Simchat Beit HaShoeva
On Sukkot there is a special command-ment to rejoice, and in our prayers the festival is called "the time of our rejoic-ing." At the same time, this festival con-tains additional mitzvot that bring with them an added joy, such as Simchat Beit HaShoeva, connected with the mitzvah of the water libation on the altar in the Tem-ple. The drawing of this water was with tremendous joy, as the verse states, "and you shall draw water with joy from the fountains of salvation." (Isaiah 12:3)
The joy of Simchat Beit HaShoeva is higher than all other forms of rejoicing. Our Sages went so far as to say, "who-ever did not see the rejoicing of Simchat Beit HaShoeva never saw rejoicing in his life." What was so unique about the water libation that it led to such great joy?
Wine: Limited Joy
In the Temple, wine was also poured upon the altar. This too was accompanied by song and joy. Yet the joy associated with the pouring of water was incomparably greater.
This seems surprising. Wine naturally has the ability to bring joy, while water pos-sesses no particular quality associated with rejoicing.
Yet this very point contains the answer. Wine, which naturally brings joy, produc-es a joy connected with a person's nature and qualities. Such joy, however, is inher-ently limited, because it depends upon the degree of joy that wine can produce.
Water: Infinite Joy
The water libation, by contrast, represents a G-dly joy that does not depend upon human nature. It is therefore a joy without limits.
In both mitzvot, the joy is connected with the holiness of the mitzvah. With the wine libation, however, the joy of the mitzvah is combined with wine's natural ability to bring happiness. As a result, the joy re-mains limited, because the joy produced by wine has boundaries and measure.
The joy of the water libation, by contrast, is not mixed with the nature of the world. Indeed, water itself has no natural quality of producing joy. The happiness comes entirely from the G-dly dimension of the mitzvah-from the fact that Hashem com-manded that water be poured upon the altar.
A Jew rejoices simply because he has been given the privilege of fulfilling Hashem's will. Such joy has no measure or limit.
Wine and Water Today
The spiritual service represented by the wine and water libations exists today.
The pouring of wine represents the joy in performing a mitzvah that comes from intellectual understanding. When a Jew reflects upon the tremendous privilege he has been given to fulfill Hashem's will and become attached to Him-he be-comes filled with joy. But because this joy comes from intellectual understand-ing, which by its very nature is limited, the joy itself is also limited.
The pouring of water represents some-thing higher: joy in performing mitzvot that transcends intellectual understanding. When a Jew gives himself over complete-ly to Hashem, then upon hearing that Ha-shem commands him to perform a mitz-vah, he does not require explanations, understanding or intellectual contempla-tion. Instead, he becomes filled with an overwhelming joy that bursts forth from the depths of his soul.
This is an unlimited joy, the joy of Sim-chat Beit HaShoeva, about which our Sages said, "whoever did not see the re-joicing of Simchat Beit HaShoeva never saw rejoicing in his life."
(Adapted from the teachings of the Rebbe, Likkutei Sichot, Vol. 24)