Simchas Torah as the Torah of Teshuvah

בענין שמחת תורה בשמיני עצרת.

Concerning the matter of Simchas Torah on Shemini Atzeres.

The Sefas Emes opens his discussion of why we rejoice with the Torah specifically on Shemini Atzeres.

כתבנו כבר כי הוא ענין לוחות אחרונות שניתנו ביוה"כ בבחי' בעלי תשובה.

We have already written that it is the matter of the second luchos, which were given on Yom Kippur in the aspect of baalei teshuvah.

Simchas Torah corresponds to the second set of tablets, given after the sin of the egel on Yom Kippur — a Torah received specifically by penitents who had fallen and returned.

ויש מקום לב' הקבלות בכל שנה.

And there is room for two receivings of the Torah every year.

Each year the Torah is received in two distinct modes, corresponding to the two sets of luchos.

בחג השבועות הוא הראשונות ובשמ"ע [הוא] האחרונות.

On Chag HaShavuos it is the first luchos, and on Shemini Atzeres [it is] the second luchos.

Shavuos parallels the first tablets received by the tzaddik standing firm, while Shemini Atzeres parallels the second tablets of the baal teshuvah.

כמ"ש בשם מו"ז ז"ל על שנתעכב משה רע"ה אח"כ עוד מ' יום מכלל שתורה חדשה ניתנה להם בבחי' בעלי תשובה.

As was said in the name of my grandfather, of blessed memory, regarding the fact that Moshe Rabbeinu tarried afterward another forty days — this implies that a new Torah was given to them in the aspect of baalei teshuvah.

The Chiddushei HaRim noted that the extra forty days Moshe spent above show that the second luchos were a fresh giving of Torah, on the level of those who have done teshuvah.

עפ"י מאמרם ז"ל במקום שבע"ת עומדין אצ"ג יכולין לעמוד ודפח"ח.

This is based on the saying of Chazal: "In the place where baalei teshuvah stand, even complete tzaddikim cannot stand" — and these are beautiful words.

The second luchos are greater precisely because the level of the baal teshuvah surpasses even that of the perfect tzaddik.

והנה בכל מעשה בראשית כתיב וירא אלקים כי טוב.

Now, regarding every act of Creation it is written: "and Elokim saw that it was good."

The Torah repeatedly records that Hashem saw the goodness in each day of Creation.

פרשנו שראה בכל דבר שנמצא בו הארת התורה שנק' טוב שבה נברא הכל.

We explained that He saw in each thing that there is found in it an illumination of the Torah, which is called "good," through which everything was created.

The "good" Hashem saw is the hidden light of Torah embedded in every created thing, since the world was created through the Torah.

ולפי"ז מ"ש וירא כו' כל אשר עשה והנה טוב מאוד.

And accordingly, that which is written "and He saw... all that He had made, and behold it was very good" (Bereishis 1:31).

The Sefas Emes now applies this principle to the verse describing the completed Creation as "very good."

נפרש על התורה בבחי' בעלי תשובה.

We may explain this as referring to the Torah in the aspect of baalei teshuvah.

The word "very" added to "good" hints at the higher light of the Torah of teshuvah — the level surpassing the tzaddik.

שזה הי' בערב שבת אחר שכבר שב אדה"ר בתשובה:

For this was on Erev Shabbos, after Adam HaRishon had already returned in teshuvah.

"Very good" was said at the close of the sixth day, once Adam had done teshuvah — so it expresses the elevated good of return, which is the secret of the second luchos and of Simchas Torah.

Summary: Simchas Torah on Shemini Atzeres corresponds to the second luchos, the Torah of the baal teshuvah given on Yom Kippur — a level that surpasses even the perfect tzaddik. This is why the Torah of Creation's completion is "very good" rather than merely "good": "very" reflects the higher light of teshuvah, said at Erev Shabbos after Adam had already returned.