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Question: I have become closer to Chabad over the last three years. I daven at the Cha- bad shul on Shabbat and attend the Rav's class. However, the last two years I went there for Simchat Torah and didn't enjoy it. I don't like dancing, and the dancing seemed endless. This year I'm thinking of going to a shul with less dancing, but I am not sure if this is what I should do. What do you suggest?

Answer: The Midrash tells of a king who entered a country accompanied by several officials. While people chose different offi- cials as their patrons, one clever person de- clared, "I will choose the king." The others can be replaced, but the king remains.

We, too, can serve Hashem because some- thing appeals to us or benefits us. But ideally, we strive to "choose the King" to want Ha- shem and to do His Will. The Alter Rebbe famously said, "I desire nothing. I don't want Your Gan Eden; I don't want Your World to Come... I want nothing but You alone."

When our service depends on our preferences, it becomes limited and inconsistent. True G-dly service means approaching every area of Torah with enthusiasm simply because this is what Hashem wants. The Rebbe Rashab taught that if Hashem had commanded us to chop wood, we would have become wood- choppers. This is choosing the King.

So perhaps your discomfort offers an oppor- tunity for growth. Life expands when we move beyond our comfort zone. On Simchat Torah, our particular service is to dance. The Previous Rebbe taught that on Simchat Torah, through dancing, one can gather "buckets and barrels" of blessings, both materially and spir- itually.

Instead of asking, "do I enjoy dancing?" try asking, "what does Hashem want from me today?" Enter the circle and dance because today we express our joy in the Torah through our dancing.

The Sefer HaChinuch teaches that our feel- ings follow our actions. Don't wait until you feel like dancing. There is a happiness in the air on Simchat Torah. Simply join the dancing circle and the rest will follow.

Aharon Schmidt, marriage and personal coaching: www.aharonschmidt.com

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