It's Time to Smile!

B"H

"When the month of Adar enters, one must increase in joy." (Talmud - Taanit 29a)


The 12th & last month of the Hebrew calendar is upon us. And that means: it's time to rejoice! Halfway through the month we celebrate the joyous of all holidays - Purim (which will be discussed at length in upcoming emails). In 1991, Saddam Hussein was defeated officially on - you guessed it - Purim day. Mass murderer & Jew hater Josef Stalin, suddenly passed on the 1st day of Adar, in 1953. An auspicious month for sure, but let's take a look at the words of the above phrase from the Talmud: "When the month of Adar enters, one must increase in joy." Why not simply say, "one must be joyful?" To increase implies that one is already joyful, and merely needs to increase it. It comes out from this that the Torah expects us to be joyful at all times!

But how is that possible? True, the 2nd verse in Psalm 100 of King David's Tehillim states: "Ivdu et Hashem B'simcha - serve G-d in joy." And the Code of Jewish law does begin with: "Serve G-d always." So if one must serve G-d in joy, and serve him in every aspect of our lives, 1+1 = 2: we must be joyful at all times, right? Well, between you and I, it ain't always so easy.

Sure, as a kid I was pretty happy. Laughed a lot - not a care in the world. But now the weight of the world is on my shoulders! Health, bills, pressure, relationships - there's a lot to worry about! But perhaps what is needed is to work on a change of perspective. From our narrow viewpoints, we view the world as owing us everything. If something is lacking in my life, it isn't fair. But what's the truth of the matter? Do I really deserve anything? The Torah's point of view takes an opposite approach: Everything I have is merely a gift of kindness from above. And therefore I don't need more, or demand more.

It seems simple enough, but imagine if we awoke everyday and lived like this? The shirt I have, the food I eat, the health I have - is all a gift. Anything and everything, is all from pure kindness. And when one labors at attaining this deeper perspective on life, he or she can also come to appreciate the fragility and lackluster quality of the material. Spirituality, good deeds, Torah wisdom - that's everlasting, for it lives on the spiritual realms which is permanent. Physical attainments ultimately fade away and don't last, so why be so sad when you can't attain them?

May each and every one of us have everything that we need, physically & materially. As the Lubavitcher Rebbe often said: "Our generation's tests should not be in the realm of poverty." We have other struggles. But this perspective mentioned above is still a worthwhile one to repeat in our minds. Ultimately, our sadness at its root stems from a deeper place: Confusion, which comes from a lack of revelation. G-d is hidden; his plan behind our lives and this world not overtly apparent. Confusion leads to a morose feeling. Purim, and the month of Adar, shows G-d's light in the darkness of exile, how even when he hides, it is apparent that He is running the world. G-d's name isn't mentioned even once in Megillat Esther that we read on Purim, but it is completely apparent that he is running the show. May we work to see his fingerprints on creation and in our lives, and how all that we have - is really just a gift - from him to you and I. Imagine if, when you see a friend on Purim wearing a costume mask, you call that person's name, seeing behind his hiding. Then there's no point in hiding anymore. May that time come soon, speedily in our days!

Shabbat Shalom and Chodesh tov!

-Daniel