Rav Chaim Filagi Reveals The Amazing Opportunity of the First 12 Days After Simchas Torah

There's an amazing tradition cited by Rav Chaim Falaji in the Sefer Moed L'chol Chai, Choyadash Tishrei, Siman Chav Chas. Likewise brought by the Chidah in the Meir B'Etzba, Ois Reish Tsadi Chas. It's sourced in Chemdas Yamem, Parak Chas of Sukkot Ois Lamed Vez. That the Minog of righteous saintly people is to sanctify themselves in the days after Simchas Taira, in the 12 days after Yom Tov, corresponding to the 12 months of the year. They gather into their homes. During these 12 days, they review their learning, each person according to their level, and it's a Segula Niflah, to have tremendous Siyata Deshmaya for one's entire life, from the beginning of the year until the end of the year, and that everything you do should be successful, whether in Taira, or in righteousness, or in business, and the Sefer Chemdas Yamem writes, V'chein nohagu kol ha'chavera. Now, it's interesting. What exactly is this idea that the 12 days after the Yom Tov of Sukkot is almost a new beginning? What you do in these 12 days will establish how your whole year will be. These days are like a new start, a new Bereshith, and in fact, this Shabbos, we lay in Bereshith. Actually, this Shabbos is called Shabbos Bereshith. It's not just a convenient name. It's brought in the Maril. The Maril writes, Shabbos Bereshith hu samach b'chol shana achar sukas, v'nikra k'in, because we begin to read Bereshith. It's also brought in the L'vosh, semen tov rei samachtes. Now, at first glance, it's very logical. We lay in Bereshith, so it's called Shabbos Bereshith, but we don't name any other week of the year after the parasha that we read. We don't name the Shabbos that we read noyach, Shabbos noyach. So why would the week be named after the parasha? But there's a very important idea. The idea is the reading of a parasha affects the time of the year. For example, in Archaim semen tov k'vpeis of Katan Tes, he brings from the Rishoin, the Sefer HaTanya, not to be confused with the Tanya of Shner Zalman of Liadi. He says that on Friday, parasha Sukas, individuals were noyach to fast, because 20 cartloads of svarim were burnt in France. They did not establish the fast based on the day of the month, but rather based on the day of the week, because they made a She'el Haschaloim, and they were told Yoyim HaParshah Goyrem. The day of the reading of the parasha, because that Shabbos they would read Zoyiz Chukas HaTar, which the targum says Da Gezeras Oiraisa. So they recognized the parasha caused this to happen. So there's an idea, the parasha affects the reality of the time. Likewise, since this week we read Bereshith, this week is seared as a new beginning, it becomes a new beginning, because we read Bereshith, even though it's three and a half weeks into the year. It's not the beginning of the year. No, we're reading the beginning of the Torah. It gives a newness, a freshness to this time of the year. So the 12 days after Sukas are a new Bereshith. Each day corresponds to another month of the year. Therefore it's a new start again. Not just Rosh Hashanah, not just Yom Kippur, not just HaShana Rabbah, Shemini HaTzeras, but also the 12 days after the Yom Tiff of Sukas. We have 12 days to restart, to reignite, to begin again. May HaKadosh Baruch Hu grant us Ol Siyata Deshmayah, to be able to start the Torah again like never before, with new enthusiasm and freshness. Wishing everyone a successful upcoming season. A Gazunta Vinter, Bracha V'Hatzlacha.