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5 Paths to Joy
(Based on the Nesivos Shalom’s article, “Serve Hashem With Joy”, vol. 1, pp. 287-288.)

We have seen how crucial joy is to character in general (part 1), the Chassidic approach (part 2), and to marriage (part 3). We now turn to a very practical question, how does one cultivate joy? The Nesivos Shalom’s presentation focuses on areas we can work on in order to create an inner environment that is conducive to joy. [Note: He speaks much less about techniques to happiness than about spiritual approaches that will naturally lead to joy. He also seems to be defining joy as (in the words of the late Denver Rebbe, Rav Shlomo Twerski zt”l) “a general good feeling about life” rather than just a good mood. His issue is not how to get cheered up (as important as that may be) but how to live a life that is basically joyous.]

Now, 5 paths to joy:

1. Trust in Hashem – the belief that our benevolent loving G-d is solely and totally in control and directing every event and activity of this world creates a deep sense of security about life. Hashem, our Father and King, is always looking out for our absolute good. Even in our worst times (both when things are going worst for us and when we are at our worst) Hashem never withdraws His total love for us.
2. Purifying character is a source of happiness. Emotional life is interconnected with moral and spiritual life. A vague down feeling about life might be an indication that there is a need for inner change. Spiritual and moral flaws can be a source of a lack of joy and vitality in life.
3. Humility is an especially powerful way of developing joy. The source of sadness can often be arrogance and self-centeredness, when a person finds himself lacking the things he thought were coming to him. When one is humble he is appreciative of whatever he has, seeing it as a Divine gift he did not necessarily deserve. The greatest of tzaddikim all excelled in humility.
4. Completion and perfection bring to joy. This is hinted at in the verse commanding to take the four species on Sukkot. The Torah says to take together the etrog, the lulav, hadasim and aravot on the first day and “be joyous before Hashem your G-d.” (Vayikra 23). The sages saw the 4 species as parallel to different aspects of the person – the etrog is like the heart, the lulav the spine, and so on (Vayikra Rabba Emor). When all are together, “All of my limbs say, ‘Hashem, who is like You?’” When that perfection has been reached, we arrive at being joyous before Hashem.
5. Learning Torah brings to joy – there is even halakhic support for this, for a mourner is prohibited to learn because it brings to joy. The Divrei Shmuel once said to one of his close chasidim, “When I am a little worried, one page of gemara is enough to help me digest it. When it is a little more intense it already takes two pages. But even if I’m very very worried, three pages of gemara already gives me the strength to deal with it.” The Torah has a higher power of reviving the soul. It is our source of the life force of holiness. Through the Torah Jews are able to rejoice in our Maker even in the most difficult situations.

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