Completing the Torah Through Deed

שמחת תורה שעושין בשמיני עצרת.

Simchas Torah, which we observe on Shemini Atzeres.

The Sefas Emes turns to the celebration of Simchas Torah, marked on Shemini Atzeres at the close of the festival cycle.

כדאיתא עושין סעודה לגומרה של תורה.

As it is brought, one makes a feast for "the completion of the Torah" (cf. Melachim I 3:15, where Shlomo made a feast upon completing wisdom).

The custom is to celebrate with a festive meal upon finishing the annual cycle of Torah reading, just as a siyum is marked with a seudah.

כי תכלית כל הגאולה וטהרת הנפשות כדי להיות מוכן לתורה.

For the purpose of all the redemption and the purification of souls is in order to be prepared for the Torah.

Every stage of geulah and of soul-cleansing is ultimately aimed at one goal: readying a person to receive the Torah.

ואיתא במד' כי שמ"ע כמו שבועות אחר חג הפסח ואלה ז' ימי סוכות כמו שבעה שבועות של הספירה.

And it is brought in the Midrash that Shemini Atzeres is like Shavuos after Chag HaPesach, and these seven days of Sukkos are like the seven weeks of the Sefirah (the counting of the Omer).

Chazal draw a parallel: the seven days of Sukkos correspond to the seven weeks of Sefiras HaOmer, and Shemini Atzeres corresponds to Shavuos, the day of receiving the Torah.

וכמו שהי' תכלית יצ"מ כדי לקבל התורה כדכ' אשר הוצאתי [אתכם] מארץ מצרים להיות לכם לאלקים.

And just as the purpose of yetzias Mitzrayim was in order to receive the Torah, as it is written: "[I am Hashem your God] who took you out of the land of Mitzrayim to be your God" (Vayikra 11:45).

The Exodus, culminating in Shavuos, was for the sake of accepting Hashem through His Torah — "to be your God."

כן תכלית הגאולה וטהרה ביוהכ"פ וסוכות להיות מוכן לתורה.

So too the purpose of the redemption and purification of Yom Kippur and Sukkos is to be prepared for the Torah.

Just as Pesach led to Shavuos, the purification of Yom Kippur and the avodah of Sukkos lead to Shemini Atzeres — the readiness for Torah that is Simchas Torah.

ופי' גומרה של תורה הוא מלה דקיימא בעובדא.

And the meaning of "the completion of the Torah" is the word that stands in action (mila d'kaima b'uvda) — Torah that is fulfilled in deed.

"Completing" the Torah means bringing it to fruition through actual practice; the Torah is "finished" only when it is carried out in deed.

כי התורה שנתפרשה בעוה"ז בתרי"ג פקודין היא מדרגה תחתונה של התורה ואין המצוה נקראת אלא על מי שגומרה.

For the Torah as it is detailed in this world in the 613 commandments (pekudin) is the lowest level of the Torah, and a mitzvah is named only for the one who completes it.

The Torah as practical mitzvos is its "lowest" rung — yet a mitzvah is credited to whoever brings it to completion, for the deed is what actualizes it.

לכן עיקר התורה הוא לבנ"י.

Therefore the essence of the Torah belongs to Bnei Yisrael.

Because the Torah is completed through deed, and it is Bnei Yisrael who fulfill it, the Torah essentially belongs to them.

הגם כי חיות כל העולמות כולן רק מן התורה.

Even though the life-force of all the worlds, all of them, is only from the Torah.

Though the entire cosmos draws its vitality from the Torah, that universal role does not give the worlds ownership of it.

אבל נקראת על שם ישראל שהם גומרים התורה בעובדא.

But it is called by the name of Yisrael, for they complete the Torah in deed.

The Torah bears the name of Bnei Yisrael specifically because they are the ones who bring it to completion through action.

והנה כמו שהמצות הם רמ"ח ושס"ה נגד איברי האדם.

Now, just as the mitzvos are 248 [positive] and 365 [negative], corresponding to the limbs and sinews of the human body.

The Sefas Emes recalls that the 613 mitzvos map onto the 248 limbs and 365 sinews of the body — the Torah inscribed into the structure of man.

כן יש בזמן שבכל שנה יש סדר מיוחד לג"ן סדרים דאורייתא.

So too there is in the dimension of time, that every year has a special order for the 53 sedarim (weekly portions) of the Torah.

Just as the mitzvos are woven into the body's structure, the weekly parshiyos are woven into the structure of the year — the Torah inscribed into time.

ובכלל ישראל מתקיים התחדשות התורה בכל שנה ושנה.

And within the community of Yisrael, the renewal of the Torah is fulfilled in each and every year.

Through Bnei Yisrael, the Torah is renewed annually — a fresh cycle of revelation realized each year.

לכן בסוף השנה עושין סעודה לגומרה של תורה:

Therefore, at the end of the [yearly Torah] cycle, we make a feast for "the completion of the Torah."

Since each year brings a complete cycle of Torah brought to fruition through Bnei Yisrael's deeds, finishing that cycle is celebrated with the seudah of Simchas Torah.

Summary: The Sefas Emes explains that Simchas Torah on Shemini Atzeres celebrates "completing the Torah," for all redemption and purification — at Pesach/Shavuos and again at Yom Kippur/Sukkos/Shemini Atzeres — aims at readiness to receive Torah. "Completing" means Torah fulfilled in deed; though the whole cosmos lives from the Torah, it is named for Bnei Yisrael because they bring it to completion through action. Just as the 613 mitzvos correspond to the body's limbs, the 53 weekly portions are inscribed into the year, and through Bnei Yisrael the Torah is renewed annually — which is why finishing the yearly cycle is marked with a festive seudah.