Building Joy

The essence of Joy; a profound, enduring state of deep seated happiness and contentment that exists independently of fleeting fun experiences. It is a powerful and often spiritual inner peace. It can stem from gratitude, connections with others, G-d, an alignment with one’s purpose remaining steadfast even amongst life’s inevitable challenges.

Resilience is a character of Joy, it acts as an anchor allowing for the coexistence of happiness alongside sadness.

Joy brings hope and calmness.

The 8 pillars of Joy;

Perspective, humility, humor,acceptance, forgiveness, gratitude, compassion, and generosity.

The root is Gratefulness. It is not joy that makes us grateful, it is gratitude that makes us joyful.

The best quotes about Joy emphasize that there is a choice.

As a Chabad Rabbi Sherman of the Main line recently wrote: Joy is something we build.

The deepest form of joy is “Spiritual Joy”; it is a transcendent connection to a higher being, to G-d and the universe, thus creating an inner harmony.

” When you give joy to other people you get more joy in return “ – Eleanor Roosevelt.

This quote reminds me of something I had read many years ago. My eldest was visiting Yale and went in for her interview. I picked up a campus newspaper and the front page article was about an interview of Harvard’s leading Psychiatrist.

When asked what his number one approach with his patients, how to help them better.; he said that many of his patients had affluent lives full of many things, he told them that they should begin to volunteer to give to others, to see how the less fortunate fare, to get outside of themselves. Thus giving to others would give them a feeling of happiness and joy.

Several years later, in Baltimore, my friends said you must return back to your original synagogue, there is this new young dynamic Rabbi . So I checked it out one shabbat and what did he speak about in his speech : About that Harvard psychiatrist and about joy and connectivity by giving to others. And that is how one builds joy.

I smiled.

We are not talking about narcissistic, hedonistic joy, that is about takers vs givers, that is not a gratitudinal joy.

So what do we see in Tehillim?!

Tehillim places joy as a deep spiritual and often communal emotion stemming from connection with G-d, trust in his protection and gratitude for his kindness .

” Hodu L’Hshem Shiru Shir Chadash I’m Truah – Sing with a shout of joy “ !

I recently read about a young woman in Israel who tragically lost her husband during October 7 th. She had a hard time, understandably, but slowly with time she said she pursued joy and slowly found it again. She said she is not that person before October 7th but she is a new person rebuilding, and increasing joy.

I will never forget and often think about something our mother rebbetzen Morah Yaffa Sheyndel Munk tzl would describe to us;

” After the Holocaust, when we had our very first ice cream, it was pure Joy “

it is a visual that stays with me.

Gratitude; Lehodot. To acknowledge, to recognize, to be grateful.

I look forward to sharing the Rinah, and Simcha of Adar and Purim.

these are precarious times, something is brewing, our connection to G-d and our community is more important than ever.

And yes, I look forward to hearing the Megillah, the children’s excitement, the raashanim, and most of all that first bite into a Hamentaschen

Purim sameach, May your lives be joyful .