It was my custom to see the Rebbe every year after Simchat Torah. He would always ask me if I truly rejoiced on the festival. Many times he told me how the community celebrated in his house and how much pleasure he derived from their joy.
Once in the middle of the year the Rebbe spoke to me about Simchat Torah. He asked me, “Do you now feel joy in your heart then? Or at least do you feel this happiness at another time during the year?”
Thank God, in His great kindness, He helped me to rejoice wholeheartedly many times during the year. I felt a joy so great that it simply cannot be communicated to another. For the joy of being a Jew, of being of Jewish descent and believing in God, depends on how much one ponders it and cannot be expressed (see “His Wisdom” #1). This is written about elsewhere. Especially the clinging to God at a time of joy, that even the least Jew feels, simply cannot be put into words.
The Rebbe very much wanted us to be joyous all year round, particularly on Simchat Torah, Purim, Shabbat and festivals. The Rebbe told me that once on Simchat Torah, he was so overjoyed that he danced all by himself in his room.
אַחַר שִׂמְחַת תּוֹרָה הָיִיתִי רָגִיל לָבוֹא אֵלָיו ז"ל. וּבְכָל שָׁנָה כְּשֶׁבָּאתִי אֵלָיו אַחַר שִׂמְחַת תּוֹרָה שָׁאַל אוֹתִי: אִם הָיִיתִי שָׂמֵחַ בְּשִׂמְחַת תּוֹרָה?. וְסִפֵּר לִי כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים אֵיךְ הָיוּ הָעוֹלָם שְׂמֵחִים בְּבֵיתוֹ וְהָיָה לוֹ נַחַת גָּדוֹל מִזֶּה.
It was my custom to see the Rebbe every year after Simchat Torah. He would always ask me if I truly rejoiced on the festival. Many times he told me how the community celebrated in his house and how much pleasure he derived from their joy.
וְכֵן עוֹד פַּעַם אַחַת בְּאֶמְצַע הַשָּׁנָה דִּבֵּר עִמִּי מֵעִנְיַן שִׂמְחַת תּוֹרָה – אִם אֲנִי מַרְגִּישׁ שִׂמְחָה בְּלִבִּי אָז, אוֹ עַל כָּל פָּנִים פַּעַם אַחֵר בַּשָּׁנָה אִם אֲנִי מַרְגִּישׁ שִׂמְחָה בְּלִבִּי.
Once in the middle of the year the Rebbe spoke to me about Simchat Torah. He asked me, “Do you now feel joy in your heart then? Or at least do you feel this happiness at another time during the year?”
(וּבָרוּךְ ה' שֶׁעֲזָרַנִי בְּחַסְדּוֹ הַגָּדוֹל לִשְׂמֹחַ בְּכָל לֵב כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים בַּשָּׁנָה, וְהִרְגַּשְׁתִּי הַשִּׂמְחָה בְּלִבִּי מַה שֶּׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְסַפֵּר לַחֲבֵרוֹ כְּלָל. כִּי שִׂמְחַת יַהֲדוּתֵנוּ, מַה שֶּׁזָּכִינוּ לִהְיוֹת מִזֶּרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל וּלְהַאֲמִין בּוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, הוּא לְכָל חַד כְּפוּם מָה דִּמְשַׁעֵר בְּלִבֵּהּ. וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְסַפֵּר לַחֲבֵרוֹ כְּלָל. כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּבֹאָר אֶצְלֵנוּ כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים. בִּפְרָט בְּחִינַת הַדְּבֵקוּת שֶׁמַּרְגִּישִׁין בִּשְׁעַת הַשִּׂמְחָה אֲפִלּוּ הַפָּחוּת שֶׁבְּיִשְׁרָאֵל, זֶה אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְסַפֵּר כְּלָל)
Thank God, in His great kindness, He helped me to rejoice wholeheartedly many times during the year. I felt a joy so great that it simply cannot be communicated to another. For the joy of being a Jew, of being of Jewish descent and believing in God, depends on how much one ponders it and cannot be expressed (see “His Wisdom” #1). This is written about elsewhere. Especially the clinging to God at a time of joy, that even the least Jew feels, simply cannot be put into words.
כִּי חֶפְצוֹ וּרְצוֹנוֹ הָיָה מְאֹד שֶׁנִּהְיֶה שְׂמֵחִים בְּכָל הַשָּׁנָה כֻּלָּהּ, בִּפְרָט בְּשִׂמְחַת תּוֹרָה וּפוּרִים וּבְשַׁבָּת וְיוֹם טוֹב. וְסִפֵּר לִי שֶׁפַּעַם אַחַת בְּשִׂמְחַת תּוֹרָה רָקַד בְּעַצְמוֹ לְבַדּוֹ בְּחַדְרוֹ בְּלִי סִיּוּעַת אֲנָשִׁים אֲחֵרִים.
The Rebbe very much wanted us to be joyous all year round, particularly on Simchat Torah, Purim, Shabbat and festivals. The Rebbe told me that once on Simchat Torah, he was so overjoyed that he danced all by himself in his room.