Wherever You Are – You are Home
by Rabbi August
Simcha is a familiar Hebrew word usually translated as gladness or joy and as a noun refers to a happy occasion.
“Mitzvah Gedolah L’hiyot B’Simcha Tamid:” –“It is a great mitzvah to always be in a state of happiness,” asserts Rabbi Nachman of Bratzlav, a 19th century Chasidic teacher in one of his popular teachings.
I am troubled by this teaching. Are you “always” in a state of happiness/simcha? And why should we be? The Chasidic tradition believes that when you are happy you are more capable of service to God and going about your daily activities, than while you are depressed or upset. Although I can agree with this assumption, I have to change my understanding of simcha and what is meant by “happiness.” I simply do not believe we can be happy all the time! Also, after 1½ years of COVID isolation and shutdowns, where and how do we find our happiness?
The Torah portions in June are from B’midbar, the fourth book of the Torah, which begin as follows:
“God spoke to Moses in the desert of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting,
on the first day of the second month (hodesh) of the second year since they left Egypt.”
In his Chassidic commentary, Rabbi Art Green wonders about all the details in this opening verse and explains that it is to teach us not to be depressed but to strive to be in simcha – in joy.
He notices the Hebrew word for month is hodesh, which is similar to the word for “something new” and for “renewal.” Every month is a time for renewal – to forgive yourself and start fresh. This helps us feel more joy and puts us into a state of simcha, a sense of being home. So, happiness is related to forgiveness and renewal, a more nuanced explanation.
Similarly, why does the verse add that God spoke to Moses in the “Tent of Meeting”? In Hebrew, the word for meeting (mo’ed) is also the word for festival – a time of joy. We are taught that we should strive to enter into our own tent of joy – our own ohel mo’ed.
The idea is not that we should be “happy” is the classical sense at all times, but rather, we should have the awareness of where we are in our life’s journey. What does our “tent” look like?
Although we are often content, fulfilled and optimistic, sometimes our tent is one of disappointment, illness, exhaustion or apathy. If this is so, we acknowledge our state with curiosity and use the tools we have to cope with and improve our reality. We remind ourselves that each day and each month is a new beginning. We pray, study, exercise, meditate and rely on our family and friends. It is as if this teaching is referring to our past year of COVID!
The Chassidic teaching above states that even when we feel lowly and humbled, aware of our negative state, we should fill ourselves with joy. Why? Rabbi Art Green says: “There is always a chance to begin again and change, since we are ever being liberated anew from whatever enslaves us.”
May we all find healing, renewal and joy over our summer break. Let us slowly be liberated from fear of COVID and whatever else enslaves us. Let us enter into our new daily routines with health and faith in our futures.
AMEN
Looking forward to sharing Shabbat together this Saturday,
Rabbi August
