Many times we hear great leaders preach the importance of
serving G-d in Joy. King David throughout his book of Psalms is exhorting us to
serve G-d in happiness. King David tells us, the answer and the blessing is in
being happy, filled, with trust and optimism in a good G-d. “All that G-d does is for the good.” One might
think, easy for him to talk. After all he was, the King. However King David was
a person who had far from an easy life.
After he was born, for over twenty five years he was
considered an illegitimate child by his own siblings. His own father sent him
out to shepherd in the field, hoping an animal would “take care” of him. After
he was anointed King, he was not accepted, and his own father- in-law wanted
him killed. He had children who died on him, and a son who wanted to kill him.
Close associates betrayed him terribly.
And still, King David was speaking from his heart. The
answer to all in life, is to be joyous.
Rebbe Aharon of Belz was known for his piety and mysticism.
Rebbe Aharon was called the "Wonder Rabbi" by Jews and gentiles alike
for the miracles they claimed he performed.
His reign as Rebbe saw the devastation of the Belz
community, next to the Polish border in western Ukraine, along with that of
many other Hasidic sects in Galicia and elsewhere in Poland during the
Holocaust.
Rebbe Aharon was once visiting in Hamburg Germany when
Rabbi Jacob Rosenheim, founder of
the world wide Agudath Israel Organization
intended to take advantage of this golden opportunity, by coming with a list of
15 questions and an entourage of important people, to greet the visiting great
Rebbe.
Rabbi Rosenheim asked the Belzer Rebbe. “We are now in a
period of time when we are sad and mourning the terrible persecutions against
our people. How is it nevertheless possible to serve G-d in joy?”
King Solomon tells us, “In all your ways, you should know
Him - G-d.” Whether we are eating, walking, sleeping, doing business, or
praying, in ALL our ways we must always keep in mind the awareness of G-d who
is always around us and watching each individual. So essentially we are always
serving a purpose and it must be done in Joy. How does one accomplish what
seems many times almost impossible and out of reach?!
The Rebbe of Belz answered. When a person realizes that the
world and everyone’s life was put in motion by a loving and compassionate G-d
for the sake of an important and benevolent goal, our view and outlook of the
present moment can and will take on an entirely different perspective.
When a person accepts the words of out prophets, that all
roads lead to the eventual “light at the end of the tunnel”, to the rebuilding
of our third Temple, when peace and harmony will reign over the entire world,
the mere focus and anticipation, the envisioning of those great times to come,
make the mouth already salivate in the present.
It’s a matter of how we decide to think and what we focus on
as the Holy Baal Shem Tov taught, “A person lives in his head.”
It’s not the physical possessions and/or circumstances that
create the happiness in one’s life. Sure, sometimes they can make things easier
or more difficult, to place oneself in a positive frame of mind.
Ultimately, the joy a person experiences, and the tremendous
blessings and good that come as a result is up to the individual to decide
where he/she wants to be.
The Holy and great mystical Rabbi Yitzchak Luria once said.
“All the greatest heights of holiness I reached, is due to the happiness and
joy in serving G-d.”
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