QUESTION:
Does it make sense to say that our avodah is not to “be” b’simchah (happy) but to “work” on simchah (to strive to be happier)? And therefore if we didn’t reach simchah even after we tried to reach it, it doesn’t mean that we have a problem or that our avodas Hashem is sorely lacking?
ANSWER:
When it comes to anything a person’s avodah is to “work” on it, not to actively try to reach it, because Chazal said “The task is not upon you to complete.” Reaching any level is always a gift from Hashem, as the Mesillas Yesharim says regarding kedushah, that “the beginning of it is work and the end of is a gift”. It is within our hands to partially reach any level, but in order to completely reach any level we need to receive it as a gift from Hashem, for that is the specific kedushah that applies to every single level.
QUESTION 2) Is it right when people say “Be more b’simchah” or “Smile!” or “Dance more lebedig (more excitedly)!” If a person doesn’t easily become in a happy mood does he need to awaken himself to simchah or is this called acting above his level, which is detrimental and jolting to him? If a person is not a “lebedig” kind of person, is he supposed for be forcing himself to dance very excitedly at a chasunah when other people tell him that he should ‘get more into it’ and dance with a lot of energy?
ANSWER A person always has to act according to his level, and when he needs to he can act a bit above his level, because there is always ohr makif (surrounding light) which he is able to reach a bit above his current level. He needs to go back and forth between his current level and striving for a bit above his current level (which is within his reach). A person’s main level is the level that he is able to return to after he has reached above his current level. That is the growth that he has so far acquired. He can also rise a bit higher than his current level, and he should do that when he feels an internal awakening to go higher, or even if he has an external need to do so. But a person cannot aim for anything that’s beyond his current reach. (For every rule there can always exceptions.)
QUESTION 3) Is it true that the purpose of life is to serve Hashem b’simchah (joyously)? Is learning with simchah and dancing at a chasunah with simchah so important? It actually feels ego-focused, because it’s about “Me” being happy, and it seems that the purpose of life is to do Hashem’s will whether I am happy or not. So what is the big emphasis on simchah?
ANSWER Complete simchah is when I am happy that the ratzon Hashem has been fulfilled, whether it was through me or through someone else. In this way, simchah doesn’t come from negios (self-serving motivations), it’s not about “Me”. Such simchah can be called the purpose of life, because it shows that the person is clean from egoistic thoughts and that he is attached with Hashem. It would only be a partial fulfillment of the purpose of life, though, and not the complete purpose, because the more complete purpose is hiskalelus, to become integrated, to give up one’s existence and merge completely into the Existence of Hashem.
QUESTION 4) Why is it so important to come up with chiddushei Torah on Shabbos (as the Ben Ish Chai says, that a chiddush on Shabbos is 1000 times more important than a chiddush during the weekday), if Shabbos is all about menuchah (serenity), not simchah (happiness)?
ANSWER The Rambam’s view is that there is an obligation of simchah on Shabbos, and this is based on the Sifrei. (See also Pardes Yosef on Shemos 31:16 and Beis Yosef Orach Chaim 281, and Yerushalmi Megillah 1:4. There are many other sources as well that there is simchah on Shabbos). However, chiddushei Torah on Shabbos is not because of simchah on Shabbos, it is because Shabbos is called “source of all blessing”, therefore it is the root of all renewal, and that is why chiddushei Torah on Shabbos have 1000 times more value than chiddushei Torah of the weekday, because 1000 is elef, from the word aleph (1), which refers to the beginning [and Shabbos is the beginning and root of the week].
QUESTION 5) Why is it so important to learn with simchah? Is there a source for this?
ANSWER The further a person is from his root, the more he becomes attached to the element of earth, the source of sadness. [Thus it is very necessary for a person to have simchah]. Also, [simchah is so important today] because we close to the Geulah, of which it said “With joy they will go out.”
QUESTION 6) How can a person learn with simchah if he’s constantly trying to understand what he learns and he always feels what he doesn’t know in the sugya, and he doesn’t feel satisfied yet with what he knows in the sugya? Putting in effort into learning is exertion, and that seems to contradict the emotion of joy. Also, learning can get difficult, like when a person gets stuck and he doesn’t know pshat (the surface level) and he doesn’t understand what Tosafos is saying and he feels like he doesn’t know the sugya. These are all normal parts of the process in learning, so how can a person learn b’simchah?
ANSWER Whenever a person learns, he has to always know what he’s clear about and what he’s not clear about, what he so far understands and from which point onward he doesn’t understand. This is the way to learn, and when a person learns like this, he will have simchah when he learns. From becoming aware of what you do understand in your learning, you can become filled with simchah. And even more so, when you’re working hard at understanding something, this is the simchah of working hard at gathering diamonds!
QUESTION 7) Does a person need to begin learning Gemara with a feeling of simchah and cheishek, or does the simchah come on its own as long as he applies himself properly to his learning and he works hard at it?
ANSWER It is proper to begin one’s learning by reminding oneself that he has been zocheh until now to learn Torah and to gain knowledge and understanding of it according to his level.
QUESTION 8) If a person is in middle of his learning does he need to generate simchah and does he need to remind himself of the fact that he is zocheh to learn Torah?
ANSWER See answer 6. That is how a person awakens simchah in his learning, yes.
QUESTION 10) Does a person always need to walk around with a smile on his face, so that he can put himself in a good mood and so that he can make others happy when they see a smile on his face?
ANSWER This is something that depends on the particular nefesh (soul and personality) of the person. Not all of the Gedolim had a smile on their faces all the time.
QUESTION 11) Many times I hear the complaint, “Why aren’t you smiling?” I feel like it’s above my level to be smiling all day or most of the day. When I walk in the street I feel a big pressure on me that I always have to smile at everyone, especially because my nature is to be serious and be deep in thought. But sometimes I feel that others feel hurt that I didn’t smile at them when I passed by them, or even if I didn’t look at them or give them eye contact, I get the feeling that the other person feels like I’m ignoring him. So is there a chiyuv (obligation) on me to go against my serious nature by smiling at everyone?
ANSWER A person has to act according to his level.
QUESTION 12) What is the importance of simchah in avodas Hashem in general and why did the Chassidim especially put so much emphasis on it, as if simchah is the main thing? Isn’t the main thing to simply do Hashem’s will, not about how I feel right now about doing Hashem’s will? True, simchah shows that a person wants to serve Hashem, but why it so fundamental?
ANSWER The root of mitzvos is the Torah, and the Torah “gladdens the heart”, thus the root of all of mitzvos is to connect a mitzvah with the Torah, to connect simchah with the Torah.
QUESTION 13) Did the baalei mussar also emphasize simchah, or was it only something the Chassidim emphasized?
ANSWER In the mussar approach of Slobodka, there was more of an emphasis on simchah.
QUESTION 14) Why did Chazal say that simchas Yom Tov is fulfilled with wine, when there are people who hate wine and they need to fulfill simchas Yom Tov through other ways that bring them simchah? Why didn’t Chazal say instead to fulfill simchas Yom Tov with whatever makes you happy? Why wine specifically?
ANSWER Wine is the root of simchah, because wine brings understanding, Binah, which is the root of simchah, as it is well-known.
QUESTION 2) Is it right when people say “Be more b’simchah” or “Smile!” or “Dance more lebedig (more excitedly)!” If a person doesn’t easily become in a happy mood does he need to awaken himself to simchah or is this called acting above his level, which is detrimental and jolting to him? If a person is not a “lebedig” kind of person, is he supposed for be forcing himself to dance very excitedly at a chasunah when other people tell him that he should ‘get more into it’ and dance with a lot of energy?
ANSWER A person always has to act according to his level, and when he needs to he can act a bit above his level, because there is always ohr makif (surrounding light) which he is able to reach a bit above his current level. He needs to go back and forth between his current level and striving for a bit above his current level (which is within his reach). A person’s main level is the level that he is able to return to after he has reached above his current level. That is the growth that he has so far acquired. He can also rise a bit higher than his current level, and he should do that when he feels an internal awakening to go higher, or even if he has an external need to do so. But a person cannot aim for anything that’s beyond his current reach. (For every rule there can always exceptions.)
QUESTION 3) Is it true that the purpose of life is to serve Hashem b’simchah (joyously)? Is learning with simchah and dancing at a chasunah with simchah so important? It actually feels ego-focused, because it’s about “Me” being happy, and it seems that the purpose of life is to do Hashem’s will whether I am happy or not. So what is the big emphasis on simchah?
ANSWER Complete simchah is when I am happy that the ratzon Hashem has been fulfilled, whether it was through me or through someone else. In this way, simchah doesn’t come from negios (self-serving motivations), it’s not about “Me”. Such simchah can be called the purpose of life, because it shows that the person is clean from egoistic thoughts and that he is attached with Hashem. It would only be a partial fulfillment of the purpose of life, though, and not the complete purpose, because the more complete purpose is hiskalelus, to become integrated, to give up one’s existence and merge completely into the Existence of Hashem.
QUESTION 4) Why is it so important to come up with chiddushei Torah on Shabbos (as the Ben Ish Chai says, that a chiddush on Shabbos is 1000 times more important than a chiddush during the weekday), if Shabbos is all about menuchah (serenity), not simchah (happiness)?
ANSWER The Rambam’s view is that there is an obligation of simchah on Shabbos, and this is based on the Sifrei. (See also Pardes Yosef on Shemos 31:16 and Beis Yosef Orach Chaim 281, and Yerushalmi Megillah 1:4. There are many other sources as well that there is simchah on Shabbos). However, chiddushei Torah on Shabbos is not because of simchah on Shabbos, it is because Shabbos is called “source of all blessing”, therefore it is the root of all renewal, and that is why chiddushei Torah on Shabbos have 1000 times more value than chiddushei Torah of the weekday, because 1000 is elef, from the word aleph (1), which refers to the beginning [and Shabbos is the beginning and root of the week].
QUESTION 5) Why is it so important to learn with simchah? Is there a source for this?
ANSWER The further a person is from his root, the more he becomes attached to the element of earth, the source of sadness. [Thus it is very necessary for a person to have simchah]. Also, [simchah is so important today] because we close to the Geulah, of which it said “With joy they will go out.”
QUESTION 6) How can a person learn with simchah if he’s constantly trying to understand what he learns and he always feels what he doesn’t know in the sugya, and he doesn’t feel satisfied yet with what he knows in the sugya? Putting in effort into learning is exertion, and that seems to contradict the emotion of joy. Also, learning can get difficult, like when a person gets stuck and he doesn’t know pshat (the surface level) and he doesn’t understand what Tosafos is saying and he feels like he doesn’t know the sugya. These are all normal parts of the process in learning, so how can a person learn b’simchah?
ANSWER Whenever a person learns, he has to always know what he’s clear about and what he’s not clear about, what he so far understands and from which point onward he doesn’t understand. This is the way to learn, and when a person learns like this, he will have simchah when he learns. From becoming aware of what you do understand in your learning, you can become filled with simchah. And even more so, when you’re working hard at understanding something, this is the simchah of working hard at gathering diamonds!
QUESTION 7) Does a person need to begin learning Gemara with a feeling of simchah and cheishek, or does the simchah come on its own as long as he applies himself properly to his learning and he works hard at it?
ANSWER It is proper to begin one’s learning by reminding oneself that he has been zocheh until now to learn Torah and to gain knowledge and understanding of it according to his level.
QUESTION 8) If a person is in middle of his learning does he need to generate simchah and does he need to remind himself of the fact that he is zocheh to learn Torah?
ANSWER See answer 6. That is how a person awakens simchah in his learning, yes.
QUESTION 10) Does a person always need to walk around with a smile on his face, so that he can put himself in a good mood and so that he can make others happy when they see a smile on his face?
ANSWER This is something that depends on the particular nefesh (soul and personality) of the person. Not all of the Gedolim had a smile on their faces all the time.
QUESTION 11) Many times I hear the complaint, “Why aren’t you smiling?” I feel like it’s above my level to be smiling all day or most of the day. When I walk in the street I feel a big pressure on me that I always have to smile at everyone, especially because my nature is to be serious and be deep in thought. But sometimes I feel that others feel hurt that I didn’t smile at them when I passed by them, or even if I didn’t look at them or give them eye contact, I get the feeling that the other person feels like I’m ignoring him. So is there a chiyuv (obligation) on me to go against my serious nature by smiling at everyone?
ANSWER A person has to act according to his level.
QUESTION 12) What is the importance of simchah in avodas Hashem in general and why did the Chassidim especially put so much emphasis on it, as if simchah is the main thing? Isn’t the main thing to simply do Hashem’s will, not about how I feel right now about doing Hashem’s will? True, simchah shows that a person wants to serve Hashem, but why it so fundamental?
ANSWER The root of mitzvos is the Torah, and the Torah “gladdens the heart”, thus the root of all of mitzvos is to connect a mitzvah with the Torah, to connect simchah with the Torah.
QUESTION 13) Did the baalei mussar also emphasize simchah, or was it only something the Chassidim emphasized?
ANSWER In the mussar approach of Slobodka, there was more of an emphasis on simchah.
QUESTION 14) Why did Chazal say that simchas Yom Tov is fulfilled with wine, when there are people who hate wine and they need to fulfill simchas Yom Tov through other ways that bring them simchah? Why didn’t Chazal say instead to fulfill simchas Yom Tov with whatever makes you happy? Why wine specifically?
ANSWER Wine is the root of simchah, because wine brings understanding, Binah, which is the root of simchah, as it is well-known.
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