Transforming Depression into Joy When people are happy and begin to dance, if they see a sad person standing off to the side, they pull him into the circle as he leaves his depression outside the circle. But it is a greater accomplishment to pull depression itself into the circle and transform it into joy. There is sadness from the Side of Evil that does not want to be a chariot for holiness. It therefore flees, and so it must be forced into holiness and joy. Strengthening and Increasing Joy “Give joy to the soul of Your servant — because, HaShem, I lift my soul to You!” “I will exult and rejoice in Your kindness, for You have seen my affliction. You have known the troubles of my soul.”
“Cause me to hear joy and gladness; may the bones that You crushed, exult.” “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and may a generous spirit support me.”
“May all of those who take refuge in You rejoice. May they sing, and You will shelter them. And may all who love Your Name exult in You.” “I will rejoice and be delighted in You; I will sing to Your supernal Name.”
“My soul will praise HaShem. The humble will hear and rejoice.” “Those who desire my vindication will sing and rejoice, and they will always say, ‘May HaShem, Who desires the wellbeing of His servant, be magnified.’”
“Will You not return and revive us, so that Your nation will rejoice in You?” “Satiate us in the morning with Your lovingkindness, and we will sing and rejoice all of our days. Grant us joy according to the days that You pained us, the years that we saw evil.”
“May the heavens rejoice and the earth exult, and may they say among the nations, ‘HaShem has reigned.’” “Serve HaShem with joy, come before Him with singing.” “May my speech be sweet to Him; I will rejoice in HaShem.” “Praise His holy Name; let the heart of those who seek HaShem rejoice.”
“Remember me, HaShem, when You favor Your nation. Be mindful of me with Your salvation. May I see the goodness of Your chosen ones, may I rejoice in the joy of Your nation, may I boast with Your inheritance.”
“The upright will see and rejoice, and all injustice will shut its mouth.” “They will curse, but You will bless; they have risen and experienced shame, but Your servant will rejoice.” “Those who fear You will see me and rejoice, for I have hoped in Your word.” “Israel will rejoice in its Maker; the children of Zion will be glad in their King.”
Master of the world, You Who are filled with compassion, Lord of joy and gladness, You Who have joy in Your dwelling place, there is no sadness at all before You. As the verse states, “Glory and majesty are before Him, might and gladness in His place.”
As You have revealed to us through Your true Tzaddikim, joy is the Side of Holiness, whereas sadness and bitterness are the Other Side — which You, the blessed Holy One, detest.
The entire holiness of the Jew comes about in particular by means of joy. And all of our alienation from You and the growth of physical desires come about as a result of sadness and bitterness.
Therefore, I come to You Who are filled with compassion, to help me and save me by giving me joy — and with that joy, to illuminate me and reveal to me the ways of Your true counsel, guiding and teaching me to transform every sort of groan and sigh into joy.
To the contrary, at every moment may I strengthen myself and increase my joy so much that I will transform the groans and sighs to joy, and I will not allow the sadness, groans and sighs to retain any hold on me.
They wish to fill me with sadness, Heaven forbid, by exploiting the many serious transgressions and sins that I have committed, and my many, immeasurable blemishes. Instead, may I transform all of these into joy.
Performing Mitzvot Every Day HaShem, You have had mercy on me and kept my soul alive and not allowed my foot to slip. And You have given me the merit of being a Jew and not a gentile.
Every day, I perform a number of important mitzvot: I wrap myself in tzitzit, put on tefilin and recite the Shema, and I celebrate the Shabbat and festivals.
On Rosh HaShanah, I hear the sound of the shofar. On Yom Kippur, I fast; on Sukkot, I sit in a sukkah and wave the Four Species; and on Pesach, I eat matzah.
And there are all of the other holy mitzvot that we, Your holy nation — even the least of the least and the slightest of the slight — perform all the time.
How vast is the goodness that You have done on our behalf! “How precious is Your lovingkindness, God!” Your compassion and lovingkindness toward us have grown, increased and intensified. They are holy crowns with which You have crowned us.
Despite our exile and our great distance from You as a result of the multitude of our offenses against You, Your love is still connected to us, and You make it possible for me to perform a number of mitzvot every day.
It is certainly fitting for me to increase my joy at every moment and transform all of my groans and sighs to joy. That itself is my joy: that a person as distant from You as myself, as blemished and sinful as I am, can touch upon such holy and awesome matters.
This includes unifying Your Name every day, being crowned in the beautiful crown of the holy, awesome tefilin, wrapping myself in tzitzit, wearing the garments of the King when I wrap myself in this mitzvah, and other mitzvot.
Precisely when the multitude of my offenses and sins desires to overcome my heart and mind and fill them with sadness, Heaven forbid, may I increase my joy and tell my heart that, to the contrary, this is my joy, this is my greatest gladness: that I, who am so far from You, am able to touch such holinesses.
Joy Through Song “I came to the end [of the generations], and I am still with you.” “You crushed us in a place of serpents and covered us in a deathly shadow.” Even if “we forgot the name of our God and spread out our palms to a foreign god,” “I am my Beloved’s and my Beloved is mine.” I have taken hold of You and I will not let You go.
Help me truly attain the genuine ways of joy, so that I will pull the moans and sighs into that joy and transform every type of sadness, moans and sighs into joy.
May I always strengthen myself and increase my joy. Help me draw the holiness of all ten types of melody, which constitute the totality of holy joy, onto myself.
Accustom me to gladden my soul at every moment with joyful melody. May I delight and rejoice in You, HaShem, with song, praise, music and melody. May I always experience joy.
Guard me and rescue me from every type of illness, pain and discomfort in the physical and spiritual realms — all of which result from bitterness and sadness, Heaven forbid.
Heal me and Your entire nation, the Jewish people. Cure me and revive me as a result of the joy and gladness that You will draw onto me always. This joy constitutes the source of all cures of every type of illness in the world, because joy is the essence of the human life force.
Heal us, HaShem, and we will be healed. Save us, and we will be saved, because You are our praise. Bring healing to all of our illnesses, all of our pains and all of our wounds — a healing of the spirit and a healing of the body.
Finding Ways to be Happy May I strengthen myself with great joy at every moment using all sorts of ways, paths, counsels and stratagems with which a person can gladden his heart.
This may be accomplished by finding good points in myself or by doing foolish things — making jokes, acting unconventionally and acting foolish — in order to be happy. For happiness is the essence of holiness and the essence of a person’s life force.
You know the hidden matters of the heart. You know in how many ways and with how many stratagems the Side of Evil and its troops rises up against us at every moment in order to sadden us, Heaven forbid.
But in truth, it is spreading a net for our feet. You have taught us that in regard to this matter, we must set aside an hour a day to break our hearts and address You, telling You everything that we have undergone.
But for the rest of the day, we must encourage ourselves with joy and force ourselves with all our might to attain great joy, which is the essence of the holiness of the Jewish people.
Have compassion on us for the sake of Your Name. Teach us the pathways of life so that we will understand and achieve the ways, paths, trails and true counsels of attaining joy constantly.
Help me follow Your laws and guard Your commandments “in joy and with a goodness of heart out of an abundance of everything,” until I will attain the joy of the messianic future.
May I eventually see the joy of the circledance that You will make for the righteous at that future time, when everyone will point with his finger and say, “This is our God!”6 See Taanit 31a.
As the verse states, “They will say on that day, ‘Behold, this is our God. We hoped in Him that He would save us. This is HaShem in Whom we hoped. Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.’”
May the verse swiftly be realized in us, “Those redeemed of HaShem will return and come to Zion with song and with eternal joy upon their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, sorrow and sighing will flee.”
“In joy shall you go forth and in peace shall you be led. The mountains and the hills will burst out in song before you, and all of the trees of the field will clap their hands.” “You will draw water with joy from the wellsprings of salvation.”
“HaShem will console Zion. He will console all of its ruins. He will make its desert like Eden and its lowland like the garden of HaShem. Gladness and joy shall be found in it, thanksgiving and the voice of song.” “Rejoice with HaShem and exult, you righteous, and cause all those who are upright of heart to sing praises.”
[עַל־פִּי תּוֹרָה כ"ג - לַהֲפֹךְ יָגוֹן וַאֲנָחָה לְשִׂמְחָה]
שַׂמֵּחַ נֶפֶשׁ עַבְדֶּךָ כִּי אֵלֶיךָ יְהֹוָה נַפְשִׁי אֶשָּׂא. אָגִילָה וְאֶשְׂמְחָה בְּחַסְדֶּךָ אֲשֶׁר רָאִיתָ אֶת עָנְיִי יָדַעְתָּ בְּצָרוֹת נַפְשִׁי.
Transforming Depression into Joy
When people are happy and begin to dance, if they see a sad person standing off to the side, they pull him into the circle as he leaves his depression outside the circle.
But it is a greater accomplishment to pull depression itself into the circle and transform it into joy.
There is sadness from the Side of Evil that does not want to be a chariot for holiness. It therefore flees, and so it must be forced into holiness and joy.
Strengthening and Increasing Joy
“Give joy to the soul of Your servant — because, HaShem, I lift my soul to You!” “I will exult and rejoice in Your kindness, for You have seen my affliction. You have known the troubles of my soul.”
תַּשְׁמִיעֵנִי שָׂשׂוֹן וְשִׂמְחָה תָּגֵלְנָה עֲצָמוֹת דִּכִּיתָ. הָשִׁיבָה לִי שְׂשׂוֹן יִשְׁעֶךָ וְרוּחַ נְדִיבָה תִסְמְכֵנִי.
“Cause me to hear joy and gladness; may the bones that You crushed, exult.” “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and may a generous spirit support me.”
וְיִשְׂמְחוּ כָּל חוֹסֵי בָךְ לְעוֹלָם יְרַנֵּנוּ וְתָסֵךְ עָלֵימוֹ וְיַעַלְצוּ בְךָ אוֹהֲבֵי שְׁמֶךָ. אֶשְׂמְחָה וְאֶעֶלְצָה בָךְ, אֲזַמְּרָה שִׁמְךָ עֶלְיוֹן.
“May all of those who take refuge in You rejoice. May they sing, and You will shelter them. And may all who love Your Name exult in You.” “I will rejoice and be delighted in You; I will sing to Your supernal Name.”
תּוֹדִיעֵנִי אֹרַח חַיִּים שֹׂבַע שְׂמָחוֹת אֶת פָּנֶיךָ, נְעִימוֹת בִּימִינְךָ נֶצַח.
“Let me know the way of life, the satiety of joy before Your countenance, the pleasantness at Your right hand forever.”
בַּיהֹוָה תִּתְהַלֵּל נַפְשִׁי יִשְׁמְעוּ עֲנָוִים וְיִשְׂמָחוּ. יָרֹנּוּ וְיִשְׂמְחוּ חֲפֵצֵי צִדְקִי, וְיֹאמְרוּ תָמִיד יִגְדַּל יְהֹוָה הֶחָפֵץ שְׁלוֹם עַבְדּוֹ.
“My soul will praise HaShem. The humble will hear and rejoice.” “Those who desire my vindication will sing and rejoice, and they will always say, ‘May HaShem, Who desires the wellbeing of His servant, be magnified.’”
יָשִׂישׂוּ וְיִשְׂמְחוּ בְּךָ כָּל מְבַקְשֶׁיךָ, יֹאמְרוּ תָמִיד יִגְדַּל יְהֹוָה אוֹהֲבֵי תְּשׁוּעָתֶךָ.
“May all those who seek You exult and rejoice. May those who love Your salvation always say, ‘May HaShem be made great.’”
וְצַדִּיקִים יִשְׂמְחוּ יַעַלְצוּ לִפְנֵי אֱלֹהִים וְיָשִׂישׂוּ בְשִׂמְחָה.
“May the righteous rejoice, exult before God, and delight in joy.”
הֲלֹא אַתָּה תָּשׁוּב תְּחַיֵּינוּ וְעַמְּךָ יִשְׂמְחוּ בָךְ. שַׂבְּעֵנוּ בַבֹּקֶר חַסְדֶּךָ וּנְרַנְּנָה וְנִשְׂמְחָה בְּכָל יָמֵינוּ. שַׂמְּחֵנוּ כִּימוֹת עִנִּיתָנוּ שְׁנוֹת רָאִינוּ רָעָה.
“Will You not return and revive us, so that Your nation will rejoice in You?” “Satiate us in the morning with Your lovingkindness, and we will sing and rejoice all of our days. Grant us joy according to the days that You pained us, the years that we saw evil.”
יִשְׂמְחוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וְתָגֵל הָאָרֶץ וְיֹאמְרוּ בַגּוֹיִם יְהֹוָה מָלָךְ. עִבְדוּ אֶת יְהֹוָה בְּשִׂמְחָה בּוֹאוּ לְפָנָיו בִּרְנָנָה. יֶעֱרַב עָלָיו שִׂיחִי אָנֹכִי אֶשְׂמַח בַּיהֹוָה, הִתְהַלְּלוּ בְּשֵׁם קָדְשׁוֹ יִשְׂמַח לֵב מְבַקְשֵׁי יְהֹוָה.
“May the heavens rejoice and the earth exult, and may they say among the nations, ‘HaShem has reigned.’” “Serve HaShem with joy, come before Him with singing.” “May my speech be sweet to Him; I will rejoice in HaShem.” “Praise His holy Name; let the heart of those who seek HaShem rejoice.”
זָכְרֵנִי יְהֹוָה בִּרְצוֹן עַמֶּךָ פָּקְדֵנִי בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ. לִרְאוֹת בְּטוֹבַת בְּחִירֶיךָ, לִשְׂמֹחַ בְּשִׂמְחַת גּוֹיֶךָ, לְהִתְהַלֵּל עִם נַחֲלָתֶךָ.
“Remember me, HaShem, when You favor Your nation. Be mindful of me with Your salvation. May I see the goodness of Your chosen ones, may I rejoice in the joy of Your nation, may I boast with Your inheritance.”
יִרְאוּ יְשָׁרִים וְיִשְׂמָחוּ וְכָל עַוְלָה קָפְצָה פִּיהָ. יְקַלְלוּ הֵמָּה וְאַתָּה תְבָרֵךְ, קָמוּ וַיֵּבֹשׁוּ וְעַבְדְּךָ יִשְׂמָח. יְרֵאֶיךָ יִרְאוּנִי וְיִשְׂמָחוּ כִּי לִדְבָרְךָ יִחָלְתִּי. יִשְׂמַח יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעֹשָׂיו בְּנֵי־צִיּוֹן יָגִילוּ בְמַלְכָּם:
“The upright will see and rejoice, and all injustice will shut its mouth.” “They will curse, but You will bless; they have risen and experienced shame, but Your servant will rejoice.” “Those who fear You will see me and rejoice, for I have hoped in Your word.” “Israel will rejoice in its Maker; the children of Zion will be glad in their King.”
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, אֲדוֹן הַשִּׂמְחָה וְהַחֶדְוָה, אֲשֶׁר הַשִּׂמְחָה בִּמְעוֹנֶךָ, וְאֵין לְפָנֶיךָ שׁוּם עַצְבוּת כְּלָל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב, הוֹד וְהָדָר לְפָנָיו עֹז וְחֶדְוָה בִּמְקוֹמוֹ,
Master of the world, You Who are filled with compassion, Lord of joy and gladness, You Who have joy in Your dwelling place, there is no sadness at all before You. As the verse states, “Glory and majesty are before Him, might and gladness in His place.”
זַכֵּנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים וּבַחֲסָדֶיךָ הָעֲצוּמִים, שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לִהְיוֹת בְּשִׂמְחָה תָמִיד,
In Your vast compassion and intense lovingkindness, help me be joyful always.
כַּאֲשֶׁר גִּלִּיתָ לָנוּ עַל־יְדֵי צַדִּיקֶיךָ הָאֲמִתִּיִּים שֶׁשִּׂמְחָה הִיא סִטְרָא דִּקְדֻשָּׁה, וְעַצְבוּת וּמָרָה שְׁחוֹרָה הִיא הַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שׂוֹנֵא אוֹתָהּ,
As You have revealed to us through Your true Tzaddikim, joy is the Side of Holiness, whereas sadness and bitterness are the Other Side — which You, the blessed Holy One, detest.
וְכָל קְדֻשַּׁת אִישׁ הַיִּשְרְאֵלִי הוּא עַל־יְדֵי שִׂמְחָה דַּיְקָא, וְכָל הַהִתְרַחֲקוּת שֶׁלָּנוּ מִמְּךָ וְהִתְגַּבְּרוּת הַתַּאֲווֹת הַכֹּל הוּא עַל־יְדֵי עַצְבוּת וּמָרָה שְׁחוֹרָה.
The entire holiness of the Jew comes about in particular by means of joy. And all of our alienation from You and the growth of physical desires come about as a result of sadness and bitterness.
אֲבָל אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ כַּמָּה אֲנִי רָחוֹק מִשִּׂמְחָה, כִּי קִלְקַלְתִּי וּפָגַמְתִּי הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד.
You know how far I am from joy, because I have damaged and destroyed a great deal.
עַל־כֵּן בָּאתִי לְפָנֶיךָ מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, שֶׁתִּהְיֶה בְּעֶזְרִי וּתְשַׂמְּחֵנִי בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ, וְתָאִיר בִּי וּתְגַלֶּה לִי דַרְכֵי עֵצוֹתֶיךָ הָאֲמִתִּיּוֹת. וְתוֹרֵנִי וּתְלַמְּדֵנִי שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לַהֲפֹךְ כָּל מִינֵי יָגוֹן וַאֲנָחָה לְשִׂמְחָה,
Therefore, I come to You Who are filled with compassion, to help me and save me by giving me joy — and with that joy, to illuminate me and reveal to me the ways of Your true counsel, guiding and teaching me to transform every sort of groan and sigh into joy.
שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה שׁוּם כֹּחַ לְהַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא שֶׁהוּא הַיָּגוֹן וַאֲנָחָה לְהַכְנִיס בִּי עַצְבוּת חַס וְשָׁלוֹם,
May the Side of Evil, which is expressed in groans and sighs that fill me with sadness, Heaven forbid, have no more power.
רַק אַדְרַבָּא אֶזְכֶּה בְּכָל עֵת לְהִתְחַזֵּק וּלְהִתְגַּבֵּר בְּשִׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה כָּל כָּךְ, עַד שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לַהֲפֹךְ הַיָּגוֹן וַאֲנָחָה לְשִׂמְחָה, וְלֹא אַנִּיחַ לְהָעַצְבוּת וְהַיָּגוֹן וַאֲנָחָה לְהִתְאַחֵז בִּי כְּלָל.
To the contrary, at every moment may I strengthen myself and increase my joy so much that I will transform the groans and sighs to joy, and I will not allow the sadness, groans and sighs to retain any hold on me.
רַק בְּכָל מַה שֶּׁרוֹצִים לְהַכְנִיס בִּי עַצְבוּת חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, עַל־יְדֵי רִבּוּי הַחֲטָאִים וְהָעֲוֹנוֹת הָעֲצוּמִים שֶׁעָשִׂיתִי וּפָגַמְתִּי הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד בְּלִי שִׁעוּר, אֶזְכֶּה לַהֲפֹךְ כָּל זֶה לְשִׂמְחָה,
They wish to fill me with sadness, Heaven forbid, by exploiting the many serious transgressions and sins that I have committed, and my many, immeasurable blemishes. Instead, may I transform all of these into joy.
עַל אֲשֶׁר אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן חָמַל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ עָלַי, וְשָׂם נַפְשִׁי בַּחַיִּים וְלֹא נָתַן לַמּוֹט רַגְלַי, וְזִכַּנִי לִהְיוֹת בִּכְלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא עָשַׂנִי גוֹי,
Performing Mitzvot Every Day
HaShem, You have had mercy on me and kept my soul alive and not allowed my foot to slip. And You have given me the merit of being a Jew and not a gentile.
וַאֲנִי זוֹכֶה לְקַיֵּם כַּמָּה מִצְוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם, לְהִתְעַטֵּף בְּצִיצִית, וּלְהָנִיחַ תְּפִלִּין, וְלִקְרוֹת קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, וּלְקַבֵּל שַׁבָּת וְיוֹם־טוֹב,
Every day, I perform a number of important mitzvot: I wrap myself in tzitzit, put on tefilin and recite the Shema, and I celebrate the Shabbat and festivals.
וְלִשְׁמֹעַ קוֹל שׁוֹפָר בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, וּלְהִתְעַנּוֹת בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, וְלֵישֵׁב בַּסֻּכָּה, וְלִטֹּל אַרְבָּעָה מִינִים, וְלֶאֱכֹל מַצָּה בְּפֶּסַח,
On Rosh HaShanah, I hear the sound of the shofar. On Yom Kippur, I fast; on Sukkot, I sit in a sukkah and wave the Four Species; and on Pesach, I eat matzah.
וְכֵן שַׁאֲרֵי כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת הַקְּדוֹשׁוֹת אֲשֶׁר אֲנַחְנוּ עַם קָדְשֶׁךָ מְקַיְּמִים בְּכָל עֵת אֲפִלּוּ הַפָּחוּת שֶׁבַּפְּחוּתִים וְהַקַּל שֶׁבַּקַּלִּים,
And there are all of the other holy mitzvot that we, Your holy nation — even the least of the least and the slightest of the slight — perform all the time.
מָה רַב טוּבְךָ אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ עִמָּנוּ, מַה יָּקָר חַסְדְּךָ אֱלֹהִים, מַה גָּדְלוּ, מָה רַבּוּ, מֶה עָצְמוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ וַחֲסָדֶיךָ עָלֵינוּ, אֲשֶׁר הִכְתַּרְתָּ אוֹתָנוּ בִּכְתָרִים קְדוֹשִׁים כָּאֵלֶּה,
How vast is the goodness that You have done on our behalf! “How precious is Your lovingkindness, God!” Your compassion and lovingkindness toward us have grown, increased and intensified. They are holy crowns with which You have crowned us.
וּבְתֹקֶף גָּלוּתֵינוּ וְעֹצֶם הִתְרַחֲקוּתֵנוּ מִמְּךָ עַל־יְדֵי רִבּוּי פְּשָׁעֵינוּ נֶגְדְּךָ, עֲדַיִן אַהֲבָתְךָ קְשׁוּרָה בָּנוּ, וְאַתָּה מְזַכֶּה גַם אוֹתִי לַעֲשׂוֹת כַּמָּה מִצְוֹת בְּכָל יוֹם,
Despite our exile and our great distance from You as a result of the multitude of our offenses against You, Your love is still connected to us, and You make it possible for me to perform a number of mitzvot every day.
וּבְוַדַּאי רָאוּי לִי לְהַגְדִּיל הַשִּׂמְחָה בְּכָל עֵת, וְלַהֲפֹךְ כָּל הַיָּגוֹן וַאֲנָחָה לְשִׂמְחָה, כִּי אַדְרַבָּא, זֶהוּ שִׂמְחָתִי, שֶׁמְּרֻחָק וּפָגוּם וְחוֹטֵא כָּמוֹנִי יִזְכֶּה לִגַּע בִּדְבָרִים קְדוֹשִׁים וְנוֹרָאִים כָּאֵלֶּה,
It is certainly fitting for me to increase my joy at every moment and transform all of my groans and sighs to joy. That itself is my joy: that a person as distant from You as myself, as blemished and sinful as I am, can touch upon such holy and awesome matters.
לְיַחֵד שִׁמְךָ בְכָל יוֹם, וּלְהִתְעַטֵּר בַּעֲטֶרֶת תִּפְאֶרֶת הַתְּפִלִּין הַקְּדוֹשִׁים וְהַנּוֹרָאִים בְּכָל יוֹם, וּלְהִתְעַטֵּף בְּצִיצִית, לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ בִּלְבוּשִׁין דְּמַלְכָּא בְּעִטּוּפָא דְמִצְוָה, וּשְׁאָר הַמִּצְוֹת,
This includes unifying Your Name every day, being crowned in the beautiful crown of the holy, awesome tefilin, wrapping myself in tzitzit, wearing the garments of the King when I wrap myself in this mitzvah, and other mitzvot.
וְכָל מַה שֶּׁרוֹצִים לְהִתְגַּבֵּר לְהַכְנִיס בְּדַעְתִּי וְלִבִּי עַצְבוּת חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, מֵרִבּוּי פְּשָׁעַי וַעֲוֹנוֹתַי, עַל־יְדֵי כָּל זֶה דַּיְקָא אַגְדִּיל הַשִּׂמְחָה, וְאוֹמַר לְלִבִּי: אַדְרַבָּא, זֶהוּ שִׂמְחָתִי, זֶהוּ חֶדְוָתִי הַגְּדוֹלָה, שֶׁאָנֹכִי הַמְרֻחָק כָּל־כָּךְ זוֹכֶה לִגַּע בִּקְדֻשּׁוֹת כָּאֵלֶּה,
Precisely when the multitude of my offenses and sins desires to overcome my heart and mind and fill them with sadness, Heaven forbid, may I increase my joy and tell my heart that, to the contrary, this is my joy, this is my greatest gladness: that I, who am so far from You, am able to touch such holinesses.
הֱקִיצוֹתִי וְעוֹדִי עִמָּךְ, כִּי דִּכִּיתָנוּ בִּמְקוֹם תַּנִּים וַתְּכַס עָלֵינוּ בְצַלְמָוֶת, אִם שָׁכַחְנוּ שֵׁם אֱלֹהֵינוּ וַנִּפְרֹשׂ כַּפֵּינוּ לְאֵל זָר, אֲנִי לְדוֹדִי וְדוֹדִי לִי, אֲחַזְנוּךָ וְלֹא נַרְפֶּךָּ:
Joy Through Song
“I came to the end [of the generations], and I am still with you.” “You crushed us in a place of serpents and covered us in a deathly shadow.” Even if “we forgot the name of our God and spread out our palms to a foreign god,” “I am my Beloved’s and my Beloved is mine.” I have taken hold of You and I will not let You go.
מָרָא דְעַלְמָא כֹּלָּא, שִׂמְחַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, שַׂמֵּחַ נֶפֶשׁ עַבְדֶּךָ כִּי אֵלֶיךָ יְהֹוָה נַפְשִׁי אֶשָּׂא.
Master of the entire world, Joy of Israel, “Give joy to the soul of Your servant — because, HaShem, I lift my soul to You!”
זַכֵּנִי לְהַשִּׂיג בֶּאֱמֶת דַּרְכֵי הַשִּׂמְחָה הָאֲמִתִּיִּית, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לַחֲטֹף הַיָּגוֹן וַאֲנָחָה לְתוֹךְ הַשִּׂמְחָה, לַהֲפֹךְ כָּל מִינֵי עַצְבוּת וְיָגוֹן וַאֲנָחָה לְשִׂמְחָה.
Help me truly attain the genuine ways of joy, so that I will pull the moans and sighs into that joy and transform every type of sadness, moans and sighs into joy.
זַכֵּנִי לְהִתְחַזֵּק וּלְהִתְגַּבֵּר בְּשִׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה תָמִיד, וְאֶזְכֶּה לְהַמְשִׁיךְ עָלַי קְדֻשַּׁת כָּל הָעֲשָׂרָה מִינֵי נְגִינָה שֶׁהֵם כְּלָלִיוּת הַשִּׂמְחָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה.
May I always strengthen myself and increase my joy. Help me draw the holiness of all ten types of melody, which constitute the totality of holy joy, onto myself.
וְתַרְגִּילֵנִי לְשַׂמֵּחַ אֶת נַפְשִׁי בְּכָל־עֵת עַל־יְדֵי נִגּוּן שֶׁל שִׂמְחָה, וְאָגִיל וְאֶשְׂמַח בַּיהֹוָה בְּשִׁיר וְהַלֵּל וְרַנֵּן וְזִמְרָה וְנִגּוּן, וְאֶזְכֶּה לִהְיוֹת בְּשִׂמְחָה תָמִיד,
Accustom me to gladden my soul at every moment with joyful melody. May I delight and rejoice in You, HaShem, with song, praise, music and melody. May I always experience joy.
וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה יִהְיֶה נִמְשָׁךְ עָלַי רוּחַ חַיִּים דִּקְדֻשָּׁה לְתוֹךְ כָּל הָעֲשָׂרָה מִינֵי דְפִיקִין שֶׁבְּקִרְבִּי,
As a result, may a holy spirit of life be drawn into all of the ten types of pulse within me.
וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה תִשְׁמְרֵנִי וְתַצִּילֵנִי מִכָּל מִינֵי חֳלָאִים וּמַכְאוֹבִים וּמֵחוֹשִׁים בְּגַשְׁמִיּוּת וְרוּחָנִיּוּת, אֲשֶׁר כֻּלָּם בָּאִים עַל־יְדֵי מָרָה שְׁחוֹרָה וְעַצְבוּת חַס וְשָׁלוֹם,
Guard me and rescue me from every type of illness, pain and discomfort in the physical and spiritual realms — all of which result from bitterness and sadness, Heaven forbid.
וְתִרְפָּאֵנִי אוֹתִי וְאֶת כָּל עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְתַחֲלִימֵנִי וּתְחַיֵּינִי עַל־יְדֵי שִׂמְחָה וְחֶדְוָה שֶׁתַּמְשִׁיךְ עָלַי תָּמִיד, אֲשֶׁר מִשָּׁם כָּל הָרְפוּאוֹת שֶׁל כָּל מִינֵי חֳלָאִים שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, כִּי שִׂמְחָה הִיא עִקָּר חַיּוּת הָאָדָם:
Heal me and Your entire nation, the Jewish people. Cure me and revive me as a result of the joy and gladness that You will draw onto me always. This joy constitutes the source of all cures of every type of illness in the world, because joy is the essence of the human life force.
רְפָאֵנוּ יְהֹוָה וְנֵרָפֵא, הוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ וְנִוָּשֵׁעָה כִּי תְהִלָּתֵנוּ אָתָּה, וְהַעֲלֵה אֲרוּכָה וּמַרְפֵּא לְכָל תַּחֲלוּאֵינוּ וּלְכָל מַכְאוֹבֵינוּ וּלְכָל מַכּוֹתֵינוּ, רְפוּאַת הַנֶּפֶשׁ וּרְפוּאַת הַגּוּף,
Heal us, HaShem, and we will be healed. Save us, and we will be saved, because You are our praise. Bring healing to all of our illnesses, all of our pains and all of our wounds — a healing of the spirit and a healing of the body.
וְאֶתְחַזֵּק בְּשִׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה בְּכָל עֵת בְּכָל מִינֵי דְרָכִים וּנְתִיבוֹת וְעֵצוֹת וְתַחְבּוּלוֹת שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לְשַׂמֵּחַ אֶת הַלֵּב עַל־יָדָם,
Finding Ways to be Happy
May I strengthen myself with great joy at every moment using all sorts of ways, paths, counsels and stratagems with which a person can gladden his heart.
הֵן עַל־יְדֵי הַנְּקֻדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת שֶׁאֲנִי מוֹצֵא בְּעַצְמִי עֲדַיִן, הֵן עַל־יְדֵי מִלֵּי דִשְׁטוּתָא, לְשַׁנּוֹת אֶת טַעְמִי וְלַעֲשׂוֹת עַצְמִי כְּשׁוֹטֶה, וּלְהַרְגִּיל עַצְמִי בְּמִלֵּי דִּבְדִיחוּתָא כְּדֵי לָבוֹא לְשִׂמְחָה שֶׁהִיא עִקָּר הַקְּדֻשָּׁה וְעִקָּר חַיּוּת הָאָדָם.
This may be accomplished by finding good points in myself or by doing foolish things — making jokes, acting unconventionally and acting foolish — in order to be happy. For happiness is the essence of holiness and the essence of a person’s life force.
מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, בּוֹרֵא רְפוּאוֹת, אֲדוֹן הַנִּפְלָאוֹת, חֶדְוַת יְשׁוּעוֹת יַעֲקֹב, תֵּן שִׂמְחָה בְּלִבִּי, כִּי אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ תַּעֲלוּמוֹת לֵב,
You Who are filled with compassion, Creator of healing, Lord of wonders and the joyful salvation of the Jewish people, fill my heart with joy.
וְאַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ בְּכַמָּה דְרָכִים וּבְכַמָּה תַּחְבּוּלוֹת מִתְגַּבֵּר הַבַּעַל־דָּבָר וְחֵילוֹתָיו עָלֵינוּ בְּכָל עֵת, לְהַמְשִׁיךְ עַצְבוּת חַס וְשָׁלוֹם עָלֵינוּ,
You know the hidden matters of the heart. You know in how many ways and with how many stratagems the Side of Evil and its troops rises up against us at every moment in order to sadden us, Heaven forbid.
וְהוּא בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו עָרֹם יַעֲרִים הוּא וּמְרַמֶּה אוֹתָנוּ, וּמִתְלַבֵּשׁ עַצְמוֹ בְּמִצְוֹת, עַד שֶׁנִּדְמֶה לָנוּ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָנוּ עַצְבוּת מֵעֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ,
It is cunning in its stratagems. It lies to us and clothes itself in mitzvot, so that we think that we are sad because of our sins.
וּבֶאֱמֶת בְּכָל זֶה הוּא פּוֹרֵשׂ רֶשֶׁת לְרַגְלֵינוּ, כִּי כְּבָר לִמַּדְתָּנוּ שֶׁעַל־זֶה צְרִיכִין לְיַחֵד שָׁעָה אַחַת בְּיוֹם, לְשַׁבֵּר לִבֵּנוּ וּלְפָרֵשׁ שִׂיחָתֵנוּ לְפָנֶיךָ עַל כָּל מַה שֶּׁעָבַר עָלֵינוּ,
But in truth, it is spreading a net for our feet. You have taught us that in regard to this matter, we must set aside an hour a day to break our hearts and address You, telling You everything that we have undergone.
אֲבָל כָּל הַיּוֹם כֻּלּוֹ צְרִיכִין לְהִתְחַזֵּק בְּשִׂמְחָה, וּלְהַכְרִיחַ עַצְמֵנוּ בְּכָל כֹּחוֹתֵינוּ לָבוֹא לְשִׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה שֶׁהִיא עִקָּר קְדֻשַּׁת יִשְׂרָאֵל.
But for the rest of the day, we must encourage ourselves with joy and force ourselves with all our might to attain great joy, which is the essence of the holiness of the Jewish people.
עַל־כֵּן רַחֵם עָלֵינוּ לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ, וְהוֹדִיעֵנוּ אוֹרְחוֹת חַיִּים שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לְהָבִין וּלְהַשִּׂיג הַדְּרָכִים וְהַנְּתִיבוֹת וְהַשְּׁבִילִים וְהָעֵצוֹת הָאֲמִתִּיּוֹת אֵיךְ לָבוֹא לְשִׂמְחָה תָמִיד,
Have compassion on us for the sake of Your Name. Teach us the pathways of life so that we will understand and achieve the ways, paths, trails and true counsels of attaining joy constantly.
וְתַעֲשֶׂה אֵת אֲשֶׁר בְּחֻקֶּיךָ אֵלֵךְ וְאֶת מִצְוֹתֶיךָ אֶשְׁמֹר בְּשִׂמְחָה וּבְטוּב לֵבָב מֵרֹב כֹּל, עַד שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְשִׂמְחָה שֶׁל עָתִיד,
Help me follow Your laws and guard Your commandments “in joy and with a goodness of heart out of an abundance of everything,” until I will attain the joy of the messianic future.
וְאֶזְכֶּה לִרְאוֹת בְּשִׂמְחַת הַמָּחוֹל שֶׁתַּעֲשֶׂה לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, וְכָל אֶחָד יִהְיֶה מַרְאֶה בְּאֶצְבָּעוֹ וְיֹאמַר: זֶה יְהֹוָה,
May I eventually see the joy of the circledance that You will make for the righteous at that future time, when everyone will point with his finger and say, “This is our God!”6 See Taanit 31a.
כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב, וְאָמַר בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא הִנֵּה אֱלֹהֵינוּ זֶה קִוִּינוּ לוֹ וְיוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ, זֶה יְהֹוָה קִוִּינוּ לוֹ נָגִילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָה בִּישׁוּעָתוֹ.
As the verse states, “They will say on that day, ‘Behold, this is our God. We hoped in Him that He would save us. This is HaShem in Whom we hoped. Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.’”
וְקַיֵּם לָנוּ מְהֵרָה מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, וּפְדוּיֵי יְהֹוָה יְשׁוּבוּן, וּבָאוּ צִיּוֹן בְּרִנָּה, וְשִׂמְחַת עוֹלָם עַל רֹאשָׁם שָׂשׂוֹן וְשִׂמְחָה יַשִּׂיגוּ וְנָסוּ יָגוֹן וַאֲנָחָה.
May the verse swiftly be realized in us, “Those redeemed of HaShem will return and come to Zion with song and with eternal joy upon their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, sorrow and sighing will flee.”
וְנֶאֱמַר, כִּי בְשִׂמְחָה תֵצֵאוּ וּבְשָׁלוֹם תּוּבָלוּן, הֶהָרִים וְהַגְּבָעוֹת יִפְצְחוּ לִפְנֵיכֶם רִנָּה, וְכָל עֲצֵי הַשָּׂדֶה יִמְחֲאוּ־כָף. וְנֶאֱמַר, וּשְׁאַבְתֶּם מַיִם בְּשָׂשׂוֹן מִמַּעְיְנֵי הַיְשׁוּעָה.
“In joy shall you go forth and in peace shall you be led. The mountains and the hills will burst out in song before you, and all of the trees of the field will clap their hands.” “You will draw water with joy from the wellsprings of salvation.”
וְנֶאֱמַר, כִּי נִחַם יְהֹוָה צִיּוֹן נִחַם כָּל חָרְבוֹתֶיהָ, וַיָּשֶׂם מִדְבָּרָהּ כְּעֵדֶן וְעַרְבָתָהּ כְּגַן יְהֹוָה, שָׂשׂוֹן וְשִׂמְחָה יִמָּצֵא בָהּ תּוֹדָה וְקוֹל זִמְרָה, שִׂמְחוּ בַיהֹוָה וְגִילוּ צַדִּיקִים וְהַרְנִינוּ כָּל יִשְׁרֵי־לֵב:
“HaShem will console Zion. He will console all of its ruins. He will make its desert like Eden and its lowland like the garden of HaShem. Gladness and joy shall be found in it, thanksgiving and the voice of song.” “Rejoice with HaShem and exult, you righteous, and cause all those who are upright of heart to sing praises.”