"Chodesh Adar"
by Rena Rubin
Midreshet Lindenbaum, 5756
 

In Devarim, 26:11, we are commanded to be happy.

"You shall rejoice with all the good that the Almighty has given you". This is a mitzvah. If we
know that Hashem has given us good things, then why are we commanded to be happy?
Shouldn't we be naturally happy?

The answer is no. It is human nature to always want more. It is a rarity to find one who is always
satisfied with what Hashem has given him. Therefore, the Torah commands us to be happy with
what we have. Rabbi Yerucham Levovitz observed that people become so used to being
unhappy that they are unaware of the needless misery they cause themselves. They imprison
themselves by filling their minds with thoughts of resentment, hatred, envy and desires. It is
amazing how they tolerate living such a life. The only reason they do is because they have
become so used to living with such thoughts that they feel it is the normal picture of life.

People must realize that they have the ability to make themselves happy. Our happiness must not
be based on external factors of which we have no control. One who makes his happiness
dependent upon wealth, fame success or other external factors will not be able to master
happiness. External factors will be his or her master. The happiness to strive for is an inner
feeling of happiness about your lot in the world and a happiness about your spiritual service.
Only by mastering the right attitude to life's varied situations will you have a guarantee of
happiness. Once you accept responsibility for making yourself happy, independent of good or
bad fortune, will you be determined to work on your own thought patterns which may be in the
habit of seeing things in a negative light.

There is a mitzvah to be joyous on the Chagim. Although we are commanded to be in a state of
joy the entire year, we must strive to attain an even greater level of happiness on the Chagim.
The joy that we feel on the Chagim will enable us to increase our feelings of joy during the entire
year.

The responsibility we have to be happy on the Chagim, let alone all year round, is not an easy
one, so as we stand on the threshold between Shvat and Adar we should all stop and think
about every reason we have to be happy. There really are more than enough.
 
 

Original Site:     www.ohrtorahstone.org.il