In the Matter of Joy

23 - In the Matter of Joy In the matter of joy, according to the parable that sometimes when people are joyful and dancing, then they grab a man from outside who is in sadness [black bile] and forcefully bring him against his will into the circle of the dancers and force him against his will to be joyful with them also. Similarly, in the matter of joy, for when a man is joyful, then the sadness [black bile] and sufferings are removed from the side. But a greater virtue is to strive to pursue after the sadness [black bile] specifically to grab it and forcefully bring it into the joy, in a way that the sadness [black bile] itself turns to joy, that turns the sadness [black bile] and all the sufferings to joy as the way of coming into the joy, that then from the greatness of the joy and gladness turns all the worries and the sadness [black bile] his to joy. Thus, it grabs the sadness [black bile] and forcefully brings it into the joy, as the parable above. And this is the aspect of: "gladness and joy attain and fled sorrow and sighing" [Isaiah 35:10], that the sorrow and sighing flee and escape from the joy, for in the time of the joy, the way of the sorrow and sighing is to stand from the side as above. But one must pursue after them specifically, specifically the sorrow and sighing, and attain them and reach them, to grab them and forcefully bring them into the joy as above. And this is "gladness and joy attain" etc., that the gladness and joy attain and catch the sorrow and sighing that they flee and escape from the joy to grab them and forcefully bring them into the joy as above. For there is sorrow and sighing that they are the other side that do not want to be a chariot to the holiness and therefore they flee from the joy, therefore one must force them into the holiness, that is, the joy, against their will, as above.