נחמיה, פרק ח׳, פסוק י׳

On the New Year, as midday approaches, the people are overcome with sadness and a desire to fast in repentance for their past wrongs. Recognizing this, Ezra and Nehemiah step in to radically shift the nation's mindset, instructing them to abandon their sorrow and begin celebrating. The leaders direct the people to prepare a festive meal filled with rich, fatty meats and sweet wine [רב סעדיה גאון, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This specific menu is deeply symbolic, representing the collective hope that the incoming year will be equally rich and sweet [רב סעדיה גאון]. This directive highlights a broader philosophy regarding festivals: they are designed to harmonize the needs of the soul, addressed through morning Torah study, with the physical needs of the body, fulfilled through eating and drinking [רלב״ג].

Personal celebration, however, is incomplete without fulfilling a critical social duty. The leaders command the people to send portions of food to the poor who lack the means to prepare their own holiday meals [רש״י, מצודת דוד, חומת אנך]. Ensuring that no one goes hungry is a fundamental holiday practice [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Celebrating in isolation while ignoring the needy actively damages the spiritual core of the festival, whereas acts of charity draw down divine abundance [חומת אנך]. On a practical level, this sharing of food also provides a solution for those who forgot to make the necessary ritual preparations before the holiday, allowing them to rely on the meals prepared by others [רב סעדיה גאון].

The underlying reason for this mandatory celebration is the inherent holiness of the day. Because the New Year is holy to God, fasting is strictly forbidden [רב סעדיה גאון]. Nehemiah specifically comforts the people, urging them to let go of their grief over past misdeeds [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Sadness is viewed as a negative trait; instead, true connection to the Divine Presence must be achieved through joy [חומת אנך].

This commanded joy serves a crucial purpose, acting as a spiritual fortress that provides the nation with power, protection, and resilience [אבן עזרא, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Another perspective suggests that this strength stems from the joy of the Torah itself. The people's happiness in hearing the Torah and their genuine desire to fulfill it grants them deep inner strength [רלב״ג]. Ultimately, the very act of accepting the Torah earns the nation the right to enjoy the physical pleasures and delicacies of this world, rather than waiting solely for the rewards of the afterlife [חומת אנך].