05 Mar FINDING HAPPINESS

Mi’sheh’nichnas Adar marbim b’simcha,
When Adar arrives, simcha increases.
Can it be with the advent of a new month,
simcha automatically enters the picture,
transforming all our days to “happy
days”? Does Adar have special magical
powers that brings happiness into our
lives, even when we are falling apart and
feel like crying.
Adar is a most propitious time to remove
worries and insecurities from our heart. A
time to eliminate the stress and anxiety
that keeps us awake at night. A time to rid
ourselves of all the what ifs that haunt us.
The could’ves, should’ves, and would’ves
of life.
Adar is designated as a month of simcha,
for it was in Adar that Haman wanted to
carry out his “Final Solution”,
“L’hashmid, la’harog, u’le-abeid, To
destroy, to kill and to wipe out” the Jews
of the Persian empire. (Megillas Esther
7:4). Their survival, and our continued
existence, defies all reason and logic.

Upon hearing the Purim story, how can
one not have emunah and bitachon. A
faith and trust in HaShem that calms our
troubled spirit, and has the power to bring
us joy and happiness.
Adar is spelled aleph-daled-reish. Aleph
signifies HaShem, Who is the One and
Only. Daled and reish spell dor, meaning
to live. The message of Adar is A-dor,
that HaShem lives amongst us. A
reminder that HaShem is with us at all
times, and in all places. Knowing that, we
can let go of the tension and make room
for happiness.
Rabbi Nachman of Breslav teaches,
“Mitzva gedola l’hiyos b’simcha tamid, It
is a great mitzva to always be in a state of
joy.” Tamid – always, not just during the
easy times, but no matter how challenging
a situation may be, one should strive to be
cheerful.
But it doesn’t just happen. Rabbi Shlomo
Zalman Auerbach teaches that we have to
make it happen.
The Baal Shem Tov teaches that the
Hebrew letters of the word b’simcha,

with simcha, (beis-sin-mem-ches-
hei) can be rearranged to spell the

word machshava, thought (mem-
ches-shin-beis-hei). We have the

power to think ourselves happy.
Every morning, we say the bracha
of “Sheh’oso li kol tzorki, Thank
you HaShem for taking care of all
my needs.” A reminder to recognize
the good in our lives, instead of
wasting energy wishing things
were different. The Torah teaches us to be
a sameach b’chelko, to be happy with
what we have. To stop looking over our
shoulder and comparing to what others
have. There will always be someone with
more, better, nicer. Someone with a more
luxurious home, a more up-to-date
kitchen, a more extravagant wardrobe, a
more impressive car, or taking more
exotic vacations. It’s toxic to be measuring
and comparing. Count your blessings,
and be grateful for what you do have.
Every day in shemoneh esrei we say the
tefilla of Modim. At one time, I underwent
a serious eye surgery. Part of my recovery
was to lay in a face-down position. I spent
much of my days listening to Torah
tapes. One tape started off with a
question. “Do you need a refuah? Do
you need a bracha?” This tape is
speaking to me, I thought.
The speaker continued and shared that
the word modim has a gematria of 100.
Just like we recite 100 brachos each
day, we should find 100 brachos in our
lives, 100 blessings to be grateful for.
I gave myself the “modim challenge”.
To write my top 100 gratitude list. As I
completed the list, I realized that even
while recovering from surgery, I had
much to be thankful for. It was the best
medicine.
The secular world recommends
meditation as a means of achieving
happiness. Something we knew all
along. Davening, reaching out to
HaShem is our meditation. Daven…
Daven… Daven. There is so much to
ask for. You will feel better for it.
Rav Nachman was a great believer in
spending much time just talking to
HaShem. Talk like a child to a loving
father. Ask for whatever you need.
Nothing is too small, nothing too great.
Wish for a miracle. As Dovid HaMelech
says in Tehillim, “Hanoteh ozen, haloh
yishma, He who implants the ear, will

He not hear?” (Tehillim 94:9)
There are two Torah phrases that can
elevate our spirits. Gam zu l’tova, This is
also for the good. To say, HaShem, I’m
doing my best… I trust You, that all will
be l’tova, for the good.
The second phrase to remember is Gam
zeh ya’avor, This too shall pass. A story is
told about Shlomo HaMelech challenging
merchants to create something that will
bring him joy when he was sad, and at the
same time, keep him humble when things
are good. A tough request. Until a jeweler
came up with an idea. A ring, upon which
would be inscribed three letters, Gimmel,
Zayin, Yud, standing for Gam Zeh
Ya’avor. Looking at the inscription was a
reminder to King Solomon that nothing
in life lasts forever. It also encouraged
him during difficult times that “this too
shall pass”.
Be a giver. Be there for others. You will
experience “volunteers high”, an inner
sense of joy and accomplishment.
Tzedaka tatzil mi’maves, Charity saves
from death. This can be understood that
by giving to others, in so many different
ways, saves one from “death” – the dark
hole of depression. When we give to
others, our spirits are lifted.
Grow as a person, be ready to learn new
things. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch
teaches that similar sounding letters in
the aleph-beis can be exchanged for one
another. As in the letters tzadi and sin. If
you substitute the letter tzadi in tzameach,
to grow, with a sin, you have the word
sameach, to be in a state of happiness.
Learn, do, and accomplish. It will bring
out simcha.
In closing, I will share another treasure of
Rav Nachman that my father zt”l would
quote. “Smile, even if you have nothing
to smile for, and HaShem will give you
something to smile about.”
Wishing everyone an Adar of simcha.