The message אום אני חומה is that קבלת עול מלכות שמים is distinct from קבלת עול מצות. There is a focus on the relationship with הקב"ה that is easily missed these days, even by the frummest of the frum. No, abandoning or minimizing mitzvos is not okay. But neither is the adhering to the “chumra of the month” where the focus is elsewhere (image, routine, self aggrandizing, etc.)
As we are about enter the Shimini Atzeres (which doubles as
Simchas torah in Israel) I wanted to wish everyone a joyous end to the Yom Tov
identified as Yom Simchasenu. This is
the time of year for those of us that share the great joy of being the ‘people
of the book’ - God’s chosen people. The Torah is ‘our life and the length of
our days’. This is why there is so much singing and dancing on this day – where
we complete the annual cycle of reading the Torah – and begin reading it again.
It is the best of times.
