We must train ourselves to always be happy. It states (8:19) אלקיך 'ה תשכח שכח אם והיה, "And it will be, if you forget Hashem your G-d." Chazal tell us that whenever it states והיה, it implies happiness. The Ruzhiner zt'l explained, שכח אם והיה, if you forget to be happy, אלקיך 'ה תשכח, you will forget Hashem. שכח also means שכיח, common, frequent. The Ruzhiner explained that the passuk is hinting, שכח אם והיה, if you will be happy frequently, אלקיך 'ה תשכח, Hashem will always be with you.
The Chozeh of Lublin zt'l teaches, "Someone who desires that the Shechinah always be with him should always be happy."
When one internalizes the lesson stated in our discussion above, he will always be happy because when one believes that everything is from Hashem and everything is for his good, he will be joyful in every situation.
It states, 8:3) האדם יחיה 'ה פי מוצא כל על כי ). Maharit'z Dushinsky zt'l explains, מוצא כל על, for everything that happens to you, if you know that it is 'ה פי מוצא, Hashem's decree, האדם יחיה, this will grant you life, vigor, and joy.
Story
Once, when Rebbe Yosef Meir of Machnovka zt'l was six years old, he came to his grandfather, Rebbe Yitzchak of Skver zt'l. His revered grandfather asked him, "What did you do today?" The boy replied, "I heard that Eliyahu HaNavi was in the marketplace, so I went there to find him. I searched all over. I even climbed a high post, but I didn’t see him. However, I did gain something. I watched the cattle merchants beat and bind the wild cattle, the ones trying hard to get away, while the tame, passive animals were left to pasture in peace. I realized that in life, when going through hard times, it’s better to accept life serenely than to fight back. Fighting back just makes life more miserable." The Rebbe told him, "You didn’t see Eliyahu HaNavi today, but I'm certain that Eliyahu HaNavi saw you because of your good thoughts.”
Life is much more satisfying and tranquil when one trains himself to be happy with his portion.
Another Story
Rosh Hashanah ג"תרל, Reb Asher of Stolin zt'l (son of the Beis Aharon zt'l) was about to make Kiddush. (This was his first Rosh Hashanah as Rebbe.) Before saying Kiddush, he asked a yungerman near the window on the other side of the beis medresh to come forward. He whispered something in his ear and then made Kiddush. Some time afterward, this yungerman explained, "A foolish yetzer got into me at that time. I was having doubts that Hashem leads the world with hashgachah pratis. The Rebbe called me over and said, 'You see that I know what you're thinking. If a human being can know your thoughts, then Hashem, who created the world, surely knows what you think and what you do, and He leads the world with hashgachah pratis.'"
We must strengthen our belief in hashgachah pratis, with the realization that everything is from Hashem and for our best. And as we explained, when one has this emunah, he will always be happy.
Bitachon and Joy
Another pathway to acquiring true joy is emunah and bitachon. Someone recognized that his neighbor, Rebbe Shlomo Karliner zt'l, was a great tzaddik. (This was before Rebbe Shlomo became a renowned rebbe and Chasidic leader.) The neighbor asked, "What do you do for parnassah?" (It is necessary to write in Yiddish what Rebbe Shlomo Karliner replied so that the story will be understood). Reb Shlomo told him that his parnassah comes from two kees, which in Yiddish means two cows. The neighbor instructed his wife to buy milk and cheese by Rebbe Shlomo Karliner because he wants to help this poor tzaddik.
The following day, his wife knocked at Rebbe Shlomo Karliner's door. Rebbe Shlomo's rebbetzin answered the door, and the neighbor handed her a bucket. "Please fill it with milk." The rebbetzin said, "But we don't have any cows!" Later, the neighbor asked Rebbe Shlomo Karliner, "Why did you lie to me? Why did you tell me that your parnassah comes from two kees? You don't have any cows." Rebbe Shlomo Karliner replied, "When I said my parnassah comes from two kees I was referring to the two כיs of the pasuk (Tehillim 33:21) בטחנו קדשו בשם כי לבנו ישמח בו כי, 'For our heart will rejoice in Him, because we hoped in His holy name.'" In other words, his parnassah came from his bitachon and his joy. Those were his two kees (כיs) that were the root of his parnassah.
Rebbe Yankele of Pshevorsk zt'l repeated this story, and one of the listeners challenged, "I also have those two kees. I also say בו כי בטחנו קדשו בשם כי לבנו ישמח. Why don't I have parnassah?" Rebbe Yankele replied, "True, you have the kees, but you must milk them." In other words, if we invest in acquiring emunah and bitachon, in knowing that Hashem will support us, then we will have parnassah. It isn't enough to say the words; one must live with the ideas.
