מִצְוָה גְּדוֹלָה לִהְיוֹת בְּשִׂמְחָה תָּמִיד
Mitzvah g’dolah lihyot b'simcha tamid
"It is a great Mitzvah to be joyful always."
Rebbe Nachman of Breslov
דֶּרֶךְ־אֶרֶץ קָּדְמָה לַתּוֹרָה
“Derekh eretz precedes the Torah.”
Leviticus Rabbah 9:3
“Now when you enter the land that ADONAI your God is giving you as an inheritance, and you possess it and dwell in it, 2you are to take some of the first of all the produce of the soil, which you gather from your land that ADONAI your God is giving you, put it in a basket and go to the place ADONAI your God chooses to make His Name dwell.”
Deuteronomy 26:1-2
Tree of Life Version
וְהָיָה֙ כִּֽי־תָב֣וֹא אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ נַחֲלָ֑ה וִֽירִשְׁתָּ֖הּ וְיָשַׁ֥בְתָּ בָּֽהּ׃
“You shall take of the first of all the fruit of the earth...”
Deuteronomy 26:2
שבעת המינים
Shiv'at HaMinim
Seven Species
“The rule “the choicest to G‑d,” applies in all areas of life. If the school day must include both sacred and secular studies, the former should be scheduled for the morning hours, when the mind is at its freshest and most receptive. If one’s talents are to be divided between two occupations, one whose primary function is to pay the bills and a second which benefits his fellow man, he should devote his keenest abilities to the latter. In devoting the “first-ripened fruits” of his life to G‑d, a person in effect is saying: “Here lies the focus of my existence. Quantitatively, this may represent but a small part of what I am and have; but the purpose of everything else I do and possess is to enable this percentile of spirit to rise above my matter-clogged life.”
The Lubavitcher Rebbe cited at Chabad.org
“You shall take of the first of all the fruit of the land . . .” (Deuteronomy 26:2)
“Everything that is for the sake of G‑d should be of the best and most beautiful. When one builds a house of prayer, it should be more beautiful than his own dwelling. When one feeds the hungry, he should feed him of the best and sweetest of his table. When one clothes the naked, he should clothe him with the finest of his clothes. Whenever one designates something for a holy purpose, he should sanctify the finest of his possessions, as it is written (Leviticus 3:16), “The choicest to G‑d.”
Maimonides cited at Chabad.org
“Even though you served G-d, you did not serve him with joy – that is the source of all afflictions.”
Maimonides, cited in Chabad.org
“And all these curses shall come upon you…because you did not serve the Almighty your God with joy and gladness of heart when you enjoyed an abundance of all things.”
Devarim 28:45-48
Not only did you sin, you did so “with happiness and with gladness of heart”—for this the punishment is doubly severe.
Maayanah Shel Torah cited at Chabad.org
“So much of this seems strange to us: How can the Torah command an emotion? Surely it is difficult to implement such a commandment. And yet, this emotional commandment appears three times in the parsha, and apparently the commandments are geared toward creating joy; when the commandment to rejoice is ignored, terrible things happen.”
R. Ari Kahn, Aish.com, M’oray HaAish
“Melancholy is not a sin. But the spiritual damage which melancholy can cause,
the gravest of sins cannot cause.”
Chassidic saying cited at Chabad.org
"Just as it is with a victory over a physical opponent - for instance, two people who wrestle with each other, each striving to fell the other, if one of them is lazy and sluggish, he will easily be defeated and will fall, even if he be stronger than the other - so it is with the conquest of one's evil nature: it is impossible to conquer the evil nature with laziness and sluggishness, which stem from sadness and a stone-like dullness of the heart, but rather with alacrity, which derives from joy and an open heart that is unblemished by any trace of worry and sadness in the world." �Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, Tanya, Chapter 26 [8]
"This teaches you that the Divine Presence rests upon man neither through gloom, nor through sloth, nor through frivolity, nor through levity, nor through talk, nor through idle chatter, save through a matter of joy in connection with a mitzvah."
Shabbat 30b
"There is, however, another tradition regarding the word 'mitzvah' and the concepts this word represents: the word is not a derivative of the root tzav - command, but of the word tzavta, which means 'together.' As a person performs a mitzvah, their thoughts should be focused on two distinct aspects of mitzvah: I behave as I do as an expression of subjugation to the Will of God who commanded that I do so; but also, at the very moment that I perform the mitzvah, I am at one with God, in unison with God. This togetherness transforms the master/slave relationship. . .”
“…This additional meaning of mitzvah gives rise to the realization that the ultimate goal of the commandments is to create a relationship with God that goes beyond mindless, even grudging obedience. Observance of God's commandments without an awareness of this other level of meaning can leave some adherents feeling like slaves, which might lead to feelings of humiliation and depression. Instead, when we perform mitzvot we should feel that God is with us, that we have been given the opportunity to join in a great undertaking, to walk down the path of history in step with our Creator. This understanding must necessarily lead to feelings of elation, gratitude - and joy."
R’ Ari Kahn, M’oray Ha’Aish: An Old Ode to Joy, Aish.com
“When a person cheers himself with the joy of a mitzvah—such as Torah study or the performance of good deeds—this joy is so great that it reaches down to his feet and lifts them up—i.e., he dances for joy. Similarly, one who serves God with joy can reach all the way down into the lowest levels and elevate the souls that have been trapped there due to their sins.” ( Likutey Moharan II, 81)"
REBBE NACHMAN'S TORAH: NUMBERS - DEUTERONOMY - Breslov Insights into the Weekly Torah Reading (Kindle Locations 9367-9370). Breslov Research Institute. Kindle Edition.
"Step back and prioritize—the first and best of your fruit, time, energy, and resources, must be devoted to G-d. Realize what’s important in your life and schedule that first. Recognize who you most cherish, and connect regularly with those individuals. Don’t allow your life to become so entangled with trivialities that you forget the main purpose of why you’re here."
Chana Weisberg, Shabbat deLights: Enlightening Insights on the Weekly Torah portion (p. 455). Chabad.org and EZRA. Kindle Edition.
“God’s secret is for those who fear Him” (Psalms 25:14). What is the secret that God reveals to those who fear Him? The phrase, “God’s secret is for those who fear Him” (סוֹד י-הוה לִירֵאָיו) equals 353, the numerical value of joy שִׂמְחָה. Fear, or awe, of God is the preparatory phase for receiving the secret of happiness in service of God." �Gal Einai, The Secret of Happiness
וּפְדוּיֵי יְהֹוָה יְשֻׁבוּן וּבָאוּ צִיּוֹן בְּרִנָּה וְשִׂמְחַת עוֹלָם עַל־רֹאשָׁם שָׂשוֹן וְשִׂמְחָה יַשִּׂיגוּ וְנָסוּ יָגוֹן וַאֲנָחָה׃
“And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing,�With everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”�Isaiah 35:10
עוֹד יִשָּׁמַע...בְּעָרֵי יְהוּדָה וּבְחֻצוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ם...� קוֹל שָׂשׂוֹן וְקוֹל שִׂמְחָה קוֹל חָתָן וְק֣וֹל כַּלָּה
�“And it shall be heard...in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem...the voice of joy and the voice gladness, the voice of the Bridegroom and the voice of the Bride." �Jeremiah 33:10-11
“Joy and gladness” - as in the verse, (Isa. 35:10) “then the ransomed of the Lord will return,” etc., “they will attain joy and gladness.” - Joy and gladness refer to the two meshichim. Joy refers to Mashiach ben Yosef..." �Kol HaTor 2:147, Sefaria.org
מִי יִתֵּן מִצִּיּוֹן יְשׁוּעַת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשׁוּב ה׳ שְׁבוּת עַמּוֹ יָגֵל יַעֲקֹב יִשְׂמַח יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
“O the that salvation of Israel will come from Zion! When HaShem returns the captives of His people, Jacob will exult, Israel will rejoice (yismach)."
Psalm 14:7
ישמח - משיח
“The letters of yismachישמח are the same as those of Mashiach משיח. For [Jacob] will rejoice [at Israel’s redemption] at the time of Mashiach."
Baal HaTurim on Numbers 25:13, Mesorah Publishing, ltd., pg. 1675
וּשְׁאַבְתֶּם־מַ֖יִם בְּשָׂשׂ֑וֹן מִמַּעַיְנֵ֖י הַיְשׁוּעָֽה
Ushavtem mayim b'sasson mi'ma'anei ha'yeshuah
You shall draw water with joy (sasson) from the wells of salvation.
Isaiah 12:3
קוֹל שָׂשׂוֹן וְקוֹל שִׂמְחָ֗ה = אהבת חינם תביא משיח�אֲחֹתִי כַלָּה גַּל נָעוּל מַעְיָן חָתוּם = אָז יָשִׁיר אמרי שחר= 1287
"The voice of joy and the voice of gladness” - קוֹל שָׂשׂוֹן וְקוֹל שִׂמְחָה
"Baseless love will bring the Mashiach” - אהבת חינם תביא משיח
“My sister, bride, a locked fountain, a sealed spring” - אֲחֹתִי כַלָּה גַּל נָעוּל מַעְיָן חָתוּם
"I will sing the words of the Dawn" - אָז יָשִׁיר אמרי שחר
The words of the Dawn: Baruch HaShem for his wondrous mercy to me.”
אמרי שחר בָּרוּךְ יְהֹוָה כִּי הִפְלִיא חַסְדּוֹ לִי
“It happened soon afterwards, that he went to a city called Na’im. Many of his disciples, along with a great multitude, went with him. Now when he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, one who was dead was carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. Many people of the city were with her. When the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said to her, “Don’t cry.”
Luke 7:11-16
“Our Rabbis taught, “One should require a funeral procession to stop to make way for a bridal procession, and both a funeral procession and a bridal processing should stop to make way for the King of Israel.”
Ketubot 17a, cited in First Fruits of Zion, Torah Club, Vol. 4, pg. 529
“He came near and touched the coffin, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!” He who was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother. Fear took hold of all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has visited his people!”
Luke 7:11-16
“We can now transport ourselves into that scene. Up from the city close by came a ‘great multitude’ that followed the dead, with lamentations, wild chants of mourning women, accompanied by flutes and the melancholy tinkle of cymbals…Amidst expressions of general sympathy. Along the road from Endor streamed the great multitude which followed the ‘Prince of Life’. Here they met: Life and Death.”
Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, pg. 384, Hendricksen Publishers
"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Messiah Yeshua. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you."
Philippians 4:4-9, New King James Version (Modified)
Charlie Kirk's comments on the Sabbath advocate for practicing a technology-free, family-focused day of rest to reconnect with God and family, inspired by the Jewish tradition of the Sabbath from Friday night to Saturday night. He emphasizes that this radical act of unplugging from the constant noise and busyness of modern life can restore balance, reduce anxiety, and nourish the soul, presenting the Sabbath not as a burden, but as a lifeline to what truly matters. His approach aims to create a period of genuine peace and presence, allowing for a deeper connection to God, self, and family.
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, self control.”
Galatians 5:22-23
"But this joy must not be the goal toward which you strive. It will be granted to you if you strive to “give joy to God.” Your personal joy will rise up when you want nothing but the joy of God—nothing but joy in itself." �Martin Buber, Tales of the Hasidim (p. 3). Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
"Just as the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you, remain in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full."
John 15:9-11