Joy Is Not A Condition. It’s A Decision.
My 9 year old reminds me frequently the perks of being Jewish — all the holidays that we celebrate. There’s the weekly Shabbos. Then the fun-filled Purim followed by many week-long holidays from Pesach to Chanukah, not to mention the high holidays in between. My favourite falls during the 8 days of Sukkos where Jews are commanded to dwell in tents in remembrance of G-D’s providence (not to mention the impermanence of existence).
Ever heard of SIMCHA BAIS HASHOEVA?
The Gemara tells us misholeros simcha bais ha shave le ros simcha me yo mov — If you didn’t see the drawing of the water in the Holy Temple, you’ve never seen true joy.
How is drawing of water equals unparalleled JOY?
During the 410 years and the 420 years when the first and second Temple stood, people came from all over Israel, Syria, Babylonia and Egypt to celebrate this holiday. Men, women and children, from peasants to scholars, just about anyone who could make it was there. It was the grandest of celebrations unlike any the world has ever seen.
The entire Jerusalem was brightly lit with candelabras, some as tall as150 feet. Bleachers were build right after the first day of Yom Tov in order that the women could see all the way from up high. The Kohanim and the Leviim would play all kinds of musical instruments with songs and dance from night to day. We are told that Reb Shimon Ben Gamlia, the head of the sandhedrin juggled 8 flaming torches and they didn’t once touch each other.
In the morning, where usually the high priest would pour wine in the corner of the korban, on this occasion, water was brought from MeirShiloch to be used instead.
What’s the magic of this water?
When G-D created the world, He created the water which He then separate between the water of the earth and the water of the sky.
The water of the earth was not pleased: Why am I way down below while my other half is all the way up high lofty in the sky? Do I not count? Do I not matter? G-D then comforted the water below that the time will come on Simcha Bais Hashoeva where she will be honoured and see her true purpose and significance. Along with this, G-D revealed to us the secret to true happiness.
Like Water from the Earth, we have to pick ourselves up from below. Happiness is a decision, not a condition. Only then would we know what TRUE JOY is!
Joy is a decision we have to make moment to moment. While it is not always easy, it is within our reach because G-D decidedly so. It is within our spiritual DNA to defy gravity and pick ourselves up, if we only decide and act accordingly. Thank you, G-D.
R Yossi Bensoussan recounted a story while he was still a student. He had an older study partner, Nassan, whom he dubbed the “energiser” of the educational institution they learned together. Nassan was always the first to show up to study and daily would enthuse everyone around him for learning.
His perpetual upbeatness would annoy and puzzle the young man. “It made me very uncomfortable. I couldn’t figure out what he was so happy about. I wish I could be as happy as he, but try walking in my shoes for two days and see how happy he’d be?”
Then one day, he discovered that his study partner had actually been staying up every night in the hospital with his little girl who was very sick. The doctors had no idea what she had or how long she’d live.
R Yossi thought he’d finally had a chance to “catch” his partner in a depressed state and he’d have a chance to console him. So he went to the hospital, but when he arrived, he saw an animated father dancing for his little girl, who was all tubed-up, clapping her hands.
R Yossi watched until she fell asleep and finally walked in and asked: “What is wrong with you? Your daughter is sick and you have every right to be upset and angry!”
To which his study partner replied: “And who would that help? What does it teach her if she saw me crying? That it’s all over? No, it’s not over. Not under my clock. And if it’s for her, you want her to go sad and depressed? G-D forbid.”
Rabbi Yossi concluded a person who is truly b’simcha or joyful can never be touched. Literally, nothing will get to such a person. He has the secret to life.
Joy is not a condition. It’s a decision.
The Rebbe tells us that we have done everything we can to bring the Moshiach. There’s one thing that we haven’t tried yet and now is the time — A Specific kind of Joy — Pure Joy. He then challenged us: Try it and you’ll see.