There are some things that once you learn them you can never forget them. Recently a friend pointed out to me a Kabbalistic teaching that has changed my perspective on happiness forever.
The Biblical Hebrew language is fascinating and words and their spelling are so intertwined to create meaningful messages all around. So here is the big idea. The words for “Thought” and “Happiness” have the same letters. מ ח ש ב ה - Thought ב ש מ ח ה - Happiness This fun fact is a game changer for those seeking happiness in life and also explains how the Torah can command everyone to be happy all the time, and especially during the festivals. After all, between illness, poverty, captivity and starvation, we can find many reasons why plenty of people can simply not be happy. But that’s exactly the point: joy is not the result of having stuff or opportunities. It’s the result of your thoughts and attitudes This, in a nutshell, is the message of Sukkot. Immediately following the High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur we celebrate Sukkot which is called in our liturgy “Zman Simchaseinu - Season of Our Rejoicing.” Scheduled in the fall at the end of the harvest, when the farmers (the predominant occupation in biblical Israel) have taken stock of and gathered in the past year’s produce - it is a time to rejoice and to appreciate the plenty that G-d has provided for the coming year. Additionally, it is the season set by G-d to commemorate the miraculous ways He provided for the Israelites as they sojourned forty years in the desert on their way to the Promised Land. Although they were laden with plenty of treasures from their former captors, there was simply no way to secure proper accommodations for a few million people in the wilderness – regardless of the price! They were provided shelter, food, water and security directly from G-d. Therefore, for one week, we are commanded to live in a “Sukkah.” A structure built of walls sturdy enough to brave the wind, but exclusively roofed by foliage separated from the ground. The exposure to the elements and the relative insecurity of the sukkah remind us of the precarious conditions our ancestors were subject to at the infancy of their nationhood and the reality that G-d is the ultimate provider of all our needs, even today. Living in the Sukkah, starting tonight for the next seven days, gives us the opportunity to think about all the goodness G-d provides for us. To appreciate the small but profoundly important things. The stuff we always take for granted. And after a full week of Sukkah dwelling, hopefully we come away with a better thought process in place to ensure we remain happy for the rest of the year.
ב"ה