Finding Happiness – An Adar of Simcha

By: Chaya Sora Jungreis-Gertzulin

Mi’sheh’nichnas Adar marbim b’simcha, When Adar arrives, simcha increases.

Can it be with the advent of a new month, simcha automatically enters the picture, transforming all our days to “happy days”? Does Adar have special magical powers that brings happiness into our lives, even when we are falling apart and feel like crying.

Adar is a most propitious time to remove worries and insecurities from our heart. A time to eliminate the stress and anxiety that keeps us awake at night. A time to rid ourselves of all the what ifs that haunt us. The could’ves, should’ves, and would’ves of life.

Adar is designated as a month of simcha, for it was in Adar that Haman wanted to carry out his “Final Solution”, “L’hashmid, la’harog, u’le-abeid, To destroy,  to kill and to wipe out” the Jews of the Persian empire. (Megillas Esther 7:4). Their survival, and our continued existence, defies all reason and logic.

Upon hearing the Purim story, how can one not have emunah and bitachon. A faith and trust in HaShem that calms our troubled spirit, and has the power to bring us joy and happiness.

Adar is spelled aleph-daled-reish. Aleph signifies HaShem, Who is the One and Only. Daled and reish spell dor, meaning to live. The message of Adar is A-dor, that HaShem lives amongst us. A reminder that HaShem is with us at all times, and in all places. Knowing that, we can let go of the tension and make room for happiness.

Rabbi Nachman of Breslav teaches, “Mitzva gedola l’hiyos b’simcha tamid, It is a great mitzva to always be in a state of joy.” Tamid – always, not just during the easy times, but no matter how challenging a situation may be, one should strive to be cheerful.

But it doesn’t just happen. Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach teaches that we have to make it happen.

The Baal Shem Tov teaches that the Hebrew letters of the word b’simcha, with simcha, (beis-sin-mem-ches-hei) can be rearranged to spell the word machshava, thought (mem-ches-shin-beis-hei). We have the power to think ourselves happy.

Every morning, we say the bracha of “Sheh’oso li kol tzorki, Thank you HaShem for taking care of all my needs.” A reminder to recognize the good in our lives, instead of wasting energy wishing things were different. The Torah teaches us to be a sameach b’chelko, to be happy with what we have. To stop looking over our shoulder and comparing to what others have. There will always be someone with more, better, nicer. Someone with a more luxurious home, a more up-to-date kitchen, a more extravagant wardrobe, a more impressive car, or taking more exotic vacations. It’s toxic to be measuring and comparing. Count your blessings, and be grateful for what you do have.

Every day in shemoneh esrei we say the tefilla of Modim. At one time, I underwent a serious eye surgery. Part of my recovery was to lay in a face-down position. I spent much of my days listening to Torah tapes. One tape started off with a question. “Do you need a refuah? Do you need a bracha?” This tape is speaking to me, I thought.

The speaker continued and shared that the word modim has a gematria of 100. Just like we recite 100 brachos each day, we should find 100 brachos in our lives, 100 blessings to be grateful for.

I gave myself the “modim challenge”. To write my top 100 gratitude list. As I completed the list, I realized that even while recovering from surgery, I had much to be thankful for. It was the best medicine.

The secular world recommends meditation as a means of achieving happiness. Something we knew all along. Davening, reaching out to HaShem is our meditation. Daven… Daven… Daven. There is so much to ask for. You will feel better for it.

Rav Nachman was a great believer in spending much time just talking to HaShem. Talk like a child to a loving father. Ask for whatever you need. Nothing is too small, nothing too great. Wish for a miracle. As Dovid HaMelech says in Tehillim, “Hanoteh ozen, haloh yishma, He who implants the ear, will He not hear?” (Tehillim 94:9)

There are two Torah phrases that can elevate our spirits. Gam zu l’tova, This is also for the good. To say, HaShem, I’m doing my best… I trust You, that all will be l’tova, for the good.

The second phrase to remember is Gam zeh ya’avor, This too shall pass. A story is told about Shlomo HaMelech challenging merchants to create something that will bring him joy when he was sad, and at the same time, keep him humble when things are good. A tough request. Until a jeweler came up with an idea. A ring, upon which would be inscribed three letters, Gimmel, Zayin, Yud, standing for Gam Zeh Ya’avor. Looking at the inscription was a reminder to King Solomon that nothing in life lasts forever. It also encouraged him during difficult times that “this too shall pass”.

Be a giver. Be there for others. You will experience “volunteers high”, an inner sense of joy and accomplishment. Tzedaka tatzil mi’maves, Charity saves from death. This can be understood that by giving to others, in so many different ways, saves one from “death” – the dark hole of depression. When we give to others, our spirits are lifted.

Grow as a person, be ready to learn new things. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch teaches that similar sounding letters in the aleph-beis can be exchanged for one another. As in the letters tzadi and sin. If you substitute the letter tzadi in tzameach, to grow, with a sin, you have the word sameach, to be in a state of happiness. Learn, do, and accomplish. It will bring out simcha.

In closing, I will share another treasure of Rav Nachman that my father zt”l would quote. “Smile, even if you have nothing to smile for, and HaShem will give you something to smile about.”

Wishing everyone an Adar of simcha.

Shabbat Shalom and Chodesh Tov!

Chaya Sora

Chaya Sora can be reached at [email protected]

This article was written L’zecher Nishmas/In Memory Of HaRav Meshulem ben HaRav Osher Anshil HaLevi, zt”l and Rebbetzin Esther bas HaRav Avraham HaLevi, zt”l