Every Sukkos, the Beis HaMikdosh was all afire with the festivities that celebrated the mitzva of nisuch hamayim, when water was poured on the mizbei’ach. In fact Chazal noted that “Whoever never witnessed Simchas Beis HaShoeiva has never in his life seen true joy.”
After the first Yom-Tov was over, the Azara, the courtyard in the Beis HaMikdosh, would be prepared for the simcha. Balconies were built to accommodate all the women who came to watch, so that they should stand separate from the men. Golden candlesticks were set up, fifty amos high, with four gold bowls atop them. Four ladders led to the top of each candlestick, and four young kohanim mounted them, holding large jugs of oil which they poured into the golden bowls. Thick wicks were made from worn-out clothing of the kohanim, and when the candlesticks were lit, their brilliant light lit up every courtyard in Yerushalayim.
The levi’im, standing on the fifteen steps overlooking the gathering, played various musical instruments. The greatest chachomim and other men of stature danced joyfully, while all the other Yidden watched. Some of the chachomim would bear burning torches in their hands while singing Tehillim and other praises, and others heightened the simcha by performing incredible feats. Chazal relate that Rabbon Shimon ben Gamliel would juggle eight lit torches, which never touched each other. He would also bend down and kiss the ground and then draw himself up again, a feat which no one else could do.
Two kohanim, trumpets in hand, were stationed at the Upper Gate of the Beis HaMikdosh. As the roosters crowed to announce the first light of dawn, they sounded their trumpets, and as they descended the steps on their way to draw the water, they blew additional rounds of blasts. When they reached the Eastern Gate, they would turn to face the Beis HaMikdosh and exclaim: “We belong to HaShem and our eyes are turned to HaShem.”
The water was drawn with a golden container from the spring of Shiloach, near Yerushalayim. When the kohanim returned from there to the gate of the Beis HaMikdosh, the trumpets would be sounded again. A kohein would ascend the ramp of the mizbei’ach, and on its left side he would pour the water into a silver bowl which led down to the depths under the Beis HaMikdosh.
In his later years, Rabi Yehoshua ben Chanania recalled: “When we used to rejoice at the Simchas Beis HaShoeiva, our eyes saw no proper sleep throughout the entire Sukkos. In the morning, the korban tomid was offered, followed by Shacharis, and then the korban mussaf. From there we would go to the beis hamedrash to study. Then we would go and eat. Mincha was followed by the afternoon tomid – and then the Simchas Beis HaShoeiva began once more.”
(סוכה מ”ח ע”א, נ”א ע”א ואילך)
This event was called Simchas Beis HaShoeiva, which means “the celebration of the place of drawing.” The plain meaning of that name refers, of course, to the drawing of water. In addition, Chazal point out another meaning: from that holy celebration, the people present drew ruach hakodesh, for where there is joy, the Shechina rests. Indeed, it was from his participation in Simchas Beis HaShoeiva that the navi Yonah was granted the prophetic inspiration of the Shechina.
(ירושלמי סוכה פ”ה ה”א)
Today we cannot physically participate in the Nisuch HaMayim in the Beis HaMikdosh. The Alter Rebbe therefore teaches that each of us must therefore perform its equivalent in our own avoda. What is the spiritual equivalent of the pouring of water? – Quenching the burning love that a Yid has for HaShem, and from this, arriving at a state of inner bittul. This must be retained (as hinted at in the word atzeres) and continued, through the study of Torah.
(לקוטי תורה סוכות עח סע”ג)
Rejoicing in Our Times
The Rebbe taught that although the original rejoicing would take place in the Beis HaMikdosh on the occasion of Nisuch HaMayim, today, too, we can have this avoda – just as today we can carry out the avoda of the korbanos, by davening. The Rebbe noted that today we even have certain advantages, since with us the rejoicing begins from the first night, and even ordinary people can actively participate.
The Rebbe added that in order for the simcha to be real, we must first understand it. On the other hand, this understanding and feeling must find expression in physical dancing.
(מעייני הישועה ע’ 43)
One night on Chol HaMoeid, the talmidim of the Tomchei Temimim Yeshiva in Dokshitz arrived at the sukkah of Reb Yehoshua Lein to farbreng and rejoice in Simchas Beis HaShoeiva. The chossid told them, “What kind of simcha can one possibly have without studying beforehand the maamar that begins U’She’avtem (which explains the reason for the joy)?” The bochurim went off to bring a few copies of Likkutei Torah from their homes and then studied that maamar for over an hour. Only then did they rejoice, dancing till late at night.
(לקוטי סיפורים פערלאוו ע’ ש”ח)
After Maariv on the second night of Sukkos, the Tzemach Tzedek would farbreng in honor of Simchas Beis HaShoeiva. He would explain profound concepts in Chassidus, and then niggunim were sung and the chassidim would dance. The Tzemach Tzedek himself would dance so vigorously that even the yungeleit were unable to keep up with his pace. After the farbrengen he would study a halacha in Choshen Mishpot in depth, so that the sweat of the mitzva (zeiah shel mitzva) should dry, thus ensuring that the energy previously generated by kedusha should not be diverted to kelipa (yenikas chitzonim).
(סה”ש תש”ג ע’ 10)
From the year תשמ”א (1980), the Rebbe delivered a sicha after Maariv on each night of Sukkos, explaining the distinctive significance of that particular day and of the Ushpizin who come to visit. That year some chassidim celebrated Simchas Beis HaShoeiva by dancing, first in the Shul and later in the streets. The Rebbe encouraged their practice and explained the advantage of bringing the kedusha outside of the Shul and into the streets.
(מעייני הישועה ע’ 7, שיחו”ק תשמ”א ח”א ע’ 195)
Consider
Why did only the great chachomim dance at the original Simchas Beis HaShoeiva? And what changed today?
Can one rejoice without understanding what he is joyous about?
