured and limited — now how is it possible to say a new manner in the study of Torah which is incomparable to before?

-But since Torah is infinite,

there are also in the understanding and comprehension of Torah manners of study this above that until a new manner,

until a manner that is without end.

An example of this is found in that which the Gemara&lt;sup&gt;20&lt;/sup&gt;

says about R’ Zeira: "When he ascended to the Land of Israel, he sat for a hundred&lt;sup&gt;21&lt;/sup&gt;

fasts so that the Babylonian Talmud should be forgotten from him, so that I should not be distracted," and that he should be able to learn the Jerusalem Talmud.

Which superficially is not understood: why did he have to forget the Babylonian Talmud — in intellect there is after all a knowledge and understanding

(Not only not confusing,

but it is)

actually helpful for a higher knowledge and comprehension in intellect?

But in what matters are the words said,

in a manner of comprehension that is approximately and in the category of the prior comprehension,

however the manner of study of Talmud Yerushalmi that was by the Ra”z incomparably higher than the study of Talmud Bavli

(even in the elevated study of Bavli of the Ra”z),

because about Talmud Bavli it is said²²

“In darkness He placed me” and about Talmud Yerushalmi they say²³

“There is no Torah like the Torah of Eretz Yisrael” — therefore the prior study is confusing to this new study of Talmud Yerushalmi.

4.

Based on this comes an additional explanation in the above matter,

And with the preface that one explains&lt;sup&gt;24&lt;/sup&gt;

the reason why they did not establish Simchat Torah on the holiday of Shavuot

(at the time of the <b>giving</b> of the Torah),

but specifically on Shemini Atzeret,

which comes after the giving of the second tablets on Yom Kippur — because the second tablets were given to penitents,

and this is a greater joy than the giving of the first tablets on the holiday of Shavuot,

which is for the righteous;

And from this — to our matter: after the fast and forgiveness and pardon of Yom Kippur, every Jew becomes a new reality&lt;sup&gt;25&lt;/sup&gt;,

and

Therefore,

when he, soon afterwards, completed the Torah on Simchat Torah,

he had the power to begin learning Torah in a new manner — analogous to the second tablets through which an addition came²⁶

and a most elevated ascent in Torah.

H.

According to the above, one can explain the connection of the portion Vezot Haberakhah to Simchat Torah: At the beginning of the series, the Torah says that the Almighty gave the Torah to the Jewish people in a manner of "Torah tzivah lanu <b>Moshe</b>",

from which it is understood that Moshe Rabbeinu then reached the ultimate perfection in knowledge and comprehension of the Torah — and nevertheless, one learns at the end of the series²⁷

"And Moshe went up from the plains of Moav to Mount Nevo",

about which it is stated in the writings of the Arizal²⁸

that he then attained the fiftieth gate

("Nevo" — Nun Bo)

; D.

H.

That which the Gemara says²⁹

"Fifty gates of understanding were created in the world, and all were given to Moshe except one",

except for the fiftieth gate,

this is regarding the time until his passing; close to his passing, however, he also comprehended the fiftieth gate,

which is <b>beyond all comparison</b> to the forty-nine gates of understanding³⁰.

And it can be said in the manner of explanation - that something like this exists by Jews every Simchat Torah,

when one reads and

one learns "And Moshe went up from the plains of Moav to Mount Nevo",

and one finishes learning the portion of Vezot Haberachah&lt;sup&gt;31&lt;/sup&gt;,

and one begins again the Torah in a sublime and new manner.

6.

But it is not understandable: the above-mentioned matter,

that on Simchat Torah after "the completion of the Torah" one begins to learn Torah in the most elevated manner,

is indeed not applicable to every single Jew,

only to those of great comprehension and unique individuals — so what relevance does the joy of Simchat Torah have to all Jews,

that they too should

(rejoice on Simchat Torah,

and)

make the blessing of Shehecheyanu on the Torah?

Moreover: the joy on Simchat Torah is in a manner that all Jews from your heads of your tribes to the hewer of your wood and drawer of your water rejoice &lt;b&gt;equally&lt;/b&gt;,

as one sees from the custom of Israel that all dance together etc. — according to the above, there should have been at least a difference in the &lt;b&gt;greatness&lt;/b&gt; of the joy,

the main joy should have been with those of comprehension etc.

Even stronger is the claim: if the entire matter of Simchat Torah and the blessing of Shehecheyanu were connected with the ascent in understanding and comprehension of the Torah,

then the joy would also have had to express itself in the same manner — that one would then occupy oneself with learning Torah with an advantage,

both in quantity and in quality,

and the understanding in Torah should evoke the joy.

In practice, however, we see,

that the joy of Torah consists entirely in dancing with the feet,

one dances and rejoices with the Torah specifically as it is closed and wrapped in a

mantle,

in such a way that one cannot even look into it.

7.

Will understand this by prefacing the explanation of the wording of the blessing "Shehecheyanu vekiyemanu vehigiyanu lazman hazeh" — that the wording of the blessings was instituted by the Men of the Great Assembly³²

— is understood the greatness of the precision in this³³.

The explanation that is required in the wording of the blessing,

is: a)

What are the three expressions

(Shehecheyanu,

kiyemanu,

higiyanu)?

b)

The order of thanksgiving in general is indeed from the light to the heavy

(in the way of not only this but even this),

first one thanks for smaller things and afterwards for greater ones; now since "kiyemanu" means only the existence of a reality and "Shehecheyanu" — that the reality also has in itself life — as His Holy Honor, my father-in-law, the Rebbe, explains in the sicha³⁴

— one should have first thanked for his very existence

("kiyemanu"),

and afterwards add a thanksgiving for his life

("Shehecheyanu")?

In the Rokeach³⁵

it stands,

that the three expressions "Shehecheyanu vekiyemanu vehigianu" are "corresponding to Hallelu nafshi et Hashem ahalelah Hashem bechayai azamrah lelohai be'odi",

but this itself requires explanation: <b>What</b> are the three matters,

and how are they hinted in the three expressions?

8.

The explanation in this: When one speaks about a praise and thanksgiving that a person thanks the Most High for that which He gave him existence and vitality until "this time",

a question can arise: whether his life until now was in a manner,

that it is fitting for this to thank with "Shehecheyanu"?

It can indeed be,

that most of his days were entirely not in pleasure and tranquility,

but on the contrary,

they were times of sorrow and depression; and as is known the reasoning of the researchers³⁶

regarding the entirety of the human species,

that if one were to make an accounting of the various times in life,

it is entirely possible,

that the times of the opposite of good and pleasure are more than the times of pleasure and good,

until the sum total is,

in the language of Chazal³⁷,

that it is "better for him had he not been created".

And even in a case when by <b>the </b>person this is not so certain,

it can however be that lo yatza mi'gdar safek,

it becomes a <b>question </b>on the blessing³⁸.

Therefore one precedes "Shehecheyanu": just as the vitality

(<b>literally </b>- opposite of dead)

of a person is in a manner that he lives from his head to his foot <b>equally</b>,

It is not possible to say that in one part of the body there is vitality and in another part not - so too is the type and nature of the life of "Shehecheyanu" that this is a vitality which encompasses <b>all </b>the matters of man,

which

Therefore he must

(from the perspective of the Torah)

thank the Most High:

Without Torah it is not possible to say that by a person there is

(in most of his time)

such a life and vitality that one should give praise and thanks to the Most High; even when his times of good outweigh the times of the opposite of good,

still by him nevertheless the majority of the time is such that he has not felt vitality and liveliness.

For the Torah speaks about the majority — most times of the day are used for matters of eating and drinking and sleeping, which are not a person's vitality,

purpose and goal and desire — and also for business,

which in themselves — he has in them no vitality and pleasure; he does them

(with an external will —)

so that he should have his needs,

livelihood to support himself and his household etc.

But a Jew who is connected with Torah,

Torah of life,

that he wants that all his life should be according to Torah,

then all his actions

(thought, speech and deed)

throughout the entire day are permeated with

(Torah —)

vitality; for also with and in his business and the like he fulfills the command of the Torah

(it should be with faith)

until that "&lt;b&gt;and all your deeds &lt;/b&gt;should be for the sake of Heaven"&lt;sup&gt;39&lt;/sup&gt;,

and even more — "in all your ways know Him"&lt;sup&gt;40&lt;/sup&gt;.

It thus turns out,

that in his situation,

"for this time" every moment of his life he wants that it should be in a manner of vitality,

of "you who cling to the Lord

Your God &lt;b&gt;lives&lt;/b&gt;”&lt;sup&gt;41&lt;/sup&gt;,

because of which he can and he must give praise and thanks to the Most High - “Shehecheyanu” - “for this time”.

9.

According to this - what does the concept “Vekiyemanu” add upon “Shehecheyanu”,

for seemingly the praise of existence is a lower matter,

as above.

The explanation in this: the vitality of his own is not necessary that this should be specifically by a soul &lt;b&gt;in a body&lt;/b&gt;; on the contrary,

the concept of vitality is here more by angels and more revealed than by souls in a body&lt;sup&gt;42&lt;/sup&gt;,

and especially by souls above before they come down below,

that they stand there with a constant

(self-nullification and)

attachment to the Above,

that due to this they have a most elevated vitality.

Therefore one says a special praise

(and additional),

that the vitality of the soul comes down into a body "Who has kept us alive and sustained us"; i.e.,

i.e.,

that also in our sustaining of body - which due to its existence by itself,

&lt;b&gt;by itself&lt;/b&gt;,

it is only in the aspect of &lt;b&gt;sustenance&lt;/b&gt; - there is not heard in it the spiritual vitality - becomes drawn the

(true)

vitality of Torah and mitzvos.

And then one says the thanksgiving also due to the body - and sustained us.

Yud.

According to the above — what does the language of Hodayah of "Vehegi'anu" add?

His Holy Honor, my father-in-law, the Rebbe, says in the sicha³⁴

: "Hegei'anu was once translated — 'einshmatern'."

It is not understood wherein lies the advantage of "einshmatern"?

At first glance it is

This is entirely a deficiency.

Moreover: when a matter,

even a lofty matter,

is connected with pain,

one cannot make on it a Shehecheyanu blessing; as we find by Bris Milah that one of the reasons⁴³

that one does not say on it the Shehecheyanu blessing - although this is a very great mitzvah and a thing that "they accepted upon themselves <b>with joy</b>"⁴⁴

- because there is involved in it "pain of the infant"⁴⁵.

So the explanation in this is: when one receives a thing as a gift without any work and toil, this is "bread of shame"⁴⁶

and therefore it does not arouse in the recipient a true joy; and on the contrary,

this awakens in him a feeling of "shame",

embarrassment.

When, however, he receives it through his work and toil,

it is for him much more precious,

it arouses in him true joy

(in the manner of our sages, may their memory be for a blessing,⁴⁷

"A person prefers his own kav to nine kav of his fellow")⁴⁸.

Regarding this in our subject: When can be the completeness of joy of "Shehecheyanu vekiyemanu" and one should give praise and thanks to the Most High — at the time that the "Shehecheyanu vekiyemanu" comes

Through toil and exhaustion; but not so when his vitality according to the Torah in all his matters,

also in the body,

comes without toil,

then there is lacking in the completeness of joy and consequently also — in the praise and thanks to the Most High.

"And He brought us",

toil,

is not only a cause and a condition that one should be able to give praise and thanksgiving for "&lt;b&gt;Who has kept us alive and sustained us&lt;/b&gt;",

but the very toil causes him joy and delight and therefore he gives a special praise and thanksgiving on the matter of "And He brought us".

Yes.

Based on this, it can be explained what the Rokeach says that the three expressions of the blessing of Shehecheyanu are "corresponding to 'Praise the Lord, O my soul; I will praise the Lord while I live; I will sing to my God while I exist': "

(I will praise the Lord)

&lt;b&gt;While I live&lt;/b&gt;" is this corresponding to "Who has kept us alive" — the life of the soul as above; "I will sing to my God &lt;b&gt;while I exist&lt;/b&gt;" is corresponding to "and sustained us",

because "while I exist" means the body which is only "my existence" — a secondary thing&lt;sup&gt;49&lt;/sup&gt;.

"Praise the Lord, O my soul" alludes to "And He brought us" — toil,

because in toil he invests his &lt;b&gt;soul&lt;/b&gt;&lt;sup&gt;50&lt;/sup&gt;.

12.

According to the above, one will understand the concept of the blessing of Shehecheyanu on Torah which one makes on Simchat Torah:

After Jews read and learn the Torah throughout the entire year,

and one completes it on Simchat Torah,

there comes a new additional light of Ein Sof in Torah⁵¹,

and then at the time Jews begin to read

And learning the Torah again,

this is,

as it were,

a new and higher Torah,

and therefore all Jews rejoice and one makes the blessing of Shehecheyanu⁵².

And these three matters come afterwards to each one according to his worth and manner:

For Torah scholars and dwellers of the tent, it comes primarily in the study and understanding of the Torah in a new manner as mentioned above — Shehecheyanu — and in this consists their main <b>toil</b> — Vehegi'anu — in the understanding and attainment of the Torah,

and consequently it comes to them in their service in the body and in the world — Vekiyemanu — for which they give only a minority of their time.

By people who are good deeds and businessmen,

although that to a new manner in comprehension of the Torah they are not related,

since it comes however to a new light in Torah,

it effects also by them a novelty in "Shehecheyanu vekiyemanu vehigianu" according to their level they: it becomes elevated and renewed the &lt;b&gt;vitality&lt;/b&gt; in their study of Torah and in all their conduct during the day according to Torah; this does also an elevation in the vekiyemanu - in the vitality of the body according to Torah; vehigianu - it comes to an addition of strength on the effort to have a Torah'dik vitality in all their matters both in the effort to carry out all the instructions of the Torah in business,

and eating etc. and all needs of the body,

both in the effort to tear oneself away from matters of the world and more

toil in fixed sessions

(fixed also - in soul)

in study of Torah.

13.

According to this, one will also understand the connection of Simchat Torah and its blessing "Shehecheyanu" to the portion Vezot Haberachah.

At first glance,

since Torah is understanding and comprehension,

how does this affect human matters that have no connection to intellect?

We learn in our parshah⁵³,

that Torah is "mimino esh dat lamo",

It says in Sifri: "Just as fire, everyone who uses it makes an impression on his body⁵⁴

so too people who toil in it are recognizable among the creatures; so too Torah scholars are recognizable in their walk and in their speech and in their garb in the market"

(and as the Rambam⁵⁵

explains the details in this).

But the question arises on the other hand: Granted, by Torah scholars,

whose beginning to learn Torah again is in an entirely new manner,

it is understandable how this also effects a renewal and addition that is recognizable "in their walk and in their speech etc.",

but by Jews who are not Torah scholars,

what connection does the novelty in Torah that is on Simchat Torah have to them,

that this should

To also be active in their matters as above,

until that they should

(rejoice with this to such an extent - even to)

make the blessing of Shehecheyanu?

On this comes the explanation in the portion: "Torah tzivah lanu Moshe morashah kehillah" - Torah is an <b>inheritance</b> to every Jew⁵⁶,

that the law⁵⁷

by inheritance is that the age and status and condition of the heir is not relevant - Torah is a thing that <b>every</b> Jew receives it as an inheritance.

And therefore,

when it comes to a renewal and addition of light in Torah — on Simchat Torah,

there comes to every Jew a renewal and addition in his conduct and vitality according to Torah.

And therefore the main joy on Simchat Torah is specifically at the hakafot — not at reading and study of Torah,

but specifically through movements and practical actions of dancing etc. with the Torah itself — because the main joy of Simchat Torah is

(not so much from the side of comprehension and understanding of Torah,

but primarily)

in that Torah is “shehecheyanu” — it has made us alive,

in <b>all</b> our matters,

until in Asiyah⁵⁸

in actuality.

5731)