Did you know that happiness is a choice you can make with your brain? About ten years ago, we gave a course called "How Happiness Thinks". Something that stuck with me is that the Zohar explains that the Hebrew word for joy, "Simcha," is the same as "Sham Moach" - which means "there is brain." This tells us that joy is something we can choose with our minds!
The Zohar, a kabbalistic writing, was written by Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai (called Rashbi for short). Tonight is Lag Ba'Omer, the 33rd day of the Omer counting, and marks the day Rashbi passed away. Rashbi was known as "the happiest of all tzaddikim" (righteous ones). As per his deepest wish, we celebrate this day with happiness. Not just any happiness, but true Joy.
Joy is a choice. Joy comes from seeing things from their deepest level. Kabbalah is the “Inner light of the Torah” and if we tap into the inner Torah, it is easier to be happy!
Think of Torah like an apple. The outside is the stories and rules we can all see. However, inside the apple is something sweet and special, like Torah’s inner light. Rashbi taught that when we understand these deeper meanings, we find true joy!
On Lag Ba'Omer, we connect with the inner part of Torah. Then, two weeks later, on Shavuot, we receive the whole Torah. Before we can fully understand all of Torah, we need to connect to its heart first!
The word "Moshiach" is a permutation of "Yismach" (he will be happy) and "Y'samach" (he will make others happy). This wordplay reveals a profound truth: happiness is super important for bringing Moshiach - the time of the ultimate redemption of the Jewish people!
In addition, the Hebrew word for "messenger" (shliach) has the same numerical value as the word for "happy" (sameach). This means that being G-d's messenger naturally means being joyful!
Joy has a special power; it helps us create new things! As it says in the Tehillim - Psalms, "The mother of children is happy." That's why Lag B'Omer carries special blessings for those desiring children. Joy helps everyone bring new good things into the world.
Even though Lag Ba'Omer marks the day Rashbi passed away, we celebrate instead of being sad. This teaches us something powerful about happiness: true joy comes from seeing the deeper meaning in everything, even things that seem sad at first.
When we choose joy with our brains, connect to the inner light of Torah, and remember that we're all G-d's messengers, happiness becomes much easier! This happiness isn't just for us; it helps bring light to the whole world and brings Mashiach closer.
Today, let's make the choice to be happy by finding joy in the deeper meaning of things! We can all be happy messengers bringing more light into the world.
Have a good shabbos and a happy Lag B'omer
Rabbi Kushi Schusterman