One of the songs sung most often on Simchat Torah is “Hoshiya es Amecha” – its an easy natural, comes right off the Aneinu intros, and is usually sung a couple of times before new Hakafah songs are sung.
There’s one word that I really love in this song, which makes it so appropriate for Simchas Torah.
Here’s the song breakdown:
Hoshiya es Amercha – save or help your people
uVarech es Nachlesacha – bless your heritage/inheritance
ur’eam – shepherd/nurture/take care of them
v’naseam – and uplift them!
ad olam – forever.
Uplift is a big Simchas Torah word. I am no dancer. I am not fit or in shape (though I should be) and I am not coordinated in a way that makes dances beautiful. But all that isn’t necessary on Simchat Torah. The goal is to get your feet off the ground, to feel uplifted, to be carried by the joy of Torah, by the joys of being Jewish.
I don’t know all the details, but if my memory serves correct, this Niggun was composed by Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski (or brought by him from Israel to NY) and the Rebbe liked it and encouraged it. My heart tells me that the Rebbe especially appreciated the emphasis on these two words “nurture and uplift” because that was so much of what the Rebbe’s vision was about, uplifting the Jewish people, one Jew at a time.