Happiness Now

Many of us are familiar with the song “וְשָׂמַחְתָּ בְּחַגֶּךָ וְהָיִית אַךְ שָׂמֵחַ” which declares the mitzvah to be completely and utterly happy during the holiday of Sukkot. Searching for the verse might cause some frustration because it is actually composed of fragments of two pesukim (Devarim 16:14-15). However, if searching for an answer to the timeless question of “what brings such happiness?”- one might have to dig even deeper.

The human desire for happiness seems so ever present in our minds that Thomas Jefferson chose to include “the pursuit of happiness,” (originally coined by English philosopher John Locke) as an unalienable right in the Declaration of Independence. Is happiness truly something to chase after? We are implored to pursue justice (Devarim 16:20), chase after peace (Tehillim 32:15), seek God (Yishayahu 55:6) and be diligent in helping one another (Shemot 23:5). Happiness, however, is something which tends to only arrive when we are in the right place to receive it. Unfortunately, there are countless examples throughout history of individuals who mistakenly thought pursuing the acquisition of more things, more prestige, or more power would buy happiness.

Here is where Jewish thought and Western thinking have long diverged. Devarim 28:47 admonishes us that we will not serve God with joy and gladness if we have an overabundance of things, or are occupied in fulfilling all of our lowly desires (Ibn Ezra), and by not lacking for anything we will struggle to be happy (Lekach Tov).  Recently popularized catchphrases such as “cultivating a positive mindset”, “living in the moment”, and “practicing gratitude” are all entrenched in living a Jewish life of emunah. In recent years there have been many studies dedicated to studying happiness; countless books have come out with “new” ideas which so beautifully support what has already been found in the Torah and the wisdom of our Sages.

In the book, “The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want,” Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky, explains that “happiness is not out there for us to find,” rather it is “a state of mind” and we are meant to “enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” Looking back at our verse in Devarim (16:15) perhaps there is an allusion to this idea of happiness stemming from a more present state of mind, and the immense power of “being.” The seemingly extraneous words וְהָיִית אַךְ שמֵחַ may be understood homiletically, encouraging us to enter into a state of happiness by practicing being present in the current experience (the root of  היה means “be”) and simply focusing (only- אך) on the current moment, regardless of how mundane. Such behavior can actually spark gratitude and joy. Rabbi Zelig Pliskin, author of “Gateway to Happiness,” “Life is Now” and many other inspirational  books, writes that “every moment of life is precious and can never happen again and therefore is a reason to appreciate, be grateful for and celebrate the fact that you are alive”.

Similarly, the well known mishna in Avot (4:1) which states, “Who is wealthy? One who is happy with his lot,” may hold these messages of appreciating every moment and being content with fewer material possessions and achievements. The Hebrew word translated as happy “with his lot” above, is בְּחֶלְקוֹ, which literally means happy with his part, implying (as we said above) that chasing after more things or accomplishments in an unrealistic attempt to “have it all” will never buy happiness. Recognizing that we each have our “part” – our allotted portion which includes the limited talents and life circumstances with which we are blessed, and accepting that, can be the key to finding true happiness. The greatest measure of a person’s wealth is their joy.

Another clue embedded in the word חֶלְקוֹ, is its undeniable association with a distinct unit of time called a “chelek,” used for the halakhic calculations of months in the Jewish calendar. Every chelek is 1/1,080 of an hour, equating to 3 seconds and a third. (Each chelek is correlated with one of the 1,080 combinations of God’s name through changes of vowels, as detailed in Nefesh HaChayim 1:2.) Literally a moment. Therefore an alternate translation to the line in Avot might read, who is wealthy? One who finds joy in the moment.

© Avigail Sapir, The Journey Begins

There is a new aspect of Godliness in every moment and children are naturally attuned to how precious life is, jumping excitedly from one marvel in creation to the next. Perhaps we are meant to harness the awe and wonder of a young child who looks to the world and finds so much joy in a budding flower, a quick passing of a fluttering butterfly or a line of ants marching across the sidewalk. As David Hamelech tells us, כִּי שִׂמַּחְתַּנִי ה’ בְּפָעֳלֶךָ בְּמַעֲשֵׂי יָדֶיךָ אֲרַנֵּן -You have gladdened me by Your deeds, Hashem, I shout for joy at Your handiwork (Psalms, 92:5). Sukkot is a time when we are surrounded by nature, we live in a hut in nature, the schach above our heads is from the natural world, and agriculturally it is a time to be amidst nature’s bountiful produce which Hashem has blessed us with. As our verse reminds us: “You shall hold a festival for your God seven days, in the place that Hashem will choose; for your God will bless you through all of your crops and all your undertakings, and you shall have nothing but joy”. (Devarim 16:15) This is an environment which can inherently stir us to feel joy and closeness to Hashem if we allow ourselves to pause and take it all in with the eyes of a child.

Sukkot is also a time, as with many holidays, to be with family. Harvard lecturer and popular author, Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar informs us that the “number one predictor of happiness is quality time we spend with people we care about and who care about us.” This Sukkot, may we blessed to sit with loved ones, sing “וְשָׂמַחְתָּ בְּחַגֶּךָ וְהָיִית אַךְ שָׂמֵחַ” with gusto, and appreciate the wonder of Hashem’s natural world, even for one focused moment in time. As Albert Einstein said, “there are two ways to live. You can live as if nothing is a miracle. Or you can live as if everything is a miracle.” What do you choose?