Q:
משנכנס אדר מרבים בשמחה – When the Adar comes in we try to make more simcha. What does that mean?
A:
I want you to understand that it’s not difficult at all. We have within us a fountain of simcha because when Hashem blew into a man the neshama, He also blew in a fountain of simcha, an endless fountain of happiness. And all you need is to turn on the faucet and it starts pouring out. It’s remarkable how much joy there is in a human heart. Of course, you have to be a good plumber because sometimes it’s plugged up. But if you know how to unplug it, you’ll understand to look at the sunlight and say, “ומתוק האור – How sweet is the sunlight!” and you enjoy it; you become happy with the sunlight. Imagine that! Happy with sunlight!
So all year round you’re busy with all kinds of things, but in Adar you take a little extra time to look at the sun and you become מלא שמחה, full of happiness. It says: ומתוק האור – How sweet is the light, וטוב לעינים לראות את השמש – How good it is to see the sunlight (Koheles 11:7).
Now, once you start practicing you’ll be amazed how much happiness you have in your heart. When you walk outside and breathe the air, even cold air, it’s a happiness. It’s good, clean air, and the cold helps clean the air; it makes it free of germs. When you breathe it in, you’re so happy. It comes into your lungs; it invigorates you and it makes your blood become more red and you’re so happy. And so, משנכנס אדר מרבין בשמחה, “I’m so happy I’m breathing!”
In the yeshiva they used to say that the biggest simcha, of course, is Torah: אין שמחה כהתרת הספיקות – There’s no happiness greater than clarifying Torah concepts; and so when you learn more in Adar, when you’re succeeding in your learning, that’s the biggest simcha of all.
TAPE # 999 (February 1995)
