Finding Joy in All the Right Places

(12) Now go, and I will be with you as you speak and will instruct you what to say.” (13) But he said, “Please, O Lord, make someone else Your agent.” (14) The LORD became angry with Moses, and He said, “There is your brother Aaron the Levite. He, I know, speaks readily. Even now he is setting out to meet you, and he will be happy to see you.

...R’ Shimon bar Yochai said: let the heart which rejoiced at the elevation of its brother wear the urim v’tumim, as it says “You shall place the Urim and the Tummim into the breastplate of judgment so that they will be over Aaron’s heart…” (Shemot 28:30) Once the Holy One said this to Moshe, he accepted it and went. Immediately the Holy One revealed Himself to Aaron and said to him: go out to meet your brother Moshe in order that he know you are happy with this situation. This is why it says “Go toward Moses, to the desert.” (Shemot 4:27)

§ Rabbi Beroka Ḥoza’a was often found in the market of Bei Lefet, and Elijah the Prophet would often appear to him. Once Rabbi Beroka said to Elijah: Of all the people who come here, is there anyone in this market worthy of the World-to-Come? ...In the meantime, two brothers came to the marketplace. Elijah said to Rabbi Beroka: These two also have a share in the World-to-Come. Rabbi Beroka went over to the men and said to them: What is your occupation? They said to him: We are jesters, and we cheer up the depressed. Alternatively, when we see two people who have a quarrel between them, we strive to make peace. It is said that for this behavior one enjoys the profits of his actions in this world, and yet his reward is not diminished in the World-to-Come.

(3) Exult in His holy name; let all who seek the LORD rejoice.

(12) "Because you would not serve the LORD your God in joy and gladness over the abundance of everything," (Devarim 28:47) This can be properly explained through the words of the Ikarim (2:15), which briefly explained are as follows. The wise have joy in that they feel the have achieved some of the wholeness of wisdom...and though this joy of necessity has some end limitation, since it is the product of human comprehension which is itself limited, nevertheless it grows continually. This is because anyone who seeks something which is of a limited nature, once they achieve it their desire and joy will cease. However, if that which one desires and seeks has no fundamental limit, then the desire and the comprehension will never cease. This is why the joy of the wise is continual and unceasing, as it is written "...let all who seek the LORD rejoice." (Psalms 105:3) In that God and his perfection are limitless all those who seek God, though they will grasp what they do, nonetheless will be left ever desiring. The joy will never cease, increasing as one comprehends ever more.

It is a great mitzvah to always be happy, and to make every effort to determinedly keep depression and gloom at bay.

2. The rule is that a person has to be very determined and put all his strength into being nothing but happy at all times. For human nature is to draw itself to gloom and depression on account of life’s vicissitudes and misfortunes. And every human being is filled with suffering. Therefore, a person has to exercise great effort in forcing himself to be happy at all times, and to bring himself to joy in any way he can—even with silliness. And though contrition, too, is very good, nevertheless, that is only for a brief period. It is right to set aside for oneself some time in the day for feeling remorse and speaking one’s piece in the presence of the Blessed One, as is brought in our works. But the entire [rest] of the day one needs to be happy. For contrition more easily leads to depression, than erring through joy, God forbid, leads to some sort of frivolity, God forbid. For this is the more likely: that contrition will lead to gloom. One should therefore always be happy, and only at the designated time have a broken heart.