On Rosh Hashanah we dip the apple in honey and say: הָקוּתְמוּ הָבוֹט הָנָשׁ וּניֵלָע שֵׁדַחְתֶּשׁ Hashem please grant us a sweet new year. [We continue dipping Challah in honey throughout all the Days of Din]. What does “sweet” mean? Lots of money? A new house and many friends? Good health? None of the above are known to be called “sweet”. Even doing Mitzvos are usually not called “sweet”.
The one thing that is known as being sweet is learning Torah! In fact, we say every day in Birchos HaTorah: אָנ בֶרֲעַהְו Make it sweet! And the Passuk says: שַׁבְדִמ םיִקוּתְמוּ תהלים יט יא Torah is sweeter than honey.
So the next time you dip the Challah in honey, remember it’s a Siman for a year of Geshmak in learning!
Besides dipping in honey, we also say in these days of Din and Rachamim: יִרוֹא 'ה דִוָדְל. And what does Dovid say in this prayer? 'ה תיֵבְבּ יִתְּבִשׁ 'ה תֵאֵמ יִתְּלַאָשׁ תַחַא. He has but one request: Learning Torah. Why? םַעוֹנְבּ תוֹזֲחַל ה' to see the sweetness of Hashem, by learning Torah!
We have a major message from all this! A person should have one request from Hashem [or at least his major request] Geshmak in learning!
R' Gershon is an American Rosh Yeshiva who is very successful. He is known to be a big Masmid [besides being a massive Talmid Chochom and a big Anav].
I once sat in his office, and we had a talk together. He told me one fascinating Bitachon story after another. And guess what he does to make money for his Yeshiva? Nothing [or next to nothing]. He just sits and learns, and the money comes to him.
I asked him about his secrets. This much he told me: He davens every day especially for having a Geshmak in learning!
Perhaps we can say this is the reason why we end the Days of Din and Rachamim with Simchas Torah. The Ikar of everything is Simcha in learning Torah, and all the Brachos in the world come to a person who learns Geshmak!
