The greatest bestseller of all times?
The Torah.
The amount of pages written about the Torah, the countless hours of its study throughout history and the layers and layers of its messages are testament to the endless pursuit of Divine wisdom.
It is described in the book of Iyov (Job) as, “Longer than the earth is its measure, and wider than the sea.”
Yet, in this week’s parsha, the Torah is not presented as an intellectual, theological or philosophical masterpiece. Rather Parshat Haazinu refers to the Torah as a song.
Great as its wisdom may be, it is a mistake to reduce the Torah to merely the greatest intellectual work. That would be akin to stating that an intellectual idea is soft to the touch. Touch and wisdom are two different universes. The Torah is the greatest wisdom. But, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Even the greatest minds are only scratching the surface. And, only the surface of one of its dimensions.
By describing the Torah as a song, we are reminded about the intimacy of Torah. It is not only our source of wisdom and direction. It is the heartbeat of our identity, the pride of our senses, and the music to which we dance.
As we segue from the awesomeness of the High Holy Days to the jubilation of Sukkot, the Torah serves as our inspiration. The same G-d and Torah that we pledged fidelity to on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is the Torah that we celebrate on Sukkot.
We transition from awe to happiness – not by pivoting away from Torah. Rather, by embracing Torah on an even deeper level we arrive at its heart and soul. We become in touch not only with its words and wit, but we are in sync with its energy and vitality.
This Sukkot, celebrate your Jewishness as something real that is the joy of your life. Bring it into your family and daily routine. Bring G-d’s holiness into the food you eat, the people at your table and the branches that you sit under.
When we approach Torah and its Author from this perspective, it isn’t only fodder for the mind. It’s music to the ears. And joy to the heart.