Check out R' Yakov Horowitz's post at BeyondBT, Take A Child to Shul this Simchas Torah.
When I was in Israel, I spent the Simchas Torah of both years with a specific family. Both years, I would daven at the local "Chutznik" minyan for those who had 2 separate days for Shemini Atzeres/Simchas Torah, then go back to the family I was staying at and take their youngest son on my shoulders and parade him around the shul during hakafos. So did a few other neighbors and family friends - along with taking the (then) 12-year old and 8-year old in the circle and dancing with them. I'm not sure who appreciated it more: The 3-year old experiencing his first real Simchas Torah, the 8-year old, or the soon-to-be bar mitzvah boy.
Actually, it was none of them. It was their mother who appreciated it the most. So really, take a child to shul this Simchas Torah. Not out of pity, or charity - but because it makes people happy and it's the right thing to do.
Chag Sameach, everybody!
That's such a wonderful idea!
ReplyDeleteIn shul, watching hakafos an older woman told me that her father's claim to fame was that every year he took all the jewish children in the non religous section of Haifa- into shul for simchas torah to experience the joy of Torah.