I was speaking recently with a friend of mine, Barry Stein, about my father-in-law, Rabbi Singer, who has been in the hospital for the past four months and is in need of a refuah shleimah bimheirah (a speedy recovery). Barry told me that in every conversation he has had with Rabbi Singer, Rabbi Singer would ask him, “What tune are you thinking about now? A Jew has to have a niggun—a song—in mind because a Jew always has to be b’simcha—happy!”
In Parshas Ki Savo, Moshe recounts the curses that will befall the Jewish nation and says they will come, “Tachas asher lo avadata es Hashem Elokecha B’Simcha”—Because you did not serve Hashem, your God, with simcha—rejoicing.” How could it be that a lack of happiness in serving Hashem is the catalyst for all the terrible tragedies to come?
Reb Henoch from Alexander explains that the Torah introduces this concept with the word “tachas.” It is simply translated as “because” or as Onkelos translates it, “in exchange for.” However, the word literally means “underneath.” Moshe is telling us that the cause for not serving Hashem with simcha is because we have something tachas—an underlying cause-—which is preventing us from experiencing the simcha of serving Hashem.
But how can one be happy when there are so many life challenges? Rabbi Singer would often say, “Just look at all the good you have in your life. You can breathe, speak, walk and talk. There are so many reasons to be happy!” This lesson really made an impression on me a few months ago when I was with Rabbi Singer in the hospital and he couldn’t walk and could hardly speak. A student came in to visit and asked for a bracha. In response, Rabbi Singer screamed the word, “Simcha!”
This concept is explicit at the beginning of the parsha, where it says, “V’Samachta B’chol Hatov—– You shall rejoice with all the good that Hashem has bestowed upon you….”
The Ohr HaChaim offers a different explanation for“all the good.” He explains that it’s referring to Hashem Himself and our opportunity as individuals to get close to Him. Alternatively, the Ohr HaChaim explains that “all the good” refers to Torah. As the Mishna in Pirkei Avos says, “The only good is Torah.”
The Ohr HaChaim concludes, “If people will experience the sweetness and pleasantness of Torah, they will go crazy over Torah and pursue it, and all the gold and silver in the world will be nothing in their eyes because Torah includes all the good of the world.”
Torah definitely has the ability to give us a sense of simcha, although many people learn and they still don’t feel happy. There is a fascinating insight from the Vilna Gaon in the words we say daily in the Yehi Ratzon at the end of Bircos HaShachar. We ask of Hashem, “Vsargileinu B’sorosecha”—You should make us become accustomed to Your Torah.” The Vilna Gaon asks, What kind of request is this? Hergeil, the root of v’sargileinu, means rote or habit. Why would we want to perform mitzvos and learn Torah…out of habit? The Vilna Gaon answers with a very profound insight. There are different pleasures in this world. Some are enjoyable immediately and some require training to appreciate. Let’s take, for example, a bottle of fine wine or a delicacy. The pleasure we derive from consuming them is instantaneous. The Torah, however, is different. It is naturally sweet, but it requires us to be ready to taste that sweetness. That may take some time and training. Why? Because we may have allowed some worldly pleasures to supersede the pleasure of learning Torah. Therefore, our request is, “V’sargileuinu b’sorosecha”—Please, make us become accustomed once again to learning your Torah, because once we do, we will love it since it “tastes” naturally good!
Elul is a time for us to recalibrate. We need to refocus ourselves and return to the true source of simcha—Hashem Himself and His Torah.
This coming week, our Yeshiva is launching its enhanced Young Professionals Program. In the past year, we have been welcoming young men from diverse backgrounds and varying levels of commitment. We have Sunday morning learning, Monday night one-on-one chavrusa and Thursday night group learning, culminating with a lively kumzitz to excite us for enjoying Shabbos. These young men are enjoying the true sweetness of quality Torah learning! This coming Thursday night, in the back of our yeshiva at 441 Passaic Avenue, we will be filling our massive tent with a night of learning, inspiration and elevation to take our exciting Young Professionals Program to the next level.
All men are invited to come and participate on Thursday night, whether to provide inspiration or to be inspired. More likely, I think it’ll be both! Please register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/young-professional-launch-pti-tickets-1014913632997?aff=oddtdtcreator
Rabbi Baruch Bodenheim is the associate rosh yeshiva of Passaic Torah Institute (PTI)/Yeshiva Ner Boruch. Rabbi Bodenheim can be reached at [email protected]. For more info about PTI and its Torah classes, visit www.pti.shulcloud.com
