By Rabbi Moshe Dov Heber
In the weeks leading up to Simchas Torah, there was much discussion about how to have Simchas Torah this year, and how to balance celebrating the day properly, yet recognizing that it was the anniversary of a terrible tragedy and the beginning of a war that has impacted Klal Yisroel in so many ways.
Last year, in Yeshiva Ateres Shmuel of Waterbury, where many community members daven along with the Yeshiva and Kollel, the Simchas Torah was very moving. Levi, then a bochur in the Yeshiva, had been called up to service in the IDF, and as he left, the kehilla gathered around him singing and davening with the fear of the unknown on everyone’s faces.
People were wondering “How will the hakafos be done this year?” As the hakafos got underway they were stronger than ever. Scores of people were dancing earnestly, fathers and sons, rebbeim with talmidim and dozens of homegrown Waterbury bochurim. During the third hakafa, as the crowd was dancing to the words “Tzavei Tzavei…,” the Rosh Hayeshiva, Rav Ahron Kaufman shlita, banged on the bimah. He wanted to speak. The dancing stopped as everyone gathered around the bimah. This was different, and they wanted to hear each word.
“What Klal Yisroel is facing today is similar to some 80 years ago in Nazi Germany,” the Rosh Hayeshiva began. “The Mir Yeshiva faced the threat of the Soviet troops and that Simchas Torah they sang the song “Utzu Eitzah V’sufar” clinging to the achdus and emunah. Rav Chatzkel Levenstein later attributed their miraculous escape to the talmidim’s emunah in Hashem, manifested through that song. The song which is found in Al Tirah following Aleinu, of Utzu Eitzah V’sufar…Ki Imanu Kel, means ‘Plan a conspiracy and it will be annulled, speak your speech and it shall not stand, for with us is Hashem’ .”
Following the words of the Rosh Hayeshiva the whole crowd erupted in singing, Utzu Eitzah V’sufar, davening to Hashem to annul all the decrees of wickedness. As the song got underway once again Levi, who was now back in Waterbury, stood in the middle of the crowd clutching a Sefer Torah. He had his eyes closed as he remembered the Simchas Torah last year. With his months of service in the IDF, and his return to Waterbury, it had been a long year. As he held the Sefer Torah tightly it was apparent that he had seen first hand, Ki Imanu Kel, that Hashem is surely with us.
We daven that this year will be the year that the whole world will see, Utzu Eitzah V’sufar…Ki Imanu Kel, ‘Plan a conspiracy and it will be annulled, speak your speech and it shall not stand, for with us is Hashem’ .
Rabbi Moshe Dov Heber is a Middle School Rebbi in Yeshiva K’tana of Waterbury, the Director of the Mishmar Evening Program in Waterbury and Division Head in Camp Romimu. He is a frequent contributor to various publications on areas related to education and inspiration as well as speaks publicly. Rabbi Heber can be reached via email at mdheber@ykwaterbury.org.