SIMCHAS YOM TOV

The talmidim of the Vilna Gaon zt"l once asked him, "What is the hardest mitzva to fulfill?" To which the tzaddik responded, "Being joyful on yom tov."

We can all relate to this, especially as we anticipate the upcoming yom tov of Sukkos. It's a family yom tov, a time when we spend our days and nights in a (sometimes rather cramped) sukkah and spend many hours with our children on Chol Hamoed. These factors, as well as being out of our regular routine, can easily cause us to lose our tempers and then also lose the great mitzva of simchas yom tov.

How can we maintain a serene and joyful state of mind throughout the entire eight days of yom tov?

Daven for Simcha

First and foremost, we must daven to Hashem to assist us in this very holy mission. As much as we try to remain upbeat, only Hashem can ensure that we stay happy through the entire duration of yom tov, no matter what goes wrong. It is only He who can help us remain positive and spread our feelings of happiness to the entire family.

Torah brings Joy

Another proven method for achieving an unshakeable inner joy is Torah learning. When a person learns Torah each day, his emunah is strengthened, and he becomes a serene person who doesn't get upset easily. The yom tov season — although it's busy — is an appropriate time to renew our commitment to consistent Torah learning.

On Simchas Torah, we will all call out, "חזק חזק ונתחזק," as the entire Torah is completed once more. But how many of us can truly join along and honestly say, "Yes, I have learned all 54 parshios of chamisha chumshei Torah in the past year"? It isn't just a nice thing to do — it's an outright halacha that one must review the parsha each week, shnayim mikra v'echad targum (Orach Chaim 285:1). As we near the beginning of another cycle, the key question remains: will you be a genuine part of the joy next year?

Here's a guaranteed way to really be maavir sedra each week: don't wait until the last minute — rather, break it up into parts to complete throughout the week. Be maavir sedra on Sunday until sheini, Monday until shlishi, and so forth. Halachically, one can review the parsha from the beginning of the week (Orach Chaim 285:3); likewise, the Mishnah Berurah says that the Vilna Gaon zt"l used to be maavir sedra a little each day.

Join with the rest of Klal Yisrael this year. Be maavir sedra each day and you will reap the benefits it brings.