Weekly Dvar Torah: Dancing Toward Redemption

Simchas Torah marks the culmination of the Jewish High Holidays, a day filled with joyous celebration as Jews across the world come together to dance with the Torah. Whether one is a learned Torah scholar, a simple Jew, or even a young child, everyone is equal in this celebration. The unity is palpable as we circle the Bima, holding the Torah, dancing, singing, and rejoicing. This collective celebration reflects the deep bond between the Jewish people and the Torah. As the hymn for Simchas Torah describes, from the days of Avraham Avinu to the future arrival of Moshiach, all generations join together in the timeless rejoicing of this special day.

But a question naturally arises: why do we celebrate the entire Torah together as one when each person has their own unique portion of the Torah? In our daily prayers, we ask G-d to “give us our portion in the Torah,” implying that each individual has their own distinct connection to it. Furthermore, Jewish tradition teaches that the word “Yisroel” is an acronym for “There are 600,000 letters in the Torah,” corresponding to the 600,000 souls of the Jewish people. Each Jew has a letter in the Torah, representing their unique place and contribution. So why, on Simchas Torah, do we not each dance with our own part of the Torah, but instead dance together as one unified whole?

To answer this, we need to explore the three ways in which the Jewish people relate to the Torah. The Torah is described as 1) an inheritance, 2) something to be acquired through toil, and 3) a gift from G-d.

First, Torah is an inheritance, as it is written: “The Torah that Moshe commanded us is the heritage of the congregation of Jacob” (Deuteronomy 33:4). Just as a child automatically inherits from their parents, every Jew, by virtue of being part of the Jewish people, inherits the Torah. This connection is not based on personal achievement or merit, but on identity—simply being a Jew grants one access to the Torah. This is akin to receiving a family heirloom, passed down through generations without any effort on the part of the recipient.

Second, Torah must also be acquired through toil and effort. The Talmud states: “If someone says they have worked hard and not succeeded, do not believe them” (Megillah 6b). To truly make Torah one’s own, one must labor over its words, delve into its depths, and apply its teachings to life. It is through this process of study and intellectual struggle that the Torah becomes personally meaningful and transformative. Torah study requires effort, commitment, and dedication—only through this can one truly “acquire” the Torah.

Finally, Torah is also described as a gift. In the daily blessings over the Torah, we thank G-d for having “given us the Torah.” A gift is something freely given out of love, without any specific obligation. But a gift, while unearned, is often given because the recipient is beloved or valued by the giver. The gift of Torah represents a higher level of connection, a bond that transcends effort and accomplishment. It is an expression of divine generosity, an act of G-d’s infinite love for the Jewish people.

At first glance, these three descriptions seem contradictory. How can Torah be an inheritance, something to be earned, and also a gift? However, they represent different dimensions of the relationship between Jews and Torah, each building on the other.

The fact that Torah is G-d’s infinite wisdom means that it is far beyond the reach of any finite human being. On its own, Torah is inaccessible to creation. However, because the Jewish soul contains a spark of G-dliness, we have the ability to connect with G-d’s wisdom. This is why Torah is an inheritance—it is the birthright of every Jew, passed down through generations, part of the essence of our spiritual DNA.

But this inheritance alone is not enough. G-d wants us to work, to struggle, and to transform ourselves through Torah study. By laboring over the Torah, we elevate ourselves, making the Torah truly ours. Through effort, we acquire personal ownership of the Torah’s wisdom, applying it to our lives and embodying its teachings.

Once we have inherited the Torah and toiled to acquire it, we are then in a position to receive Torah as a gift. This refers to the new Torah that will be revealed in the Messianic era, G-d says; “a new Torah will come forth from Me”—a deeper, more profound level of understanding that no amount of human effort can achieve on its own. This final gift will be bestowed by G-d Himself, a revelation of Torah that will transcend all of our previous knowledge.

This brings us back to Simchas Torah and why we dance together as one. The dancing on Simchas Torah celebrates this final, Messianic dimension of Torah—the gift that will be given to us when Moshiach comes. At that level, the differences between a Torah scholar and a simple Jew fade away. The wisdom of the Torah that is revealed in the Messianic era will be so profound and so all-encompassing that everyone will have equal access to it.

Therefore, on Simchas Torah, we do not focus on our individual portions of Torah. We do not highlight the differences between us—whether we are scholars or beginners, knowledgeable or unlearned. Instead, we come together as one, united in the anticipation of the gift that awaits us. The Torah we dance with is not just the Torah of today, but the Torah of Moshiach, a Torah that will belong equally to every Jew. This is why we celebrate not with our intellect, but with our bodies—our feet and hands—because, at this level, the distinction between intellect and simplicity is irrelevant.

Another reason we dance with such exuberance is because we are humbled by the divine revelations experienced during the High Holidays, from Rosh Hashanah through Sukkot. These holidays bring us closer to G-d, but they also remind us of our spiritual inadequacies. We realize that despite all the inspiration and closeness, we have not fully internalized the G-dly energy of these days. Like an animal under threat makes noise to express its distress, we too make noise—through dancing and clapping—to express our longing to internalize these revelations and carry them into the rest of the year.

In this way, Simchas Torah is both an expression of joy and humility. We rejoice in the knowledge that we are G-d’s children, on the verge of receiving the ultimate gift of Torah, yet we are humbled by our inability to fully grasp it. Our dancing is a physical expression of both these emotions—a profound celebration of the unity we share as we anticipate the revelation of the Torah of Moshiach.

Have a Dance with the Torah Gift,
Gut Yomtov Gut Shabbos

Rabbi Yosef Katzman