Vzot HaBracha is a very peculiar parsha in that it isn’t read on a shabbat. Simchat Torah was instituted on Shemini Atzeret since Chazal said the day is for “Venismecha Bach – Bach u’Vetoratcha”, rejoicing with Hashem and the Torah. However, there may be another idea that can be taken from finishing the Torah now.
Shemini Atzeret marks the last chag before a long winter without any yomim tovim. It is also the culmination of all the days that came before it. Beginning with Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, being Teshuvah MeYirah, moving into Sukkot, being Teshuvah MeAhavah, and then finally concluding with Shemini Atzeret.
On Simchat Torah we ceremoniously mark the completion of reading the Torah with Chatan Torah, and immediately begin the process again with Chatan Bereishit, showing our constant devotion. For us the Torah has no end. However, other than being read next to each other, is there a deeper connection between Vzot HaBracha and Bereishit? Additionally, why are we completing and restarting the cycle on the final day of Yom Tov?
The final section of Midrash Rabbah Devarim has a powerful dialog between Hashem and Moshe’s Neshama:
At that time HB”H called to Moshe’s neshama […] “One-hundred and twenty years you were in the body of Moshe and now is your time to leave. Leave, don’t delay!”
Moshe’s Neshama responded: “Ribono Shel Olam, I know you are the Master of all souls and all beings, and the souls of the living and the dead are in your hand. You made me and shaped me and put me in the body of Moshe for 120 years. Now, is there a body more pure than that of Moshe?! […] therefore I love it and don’t want to leave it!”
HB”H responded: “Neshama! Leave! Don’t delay! […] I will place you under my Throne of Glory […]”
Moshe’s Neshama responded: “[…] I beg of you, leave me in the body of Moshe”
At that time, HB”H took his Neshama with neshikat peh, and HB”H cried.
We begin the Torah with Adam Harishon who is made as an Adam Shaleim, a complete person. Soon after his creation, he eats from the Eitz Hadaat and loses his state of Adam Shaleim. The Torah then brings us through a long process of individuals, a family, and a nation who all work to reperfect the world to its original state. The Torah then ends with the death of Moshe Rabbeinu who succeeded in becoming an Adam Shaleim. He has reached such perfection that his Neshama doesn’t want to leave.
By joining Vezot Habracha and Bereishit together on Shemini Atzeret, we show the cycle being complete, falling, and returning to a self made completion in the cycle of the year, life, and the world. In the cycle of the year we do Teshuvah on Yom Kippur and Sukkot, meYirah and meAhavah respectively, until we reach the highest point on Shemini Atzeret. We complete the cycle and start again as we head into the long winter where we know we will have challenges that will cause us to fall, but with the hope that we will stand back up and can come back to Simchat Torah next year as a more complete person. Similarly, in the cycle of life we are born as a complete person without any sins. As we grow we encounter the Yetzer Hara and continue our life fighting it until we finish our lives as an Adam Shaleim. Finally, it parallels the cycle of the world, starting with Adam Harishon who started complete and sinned, and continues until to today where we are trying to bring the world back to the Shelaymot.
Shabbat Shalom.