Parts of the public have been living with a feeling of despondency lately. It seems to them that everything is falling apart, to the point that a question mark begins to arise about the fate of the entire enterprise that was created here. For some, this feeling of bitterness is even pushing them to think about alternatives and to leave the country.
And there are those who see the problems and difficulties, and yet they are optimistic and happy. Their gaze is directed toward the positive points, the successes and achievements. They believe in the hand of the Creator that steers the ship of the Jewish people through all the storms. Even if there is difficulty, with God's help we will overcome it.
A box full of stones
This is not just a difference between pessimists and optimists, but a fundamental approach to life. The difference between a happy person and a depressed person is not in objective conditions. There are rich people who are depressed and poor people who are happy. There are people who are sick and yet full of energy and optimism, and on the other hand, there are people who are healthy but sad and disengaged. There are those who attack life's challenges with vigor and vigor, and those for whom everything is difficult and burdensome.
Is it a matter of character? Indeed, innate character certainly influences a person's ability to feel joy, but it is mainly a matter of upbringing, worldview, and perception of life.
The question of whether you will be a happy person is not predetermined. It is in your hands. If you want to – you will be happy; if you don’t want to – happiness will be far from you. You, through your behavior and approach to life, determine whether you will be a happy person or not.
How would you react if you were ordered to lift a heavy box and carry it home? "What's in the box?" you ask, and you get an answer: "Stones." You don't understand where this trouble has landed on your head. The box is heavy. Beads of sweat are dripping down your face. At a certain point, you place the box on the ground and say: "I have no more strength.".
Then, at this point of despair, you discover that there are indeed stones in the box, but not just any stones – gemstones, diamonds! The box is full of precious stones, worth millions, and it’s all yours! Just take it home. At that moment, you lift the box as if it weighed a feather, and with exploding happiness, you run home with it.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe used this parable to illustrate the power of joy. Objective reality did not change. The weight of the box remained the same. The scorching sun also remained the same. The only change that occurred was in the person’s consciousness. And suddenly something that had seemed unbearable became the easiest and most pleasant thing.
Lift your legs.
Joy is also a gift from heaven. To be truly happy, we need a blessing from God, who will open the gates of joy for us. And this is where things connect with the holiday of Simchat Torah – it is a holiday in which the wells of joy are opened, and anyone who wants to draw joy for the whole year – should come and draw.
This day and night is the spring from which an abundance of joy flows. Now we can draw joy and gladness for the entire year. Those who rejoice now with true joy will rejoice, with God’s help, all the days of the coming year. And there is nothing easier than this: simply lift your feet, dance, rejoice with the Torah, push ourselves into the dance circles. We will thus draw an abundance of joy, unity, and faith for the entire year.
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