The song that inspired this Dvar Torah is Mimini
Michael, Mismoli Gavriel, Milphanai Uriel, Umeachorai
Refael, Veal Roshi Shchinas El-On my right is the
Angel Michael, to my left is the angel Gavriel, In
front of me is the angel Uriel, In back of me is the
angel Refael, and on my head is the Presence of G-D.-
In a Succah at the Hebrew Institute Of Riverdale,
Simchas Beis Hashoeva Kumzits, The following question
was posed. Why is this Simchas Beis hashoeva-The
Happiness of the House of the carrier-? The Kohanim
and Leviim used to go out to the river and draw water
to be brought up as the libations over the offerings
on Succos. But why are we celebrating the carrying of
the water? We should be celebrating the libations.
The song that was being sung when I thought of
this Dvar Torah was, Mimini Michael, Mismoli Gavriel,
Milphanai Uriel, Umeachorai Refael, Veal Roshi
Shchinas El- On my right is the Angel Michael, to my
left is the angel Gavriel, In front of me is the angel
Uriel, In back of me is the angel Refael, and on my
head is the Presence of G-D.- The last time I thought
of that song I believe was on Rosh Hashona. I was
standing next two gedolim batorah- giants of Torah-,
and as I davened Shmoneh Esrei I thought of that song.
I was really feeling very spiritually high. After
schacharis someone asked me to switch seats. I asked
"why?" and the answer I got was "I do not want to tell
you because it probably will not bother you." So of
course I said "yes" and gave up my seat of prominence
and wondered what will be next. Mussaf came and I
davened the silent Shmoneh Esrei still in a high. And
when I was getting into Chazaras Hashatz - the
repetition by the Chazzon- I realized his problem.
There was a young kid about seven years old who was
acting like a seven year old kid and next to him was a
father who was acting like a person in midst of Rosh
Hashona and not paying much attention to the kid and
letting him act as he saw fit. So I started playing
with the kid joking the nussach to him, shuckling him,
playfully poking him in the ribs so he can sing the
nussach with me at the right time after I figured he
knew it. and the kid really got into Rosh Hashona, or
atleast was having fun playing with the paying
attention of davening and getting into the theme with
me. At that time I realized it does not matter how old
you are or how much Torah you possess we all can share
in the love of Torah.
Now to get back to the question and tie in the
previous story. Where do we see a water carrier in the
Torah? We find it in Parshas Nitzavim, everyone was
standing in front of Hashem from the biggest chacham
until the " lowly" Water Carrier. And that to me
answers the question of why is this Simchas Beis
Hashoeva. When I came to Lakewood I mamish felt like
the lowest of the low. What right do I have to stand
here in the Lakewood Beis Medrash. [ As I had joked to
my uncle who lives in Lakewood I better remember my
black hat.} By the time the second day of Rosh Hashona
had arrived I felt almost equal to the Tzadikim in
lakewood. On this Chag after we spent Rosh Hashona and
Yom Kippur Hashem made a chag for the water carriers.
It wasn't the water carried who now we are drawing the
water for Hashem but the Kohanim and Leviim. The
highest of the high in the higharchy of Judaism. The
Shoev Memecha -the water carriers-were not just the
ones who drew the water, they were now on almost equal
stature as the Kohanim and Leviim just as we hope that
all of Klal Yisrael who did Tshuva on Rosh Hashona and
Yom Kippur and now are coming entering Succos, will be
on the same level of forgiveness as the Tzaddik. And
that to me is the prayer that gets me on Sllichos and
Rosh Hashona and Yom Kippur before the confessional.
"But still we have not returned from our waywardness.
So how can we say before you, Hashem out God and the
God of our fore fathers, that we are righteous and
have not sinned, for in truth, both we and our
forefathers have sinned." Everyone says that phrase
and confesses whatever transgressions they may have
done in their personal lives. That to me is the
meaning this year as to why it is Simchas Beis
Hashoeva; the happiness of the carrier. It is the
happiness of the water carrier because being a water
carrier is the most holiest of jobs.
I was asked on Shabbos, what does Hoshannah mean?
And I did not know the answer so I looked at the
artscroll. The word Hoshana means "please save us".
This is a contraction of the word Hoshia- save- and
Nah -please- So tonight my friends on Hoshanna rabbah
I ask what makes this Hoshanna so Great? It is because
everyone, from the highest tzaddik to the " lowly "
water carrier are happy in the holiday.
Tomorrow as we beat the Aravos on the floor
remember the analogy of the Esrog the tzaddik that
looks good , and smells good and is good to eat. as we
pray together for a good kvitel. And that the Aravah
part of us; the part of us that is so black and
unpleasant looking,smells bad, and cannon be eaten.May
it be pushed aside from us so we can become the esrog
and be able to learn Torah and not do averos.
A wonderful Chag Sameach, A wonderful Bracha to us
all that mishalos Libenu Litova - Please Hashem let
the things that come out of my mouth as prayers to you
be only for good. That our prayers should really
truly be good for us.
Good Moed and have a wonderful Yom Tom.
The Reb Av -Avraham Dubin-