Dear Friends,
At the end of Moses’s life, having given the Jews at G-d's request 612 commandments, Moses is instructed to give them the last, commandment #613, a commandment that expresses how all of Judaism should be lived:
“Now write down,” G-d says, “this song, and teach it to the Jewish people”.
According to tradition “this song” refers to the whole Torah, meaning that the last mitzvah is to write down the whole Torah.
But why is the Torah called a song? Is a Constitution a song? Haven’t we been reading a book of laws and commandments, not lyrics to a song?
By referring to Torah as a song, however, it is as if G-d were saying to us: “It is not enough that you study Torah cognitively as mere history and law. It must speak to you emotionally.”
Joy and melody are essential to Jewish living. Judaism should infuse our lives with joy; every mitzvah ought to bring new celebration into our life. Just like song breaks barriers and reshapes our hearts, so too must the Torah.
Another aspect to song is this: the first time you read a book, it is exciting. But most of us cannot read the same book more than a few times. Not so with music. The more we hear a melody, the more we appreciate it. It inscribes itself deeper in the grooves of our soul. Torah is a song. The more we study its melody, the more we love it.
Finally, the Torah is called a song because a song becomes only more beautiful when sung with many voices, interwoven in complex harmonies.
When you talk and someone else starts talking, what is that called? Interruption!
But when you are singing and someone else starts singing, what is that called? Harmony!
When Torah becomes an egocentric speech, Jews fight; “we interrupt each other.” But when Torah is studied as Divine music, we sing in harmony.
One of the beautiful musical events that took place this past summer involved Dudu Fisher performing in Israel. Beside him stood Agam Berger. We all know Agam Berger, one of the hostages who was freed. Remember, braids for Agam. She was the one who celebrated Shabbos and wrote an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal before Passover. So standing beside Dudu Fisher, Agam is playing the violin. The violin she is holding was gifted to her right when she came out of captivity. It was a 130-year-old violin that once belonged to a Jewish musician who was murdered in the Holocaust. A gentleman, Tzachi Beck, who had restored it years ago, was waiting for someone special to give it to. When he read that Agam Berger was a violinist, he said, “This is who I want to hold this violin.”
This is not just about the violin. This represents the music of our people, the soul of our people that is passed down from generation to generation. The music that we sing in good times and bad times. Times of light, times of shadow. The tune continues. The tune does not surrender. The tune, its rhythm, its soul, our soul, our rhythm, our music, does not fade. It lives.
Just like the music of Agam and Dudu Fisher, our Sukkot and Simchat Torah celebrations bring this melody to life. This year, let us come together for two beautiful celebrations.
On Sunday, October 12, join us in the Sukkah for brick oven pizza, sushi, and live music, as we shake the Lulav and rejoice together. RSVP here: ChabadNaples.com/SukkotParty
Then, on Simchat Torah, October 14 at Chabad of Naples, let us bring back the melody, thank Hashem for the miracle of bringing our brothers and sisters home. RSVP here: ChabadNaples.com/Dance
Sukkot & Simchat Torah is when we recapture Judaism as song, when we bring the beat back into our lives. It is when we rediscover the 613th command—Torah as a melody, scored for many voices. The Torah is G-d's song, and we, the Jewish people, are His choir, the performers of His symphony.
Wishing you a Chag Sameach! Good Yomtov!
Rabbi Fishel & Ettie Zaklos