“כי שם ה' אקרא - When I call the name of Hashem” are the introductory words to פרשת האזינו. Upon calling out the name of Hashem, Moshe instructs us, "הבו גדל לאלוקינו - give greatness to Hashem”. Chazal derived from this passuk that before we learn Torah we must recite a beracha. Apparently, Chazal understood that “שם ה'” is synonymous with the words of Torah. How did Chazal know to compare the study of Torah to the recitation of the name of Hashem? In פרשת כי תשא, Moshe requests from Hashem to see His presence. Hashem responds that a human being cannot see Hashem. However, Hashem agreed to give Moshe a partial view: ״וראית את אחורי - you will see My back”. We would expect that immediately following this passuk we would read about a very powerful revelation of Hashem to Moshe. Yet, in the very next passuk Moshe is told to prepare the second set of luchos for Hashem to inscribe the עשרת הדיברות which will be given to the Jewish people. What happened to seeing Hashem? The Torah is teaching us that the way we see Hashem in this world is through the words of Torah.
A name describes an individual. Similarly, the name of Hashem describes His essence. Hashem teaches us about His essence through the words of His Torah. When we are involved in talmud Torah, we are connecting to the שם ה', and we must first praise Hashem, which we do by reciting ברכת התורה. The talmud Torah experience as a means of strengthening our relationship to Hashem is true for all ימים טובים, but has a unique dimension for סוכות. In the introduction to the ברכה in שמונה עשרה we recite on יום טוב, we elaborate on the special, close relationship we have with Hashem. The phrases ״אתה בחרתנו - You have chosen us”, ״אהבת אותנו - You love us”, ״וקדשתנו במצותיך - You sanctified us with Your commandments” all highlight the unique bond between Hashem and Klal Yisrael. Yet, there appears to be a phrase missing. No explicit mention is made of the giving of the Torah itself. It is the last phrase in this tefillah that refers to matan Torah: ״ושמך הגדול והקדוש עלנו קראת - Your great and holy name has been called upon us”. The שם ה' is the Torah. The culmination of all of the appreciation for the great gifts Hashem has bestowed upon us is the acknowledgment of the greatest gift - His name through His Torah has been given to His beloved people. The first Yom Kippur culminated with Hashem forgiving bnai Yisroel for the חטא העגל and the giving of the second set of לוחות, and Yom Kippur thus became a day of קבלת התורה for eternity. We refer to the שם ה' many times throughout Yom Kippur; from ״ויקרא בשם ה׳״ of סליחות to the שם המפורש said during the עבודה, and the שם ה' of Torah is given to us as Yom Kippur concludes.
Upon receiving the great gift of Torah, we immediately celebrate the weeklong יום טוב of סוכות. This celebration culminates with the days of שמיני עצרת and שמחת תורה. The most meaningful way for us to express our joy of having Hashem so close to us is by committing ourselves to a life of ״ושמך הגדול והקדוש עלנו קראת״. It is not enough to only learn Torah. We must appreciate its value as Hashem's name which is bestowed upon us. This is the essence of ברכת התורה. Perhaps it is for this reason that there is a custom that everyone receives an Aliyah on שמחת תורה, which is an added opportunity to say the words of ברכת התורה. As we celebrate the culmination of reconnecting to the שם ה', may we all merit to be included in the greatest gift of ״ושמך הגדול והקדוש עלנו קראת״.
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