ערך שמחה

One must guard himself greatly — not to speak any evil word of evil longings and evil wills, G-d forbid, that come upon his heart. Rather, one should reverse the matter and train himself to speak always from his mouth good holy longings. Through which good effects are made in the world — and through this all the blessings and flows are drawn. And good souls are made — which go and circulate in the world and arouse the entire world toward G-d and His Torah. One who has complete faith in G-d — certainly he is fitting to always rejoice in G-d. And this matter is impossible to explain in writing — for it is for each person according to what he measures in his own heart. And likewise to rejoice in the joy of the commandments — in the aspect of: "The precepts of G-d are upright, gladdening the heart" [Psalms 19:9]. For certainly there is no joy in the world like this joy. For this every person can understand: that in this world there is no joy whatsoever. For "what advantage has a person, etc.?" [Ecclesiastes 1:3] — "and his days are like a passing shadow" [Psalms 144:4] — and "in the end of joy is sorrow" [Proverbs 14:13]. And therefore in truth the philosophers and the heretics, G-d protect us, have no true joy whatsoever — and all their days are full of sadness and sorrow and sighing. For since they deny His holy Torah and the doing of His blessed commandments — and fabricate from their hearts reasons of vanity and foolishness about the doing of the commandments, as if they are merely conventional [nimmusiyos], G-d forbid — if so, from where will they receive vitality and joy? And therefore the essential accusation and provocation of the sitra achra that provokes against Israel — the essential [one] is in the joy of the commandments. For regarding the body of the commandment — they can say that it is conventional, G-d forbid, like the conventions of — [the conventions of] — the nations, G-d forbid. But when they see that Israel rejoices so greatly in the doing of the commandments and gives their lives for them — for this they are very envious and provoke us greatly. And therefore the essential subduing of the sitra achra is specifically through the doing of the commandment with joy.

This world is full of anger and pain and sorrow and sighing. And all our vitality and our endurance is only through the aspect of Shabbos — which is the World to Come. For this is our entire purpose. For certainly G-d did not create man with such wondrous and awesome wisdom for the purpose of enduring such toil and anger in this world. For the intention of G-d is certainly only for the good — and all of the creation was for the purpose of revealing His compassion and His goodness. But the essential creation of man is only for the sake of the purpose [tachlis] — which is the aspect of Shabbos. And this is all the consolation for all the afflictions and sorrows a person endures in this world. And therefore one must strengthen oneself greatly at all times to draw joy upon oneself. And the essential [way] is: through gazing at the end — which is the purpose of the World to Come. For then everything will be transformed for good. For even the least of Israel and the worst of the worst — beyond measure is all the pleasantness of the wondrous good that he will merit — [that he will merit] — then. And through this one can also gladden himself now through whatever passes over him — until he merits through this to emerge from his exile from the palaces of substitution — and to merit all good.

One whose heart is whole with G-d — and whose faith is strong — and who believes that everything is through His blessed will — he is in joy always. And has no worry or fear at all from any matter in the world. In the aspect of: "Do not fear a sudden terror, etc." [Proverbs 3:25]. For since everything is only through His blessed will — he has nothing to fear from any matter. For who can do to him anything great or anything small without His blessed will? As it is written: "G-d is for me, I will not fear, etc." [Psalms 118:6]. And therefore he is always in joy. And even if sometimes some sufferings come upon him, G-d forbid — even so, since he knows that everything is through His blessed will alone — he can always gladden himself. For the intention of G-d in bringing upon him the sufferings is certainly only for the good: whether to remind him to return in teshuvah — [in teshuvah] — or to scour his sins. And if so — all the sufferings, G-d forbid, are great goodnesses. And therefore he can always gladden himself — for he knows that G-d is full of compassion, and His blessed intention is certainly for the good. And "He will not contend forever, etc." [Psalms 103:9]. And certainly G-d will return and have compassion upon him and improve his end — and the sufferings will be transformed for him into very great goodness for all eternity and for everlasting ever. And therefore he is always in joy. But one who deviates, G-d forbid, from faith — and errs, G-d forbid, in the heresies of the naturalistic philosophers — and believes there is nature, G-d forbid — then he has no life at all. For all his days [are] anger and pain — and "all the days of the wicked he writhes, etc." [Job 15:20]. "In peace — ruin will come upon him" [Job 15:21]. For he fears lest sudden destruction come upon him. And when some affliction and suffering comes upon him — he has no one to turn to for salvation. And therefore he is full of sorrow and suffering and fears and sadness always — and has no life at all. And as is explained elsewhere. But one who has complete faith in the will — who knows that everything is only through His blessed will — he merits great joy. And all the fears and dreads he has from any matter in the world — they are all transformed into great joy. For through this he returns to G-d and knows that everything is for the good as above.

One whose heart is whole with G-d — and whose faith is strong — and who believes that everything is through His blessed will — he is in joy always. And has no worry or fear at all from any matter in the world. In the aspect of: "Do not fear a sudden terror, etc." [Proverbs 3:25]. For since everything is only through His blessed will — he has nothing to fear from any matter. For who can do to him anything great or anything small without His blessed will? As it is written: "G-d is for me, I will not fear, etc." [Psalms 118:6]. And therefore he is always in joy. And even if sometimes some sufferings come upon him, G-d forbid — even so, since he knows that everything is through His blessed will alone — he can always gladden himself. For the intention of G-d in bringing upon him the sufferings is certainly only for the good: whether to remind him to return in teshuvah — [in teshuvah] — or to scour his sins. And if so — all the sufferings, G-d forbid, are great goodnesses. And therefore he can always gladden himself — for he knows that G-d is full of compassion, and His blessed intention is certainly for the good. And "He will not contend forever, etc." [Psalms 103:9]. And certainly G-d will return and have compassion upon him and improve his end — and the sufferings will be transformed for him into very great goodness for all eternity and for everlasting ever. And therefore he is always in joy.