Sichos on simcha

[Clip]

I know there must be some out there, but I don't know where to find any ... Please advise, thanks! :D

[Jude]

Issue 707 of L'Chaim spoke about the following:

What's a Jew to do when told "serve Hashem with joy," (especially in Adar), if he doesn't feel particularly happy?

A Chasid wrote to the Tzemach Tzedek and told him it was difficult for him to be b'simcha. The Rebbe answered: Thought, speech, and action are the three main parts of a person's behavior. Each of us has control over what we think, what we say, and what we do.

A person must guard what he thinks, thinking only thoughts that cause joy; he must keep away from speaking about matters that are sad and depressing; and he must act as if he has a full and joyous heart, to show joyous mannerisms even if that is not how he feels at the moment. Ultimately it will be this way in actuality.

[ChachChach]

here's the full article. its too good to just have parts (no, i didnt type it out. sichosinenglish.org has the weekly lichayim)

"Turn that frown upside down!"
"Don't get so upset."

"Put a smile on your face."

"Sha, sha. Don't cry. Everything will be okay."

It's hard to keep track of what the latest trend is in expressing or suppressing one's feelings or how deep one should (or must) dig in order to get to the essence of what one truly feels.

So what's a Jew to do when the Jewish month of Adar begins and we're told that the standard "Serve G-d with joy" and "It is a great mitzva to be continually joyous" is supposed to be intensified?

Fake it!

Yes, you read correctly. Pretend as if you are really happy. You'll be amazed at the results.

A Chasid wrote to the Tzemach Tzedak (the third Rebbe of Chabad) and told him that it was difficult for him to attain a level of "joy."

The Rebbe answered: "Thought, speech and actions (the three 'garments' of the soul-the way in which the soul expresses itself) are the three main parts of a person's behavior. Each individual was given control over what he thinks, speaks and does according to his desire.

"A person must guard what he thinks, thinking only thoughts that cause joy; he must keep away from speaking about matters that are sad and depressing; and he must act as if he has a full and joyous heart, to show joyous mannerisms even if that is not how he feels at the moment. Ultimately it will be this way in actuality."

In a similar vein, a Chasid came to the Alter Rebbe (Rabbi Shneur Zalman, fouder of Chabad Chasidism), asking how he could help a fellow Jew who acted as if he were pious when in reality he was actually quite a sinner.

The Alter Rebbe declared: "May what the Talmud says happens to a person who pretends to be a pauper but is not really poor, happen to him!"

The Chasid was taken aback. He had hoped for some practical and pleasant advice. Not what seemed to be a curse!

Then the Alter Rebbe explained: "The person who pretends to be a pauper but is not will ultimately become a pauper. So, too, this man who pretends to be pious but is not should ultimately become pious!"

As indicated in both of these stories, the initial step to being happy is even to go so far as to pretend we are happy even if we are not. Eventually, the play-acting will no longer be acting but real.

This "put on a happy face" attitude encompasses our religious duties but extends to our interaction with others, as well. Judaism teaches "Receive all people happily"and "Receive all people with a cheerful countenance." Receiving people happily is an inward expression of one's feelings. Even if we aren't inwardly, genuinely happy to see someone, at least we should greet himwith a cheerful countenance, an external expression of joy. "Even if your heart does not rejoice when someone visits you, pretend to be cheerful when he arrives," a great Sage once taught.

So, be happy, it's Adar. And even if you don't feel happy, fake it until you do!

[ChachChach]

btw, clip, sichosinenglish.org has some of the "sichos in english" books posted on their website. maybe skim through some of those sichos to find what the Rebbe has to say about joy. maybe look it up under the sichos said in adar, or the sichos said about simchas torah or any other yomtov. of course, if you want to get the real flavor of what the Rebbe said, find a sicha about joy, then see in what year it was said and read the orginal in yiddish/hebrew.

[Jude]

I didn't like the "fake it' in the original article and left it out, because when a person THINKS happy thoughts, SPEAKS only about happy things, and DOES actions that demonstrate joy, that's not FAKE!

Fake would be saying something (or doing something) cheerful while inside thinking how miserable you are.

[ChachChach]

but jude, that's the whole point of the article. bc even if you speak happy things, and think happy things and just try to act happy-that doesnt make you happy.the article is saying that you're allowed to "fake it"-pretend to be happy, even if you dont really feel that way, bc eventualy, it will cause you to really be happy.

alot of teens these days feel that if they're feeling one way, why should they act another? if they arent feeling true joy, why should they pretend to be happy? this article is a great responce-yes, fake it...bc it will make you truly happy.

[Jude]

sorry disagree, the words "fake it" don't apply where even THOUGHTS are happy
yes, it's true that thought, speech, and action are "merely" the livushim, and one's emotions can be different, but as far as this discussion goes: I challenge anybody to think, speak, and act (most importantly, THINK) happily, and remain sad.

[Jude]

· Simcha is so powerful that it can break nature, i.e. our natural tendencies, and transform them completely. (Hemshech “Samei’ach Tisamach”, Sefer Ha’Maamarim 5657)

· We see that when a person rejoices, his hidden kochos are revealed. (ibid)

· We see that the mood in the house depends on the woman, and brachos only come about through simcha. Since we were commanded about this, it’s certainly possible, especially when you spend just a brief time looking at the chasdei Hashem with you and your husband in the past, and certainly this will continue in the future. (from a letter dated 2 Nissan 5718).

· Simcha is a quality that affects and penetrates everything. When a person is happy, he lives a happy life, with a joy that affects everything he does, and with whatever he comes in contact with, and he makes others happy too. This simcha makes him successful in everything and throughout life, as we see for ourselves. (Dvar Malchus, parshas Teruma 5752).

[Jude]

what is the difference between "simcha" and "tuv leivav"?

I see in a simcha that the Rebbe says, "b'simcha v'yiseira mizu, u'v'tuv leivav" (with simcha and furthermore, with tuv leivav)

[JewishHiphop]

Is it neccessary to exercise to achieve simcha, or is that just baba masehs?

[Hiskashrus]

baba is a sephardic sage, perhaps you are referring to bubbe (grandmother's tales).

although the bubbe of bubbe maasehs didn't originally mean grandmother.

[Yankel Nosson]

An amazing sicha, said by the Rebbe in Elul 1988, (all bold is in the original):

14 Elul 5748

There is no explanation why Moshiach hasn't come: it is certain that every Jew has done tshuva; the Tehillim of Dovid Malka Meshicha have been recited in the greatest quantity; many farbrengens have been held; the spreading of the wellsprings [of Chassidus] has been going on since the Baal Shem Tov, more than seven generations[...]

If so, the question is asked: what more can be done that hasn't already been done?!...

We could say that the thing which still wasn't done in order to bring Moshiach is -- the desired service of simcha [joy] in order to bring Moshiach.

In addition to the fact that "simcha breaks all limitations", including the limitations of golus [exile], there is a special segulah [hidden power] in simcha to bring the geulah -- as explained that Hashem's simcha atzmis [true, essential joy] will come with the building of the 3rd Bais Hamikdash, and we awaken this simcha atzmis through simcha shel mitzva, that the simcha shel mitzvah reaches higher than the mitzvah itself, and through it davka we awaken the simcha atzmis of the Time to Come.

Even though there was certainly simcha shel mitzvah in all the previous generations, since simcha shel mitzvah is a fundemental matter in serving Hashem, as it is written "serve Hashem with simcha", and "you served Hashem your G-d with simcha and goodness of heart"...nonetheless, in any case, in simcha shel mitzvah the main emphasis on the way of doing the service, that the service needs to be with simcha, and if we are speaking here about the simcha to bring Moshiach it is -- on the simcha itself pure simcha, the service of simcha for the sake of the goal and tachlis of the coming of Moshiach.

Since this is so, then we find that the way to bring Moshiach is by adding in simcha, pure simcha, simcha that will immediately bring Moshiach Tzidkeinu.

How could it be that over all the generations they didn't make an effort to bring Moshiach with simcha? They did all they could do to bring Moshiach, even crushing the Crown Jewel in the king's crown, etc. [a metaphor for the teachings of Chassidus], in order to get a drop in the King's mouth[...]

We could say as a simple explanation that when we are found in the doubled and redoubled darkness of golus, when all Yidden are in golus, and the shechina is in golus, it is understood that due to the amount of pain of golus, that pure simcha is not relevant.

But never the less, since in the end we are obligated to bring Moshiach--there is no choice but to bring Moshiach through simcha, pure simcha.

Regarding the difficulty to bring about a feeling of pure simcha in the darkness of golus--since we are obligated to bring Moshiach Tzidkeinu, then we must say that at the end of golus mamash--they give the special powers to be able to have pure simcha, and the explanation--this simcha is generated by contemplating that mamash immediatly Moshiach is coming, and then the entire world will be in ultimate simcha, and therefore, there is already a feeling of pure simcha (a taste and sampling of the simcha of the geulah).

And the main thing--that instead of lengthy discussion, etc., they will begin to actually do it: to go out and declare and announce about the special increase in simcha in order to bring Moshiach, and certainly through this Moshiach will actually come mamash, and with the createst alacrity, "in the blink of an eye". Try it and you will be convinced!!

[Torah613]

Nu, and?

[noahidelaws]

and?! m'darf aroisgein fun di keilim fun aza sicho!

[Majorthinker]

Is it neccessary to exercise to achieve simcha, or is that just baba masehs?
It's not bubbe maysehs. Exercise releases endorphins (or some other hormone) that is mood-related and causes one to be happier. Or whatever other term you want to use for the opposite of mara sh'chora.

[Majorthinker]

and?! m'darf aroisgein fun di keilim fun aza sicho!
Translation?

[Torah613]

and?! m'darf aroisgein fun di keilim fun aza sicho!Some of us remember that sicha very well - from 20 years ago.
If you just discovered it - go out of your keilim. Tell me how it went.

[Majorthinker]

Although I've seen that sicha many times, I just noticed the date.
And for those who haven't realized, 5748 was shnat tisma"ch. :)

[Yankel Nosson]

Some of us remember that sicha very well - from 20 years ago.
If you just discovered it - go out of your keilim. Tell me how it went.
"Been there done that"?!
The Rebbe once spoke about the klipa called the River Kvar [the prophet Yechezkel prophesied at the River Kvar in Bavel; the word “kvar” also means “already”] that when you want to arouse interest in a certain thing, it cools you off by saying, “You know that already,” “You heard that already.”

This “already” is a very difficult klipa, because if you don’t keep reviewing you become weak. I see that when you review a sicha you learned already, you always find new points that you did not emphasize the previous time. You suddenly discover another idea, another amazing expression. Each such discovery renews your hisorerus. Therefore, the study has to be in away of “each day it should be like new in your eyes.”

1339

[Majorthinker]

Sounds not unlike Amalek.

[Torah613]

Deleted

[Majorthinker]

Hey, I'd like to know what you had to say.

[Torah613]

Not important and pointless.
Let's all join in exclaiming "WOW", and drop all discussion. It definitely saves on bandwidth.

[Majorthinker]

You wanted to say that my comment was not important and pointless?
Or what you wanted to say was not important and pointless.

Why is the above a 'chiddush'? It seems to appear everywhere.

And how does not discussing it save bandwidth?

[Torah613]

No, I meant my deleted comment was.
If something is not discussed, analyzed etc., we would have a thread of 2-3 posts (the original one, and the one or two agreeing with the original) instead of a thread of tens of posts of discussion, argument (hopefully constuctive etc.). That - I assume - saves on space somewhere.

[Majorthinker]

LOL. But it's not measurable space, so mah echpat?
And personally, I enjoy discussions much more than five-post threads.