Rebbetzin Leah Gans
The Arizal revealed to his students that his loftiest insights into Torah—all those we have today—came through joy, the joy of observing mitzvot.
In his "Laws of the Lulav" (8:15), the Rambam writes: "The joy a person experiences in observing mitzvot and in loving G-d, Who gave these mitzvot, is a great undertaking." The Rambam explicitly says that joy is not a feeling that arises spontaneously. It is ongoing work.
Routine Mitzvot
When mitzvot are performed melumadah, "by rote," that is, routinely, out of habit, without thinking, such an act lacks da'at, awareness. Before performing a mitzvah, a person should devote at least one second to preparation—to pause and become aware. They can think about the fact that they are now about to fulfill the Almighty's will, that they are taking this action specifically to fulfill a mitzvah. Remembering that this action connects them directly to the Almighty will bring them joy.
The book "Kuzari" (section "Requirements for Prophecy—Fundamentals") says: "Joy in a mitzvah and in Torah requires reflection and the right frame of mind, so that you rejoice in the mitzvah itself because you love the One Who commands it, and because you have learned how it benefits you." In essence, a person rejoices in fulfilling the Almighty's will, for our entire life in this world is about striving to bring about the revelation of the Shechinah.
I Am (Not) Here by Chance!
We strive to perform mitzvot with love and thoughtfulness. Thinking things through is the opposite of chance. And chance is the idea Amalek tried to instill. He claimed that everything in the world happens by chance, that the world has no Master and no one governs it. Everything happens on its own, because that is how the world works, "from time immemorial," through inertia. We counter this with conscious, deliberate actions. Where repetition leaves us cold, we must bring in the warmth of love. Chance—keri—is a cause of impurity. We, however, will bring holiness into every action we take. Whatever a person is endowed with in this world was not given by chance—everything has a purpose, so our task is to think through what brings us closer to that purpose.
How Do We Begin to Feel Joy?
We should begin with what comes easily, with a mitzvah that brings joy without effort. If a person can feel joy on Simchat Torah, let them begin there. Let them feel that joy in the depths of their soul and reflect on it. One person may find it easier to feel joy in the mitzvah of hearing the shofar; another, in the circumcision of their own son; a third, at their child's wedding. This joy should be used to connect oneself to the Almighty. The same should be done with other mitzvot—feel joy in them, and then use that to strengthen one's bond with the Master of the Universe, Who commanded them.
Prepared by Zissi Skarzhinskayato be continued