What is the Simchas Beis Hashoeva?
During the times of the Beis Hamikdosh, every morning of the seven days of Sukkos a water libation was brought on top of the mizvayach together with the korban tomid. This was known as Nisuch HaMayim, pouring of the water, and was accompanied by great rejoicing. This was expressed every night in the Azara, the outer Temple courtyard, to watch great acts of dancing, juggling and singing. They would carry torches and musical instruments. Nowadays this event is called the Simchas Beis Hashoeva and is celebrated on all nights of Chol Hamoed Sukkos.
Why is it so special?
The Gemora Sukka 51a says that “Whoever has not seen the Simchas Beis Hashoeva has never seen rejoicing in his life.” We find that there are many happy days throughout the Jewish Year. Why then the extra special rejoicing during Sukkos seen as the climax in joy? Perhaps it is because of its positioning after the atonement of Yom Kippur and it being a special time of closeness to Hashem as the Sukka represents the Ananei Kovoid. The reattachment of the Jew to Hashem after sinning and doing teshuva makes this connection much stronger and therefore the simcha is all the greater. This could be why we call Sukkos, Zman Simchoseinu, the time of rejoicing. In addition, this process took place in the Beis Hamikdosh, the centre of the world, where the lower physical and higher spiritual realms meet and unite.
Who performed and what was said?
The Gemora seems to say that the actual performances were done by the great people while the rest of the people were onlookers. During the rejoicing they sang praises for people who never sinned and also those who did but then did teshuva. They ended off saying praising those who did not sin and those who did sin should repent and be forgiven. This follows the theme of how Sukkos follows on from the Yomim Noiroim where sin is left behind and the focus is reconnecting to Hashem.
What lies in the name?
Simchas Beis Hashoeva comes from the word shoiev, to draw. Literally this refers to the drawing up of water for the libation. However, the Yerushalmi brings that by this ceremony they would draw up Ruach HaKodesh, Divine Inspiration. The prophet Yona became a prophet at this ceremony. This would explain why the musical instruments were so involved since the prophets would often use these to ease them into a prophetic state. The question is why call it Shieva, drawing, the action of preparing the water as opposed to Nisuch, the actual pouring of the water? We learn from here a most important lesson that in Judaism the stress is on effort more than results, as is the case in the outside world. People cannot help with what capabilities they are born with but what really counts is how they utilise them.
Nisuch HaMayim
We know what Nisuch HaMayim is, but what is the significance of it? Rashi tells us that on the second day of Creation the water was split to some above the Heaven and some below, on the earth. The lower waters complained that they were found in this world of potential evil distanced away from Hashem and it was comforted with Nisuch HaMayim. How are we to understand this? Sukkos is a time of simcha, Zman Simchoseinu, coming after the teshuva and atonement of Yom Kippur. This is where after becoming distanced from Hashem through our sins we reconnect and draw closer. THIS is exactly what the lower waters wanted and therefore they are comforted by having the same done to them during Sukkos through Nisuch HaMayim. Yom Kippur is the time for atonement where the sins themselves are removed but their negative effects are still around. Sukkos is where even these disappear and this enables true connection to Hashem. This is why Nisuch HaMayim waits to be done on Sukkos that has seven days paralleling this lower world of teva seen in the number seven.
Further reading:
A full description of the Simchas Beis Hashoeva ceremony during the times of the Beis Hamikdosh.
Simchas Beis Hashoeva Questions:
- Why should such an influx of prophecy come at this Simchas Beis Hashoeva ceremony?
- Why did this ceremony take place by the Mizbayach (as did the salt that also came to comfort the lower waters)?
- What was performed and said by this ceremony and why?
- This ceremony took place on the second night of Succos – the night of the Ushpizin of Yitzchok. How is this significant?
- The main instrument used during the Simchas Beis Hashoeva was the Cholil. What lies behind this?
Ideas for answers to the Simchas Beis Hashoeva:
- Prophecy requires the person to prepare themselves to attain a high state of purity and closeness to Hashem. Coming after the atonement of Yom Kippur and with these high levels of happiness meant this time was auspicious for receiving prophecy.
- Perhaps the Mizbayach is where the sacrifices are brought. It therefore expresses the idea of a place where a person makes themselves subservient to Hashem.
- See in the paragraphs above.
- See answer 2. Yitzchok by the Akeida achieved this high level of submissiveness willing to be sacrificed on the Mizbayach set up by Avrohom.
- The Gematria of Cholil is 78 that is three times the Shem Havaya (3×26)…