Zman Simchaseinu — The Joy That Flows Like Water
We’ve entered the days known as Zman Simchaseinu — the Time of Our Rejoicing.
Not my rejoicing. Not your rejoicing. But ours — a joint celebration between the Jewish people and Hashem Himself.
After forty intense days of Teshuvah, prayer, fasting, and introspection — from Elul through Yom Kippur — we come home. And when we arrive home, G-d is there waiting with open arms, saying: Let’s celebrate together!
But here’s the question: how do we celebrate this divine joy? Strangely enough, it’s not with champagne or fine wine. It’s with water.
The Torah tells us that during Sukkos, the joy reached its peak during the Simchas Beis HaSho’eva — the joyous celebration of the water-drawing. Night after night, the people danced, sang, and played instruments in ecstasy — all because of plain, tasteless water.
Why water?
Wine excites the senses. It’s flavorful, aromatic — it lifts our mood. It makes sense to dance after a glass of wine.
But water? It’s bland. It doesn’t make you feel anything. It’s just life — simple, pure, essential.
And that’s exactly the point.
During Sukkos, we celebrate that — the joy of being alive, of simply existing as Jews, embraced by Hashem.
After the awe of Rosh Hashanah and the tears of Yom Kippur, we reach a joy beyond reason, a joy not dependent on emotion or understanding. It’s a joy of being. The joy that flows quietly, like water, through every moment of life.
When a Jew realizes that every breath, every heartbeat, every simple act of existence comes directly from Hashem — without intermediaries, without conditions — that’s reason enough to dance.
It’s the joy of knowing: I belong to G-d, and He belongs to me.
That’s why this Yom Tov is called Zman Simchaseinu — the time of our joy. Hashem rejoices with us, and we rejoice with Him. As the Baal Shem Tov said: Hashem is your shadow. When you’re happy, He mirrors your happiness — and when Hashem is happy, He showers blessings without measure.
So yes — it’s party time!
After weeks of seriousness and soul-searching, Hashem gives us this divine gift — a time when the only commandment is to be happy. To dance, to sing, to smile, to live joyfully as a Jew.
If good music helps — turn it on.
If there’s a lively farbrengen — join in.
If it takes a beautiful sukkah filled with friends and laughter — build it, fill it, live it.
Buy the treats, the new clothes, the fine wine — yes, all that helps. But don’t forget the inner core: the water. The simple joy of being one with Hashem, of sitting in His sukkah, surrounded by His love, united as one people with one G-d.
These final days of Sukkos — culminating in Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah — are the crescendo of the entire journey. The awe of Rosh Hashanah, the tears of Yom Kippur, the faith of Sukkos — all melt into the boundless dance of Simchas Torah.
It’s no longer about what we did, how we prayed, or what we resolved. It’s just about being — and rejoicing — together with Hashem.
So, my friends: L’chaim!
Let’s not lose track. Let’s not get distracted. G-d says: I love you, and I want to be happy with you.
Our answer is: Bring it on!
Zman Simchaseinu — the time of our rejoicing.
Ours and G-d’s.
What a gift!
Have a happy — truly, deeply, simply happy Sukkos!
Gut Moed, Gut Shabbos,
Rabbi Yosef Katzman
