The Power of Happiness
וַיַּרְא יַעֲקֹב כִּי יֶשׁ־שֶׁבֶר בְּמִצְרָיִם וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב לְבָנָיו לָמָּה תִּתְרָאוּ:
(בראשית מב:א)
The Torah, when discussing the seven years of hunger, tells us that “Yaakov saw that there was (still) food in Egypt”, and sent his sons down to Egypt to buy food. Rashi (42:1) asks; how could Yaakov “see” that there was food in Egypt, rather it should say that Yaakov “heard” that there was food in Egypt?
Rashi answers that Yaakov saw this in a “vision of Holiness.” Rashi then goes on to tell us that Yaakov could not have seen this through Ru’ach HaKodesh. The reason is that since Yosef had left home, Yaakov was sad, and Ru’ach Hakodesh does not rest on people who are not happy.
The Rambam (Maimonides) tells us the Mitzvah that is performed with a smile and joy is worth one thousand times as much as one done in a state of unhappiness.
Rashi is teaching us a very important lesson about how we should be. We should always try to be happy when doing anything, especially Mitzvot.
This is true in the story of Chanukah as well. In truth, the Maccabees did not need to light the Menorah in the Bet Hamikdash with pure oil since most of the nation was impure. They wanted to do any and every Mitzvah that they could to the best of their ability and with happiness.
With these lessons in mind, how should we act when we need to do something that we might not want to do?
Kollel Quiz
#1 Who Am I?
1. For a Mavoi, I am not good.
2. I do not work on Sukkot.
3. I could invalidate your Menorah.
4. I was in the pit.
#2 Who Am I?
1. I was for the arms of the Menora.
2. I was for the cows.
3. I am for a Shemittah.
4. I was for the wheat.
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