Simcha renews Torah and the year

בסוכות זמן שמחתינו.

On Sukkos — "the time of our rejoicing."

The Sefas Emes opens with the festival's own name: Sukkos is the season designated for simcha, and that joy is the key to everything that follows.

והם ימי בחירה ורצון שע"י השמחה מקבלים בלב שלם.

These are days of choosing and ratzon (will/desire), for through simcha one accepts upon himself with a whole heart.

Joy opens the heart so that a person can take on his avodah willingly and completely, not grudgingly.

כענין שאמרו חז"ל כל [מצוה] שקבלו עליהם בשמחה עדיין עושין [בשמחה].

This is like the saying of Chazal: every mitzvah that Bnei Yisrael accepted upon themselves with simcha, they still perform with simcha.

A mitzvah received in joy takes root permanently; the original gladness keeps it alive for all generations.

ולכן נקבע קהלת בימים הללו לההביל ולגנות כל מעשי עוה"ז להבין להניח הרצון רק בתורה ומצות וכפי הבחירה והתשוקה בימים הללו כך מקבלין על כל ימי השנה.

This is why Koheles was established to be read on these days — to declare empty and to disparage all the doings of this world, so that one comes to understand that he should rest his ratzon only on Torah and mitzvos; and according to the choosing and longing of these days, so does one receive upon himself for all the days of the year.

Koheles deflates the value of worldly pursuits precisely so that our desire attaches solely to Torah and mitzvos. The intensity of yearning we generate now sets the spiritual tone for the entire year ahead.

לכן עושין שמחת תורה לקבל עול תורה בשמחה להיות נשאר הקבלה על כל ימי השנה.

Therefore we make Simchas Torah — to accept the yoke of Torah with simcha, so that this acceptance remains for all the days of the year.

By taking on the ol Torah (yoke of Torah) joyfully at the year's start, the commitment endures, just as a mitzvah received in joy is performed in joy forever.

כי באמת עיקר חיות הכל ע"י התורה כמ"ש בראשית בשביל התורה שנק' ראשית.

For in truth the essential life-force of everything comes through the Torah, as it is written "Bereishis" — "for the sake of the Torah," which is called "reishis" (the beginning).

The world was created "for the sake of" the Torah, which Chazal call reishis; thus Torah is the inner vitality animating all of creation.

ובמד' ואהי' אצלו אמון אומן שהביט בתורה וברא העולם.

And in the Midrash on "I was beside Him as an amon" (Mishlei 8:30) — read as "uman" (craftsman): He gazed into the Torah and created the world.

The Torah is the blueprint of creation; Hashem "looked into" it as an architect looks at his plans and brought the world into being.

וכתיב ואהי' שכן מתחדש בכל שנה ושנה הנהגה חדשה בכח התורה.

And it is written "va'ehyeh" ("and I was") — for so it is, that in every single year a new mode of Divine conduct is renewed through the power of the Torah.

Creation is not a one-time event. Each year Hashem's hanhagah (governance of the world) is renewed, and the engine of that renewal is the Torah.

וע"ז כתיב עיני ה' אלקיך בה מראשית השנה.

And concerning this it is written: "The eyes of Hashem your God are upon it from the beginning of the year" (Devarim 11:12).

Hashem's providence is fixed upon the land — and upon the world — "from the reishis," from the very source connected to the Torah called reishis.

ע"י התורה שנק' ראשית וע"י בנ"י שנק' ראשית.

Through the Torah which is called "reishis," and through Bnei Yisrael who are called "reishis."

Both Torah and Bnei Yisrael bear the title reishis; the year is renewed through this shared root of beginning.

שהשגחת הבורא ית' בכח התורה שנמצא בבנ"י.

For the hashgachah (providence) of the Creator, may He be blessed, operates through the power of the Torah that is found within Bnei Yisrael.

Divine providence flows into the world specifically through the Torah as it lives inside the Jewish people.

וכפי ערך כח התורה שנמצא בבנ"י כך מתחדשת השנה.

And according to the measure of the power of Torah found within Bnei Yisrael, so is the year renewed.

The strength of our connection to Torah literally determines the quality of the year's renewal — we are partners in drawing down the new hanhagah.

וכן שמעתי מפי אא"ז מו"ר ז"ל פ' הפסוק בינו שנות דור ודור שיש בכל שנה ושנה הבנה חדשה בתורה:

And so I heard from my grandfather, my teacher and master, of blessed memory, explaining the verse "Understand the years of generation after generation" (Devarim 32:7) — that in every single year there is a new understanding in the Torah.

Citing the Chiddushei HaRim, each year unfolds a fresh insight into Torah; the renewal of the year is also a renewal of Torah comprehension itself.

Summary: The simcha of Sukkos and Simchas Torah enables us to accept the yoke of Torah wholeheartedly, fixing that commitment for the whole year. Since Torah is the blueprint and life-force of creation, and both Torah and Bnei Yisrael are called reishis, the world's annual renewal — and each year's fresh understanding of Torah — flows specifically through the Torah as it lives within the Jewish people.