The Rebbe once spoke in a light vein about the dead, who are asked their name by an angel and cannot remember it.63Midrash Chibut HaKever 2, cited in Reishit Chokhmah 1, 12:44; Sefer HaGilgulim, Sod Chibut HaKever (Vilna 5646), p. 73a. He said that the name is forgotten because of the dead person’s great sadness and depression.
Always be joyful, no matter what you are. Even if you feel far from God, be happy and praise Him “for not making me a heathen” (Morning liturgy, based on Menachot 43b ).
For deeds done against God’s will, set aside a time every day to isolate yourself with a broken heart before God. Be broken-hearted, but not depressed, even during this hour. The rest of the day should then be spent in happiness.
With happiness, you can give a person life.64A similar discussion was spoken after Shavuot 5565/1805 (Tzaddik #181). The discussion below ("His Wisdom” #141) was also said around this time, and this was also when the first manuscript of Likutey Moharan was bound.
A person might go through terrible suffering and not be able to express what is in his heart. There is no one to whom he can unburden his heart, so he remains deeply pained and worried. If you come to such a person with a happy face, you can literally give him life. This is a great thing and by no means an empty gesture.
עַל־יְדֵי מָרָה שְׁחוֹרָה וְעַצְבוּת – אֵינָם יוֹדְעִים מִשְּׁמוֹ.
Depression can cause one to forget one’s name (cf. Likutey Halakhot, Shaliach Ligvot Chovo 2:15).
וְאָמַר בְּדֶרֶךְ צַחוּת: שֶׁהַמֵּת כְּשֶׁשּׁוֹאֲלִין אוֹתוֹ שֶׁיֹּאמַר שְׁמוֹ, הוּא שׁוֹכֵחַ אֶת שְׁמוֹ, (כַּמּוּבָא). וְזֶה מֵחֲמַת שֶׁהַמֵּת הוּא בְּעַצְבוּת וּמָרָה שְׁחוֹרָה מְאֹד, עַל־כֵּן אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ מִשְּׁמוֹ.
The Rebbe once spoke in a light vein about the dead, who are asked their name by an angel and cannot remember it.63Midrash Chibut HaKever 2, cited in Reishit Chokhmah 1, 12:44; Sefer HaGilgulim, Sod Chibut HaKever (Vilna 5646), p. 73a. He said that the name is forgotten because of the dead person’s great sadness and depression.
וְהַכְּלָל: שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לִזָּהֵר מְאֹד מְאֹד לִהְיוֹת בְּשִׂמְחָה תָּמִיד. וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם הוּא כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוּא, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁהוּא, ח"ו, רָחוֹק מְאֹד מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן יֵשׁ לוֹ לִשְׂמֹחַ מְאֹד שֶׁלֹּא עָשָׂהוּ גּוֹי.
Always be joyful, no matter what you are. Even if you feel far from God, be happy and praise Him “for not making me a heathen” (Morning liturgy, based on Menachot 43b ).
וּכְבָר מְבֹאָר, שֶׁעַל עִנְיְנֵי מַעֲשָׂיו אֲשֶׁר אֵינָם כָּרָאוּי נֶגְדּוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, עַל זֶה צְרִיכִין לְיַחֵד שָׁעָה בַּיּוֹם לְהִתְבּוֹדֵד וּלְשַׁבֵּר לִבּוֹ לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ (כַּמְבֹאָר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר), וְגַם אוֹתָהּ הַשָּׁעָה – אָסוּר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ עַצְבוּת! רַק לֵב נִשְׁבָּר, אֲבָל שְׁאָר כָּל הַיּוֹם יִהְיֶה רַק בְּשִׂמְחָה.
For deeds done against God’s will, set aside a time every day to isolate yourself with a broken heart before God. Be broken-hearted, but not depressed, even during this hour. The rest of the day should then be spent in happiness.
גַּם עַל־יְדֵי הַשִּׂמְחָה, יְכוֹלִין לְהַחֲיוֹת אָדָם אַחֵר.
With happiness, you can give a person life.64A similar discussion was spoken after Shavuot 5565/1805 (Tzaddik #181). The discussion below ("His Wisdom” #141) was also said around this time, and this was also when the first manuscript of Likutey Moharan was bound.
כִּי יֵשׁ בְּנֵי־אָדָם שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם יִסּוּרִים גְּדוֹלִים וְנוֹרָאִים רַחֲמָנָא לִצְלַן, וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לָהֶם לְסַפֵּר מַה שֶּׁבְּלִבָּם. וְהֵם הָיוּ רוֹצִים לְסַפֵּר אַךְ אֵין לָהֶם בִּפְנֵי מִי לְסַפֵּר וּלְהָשִׂיחַ עִמּוֹ אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר עִם לְבָבָם. וְהֵם הוֹלְכִים מְלֵאִים יִסּוּרִים וּדְאָגוֹת, וּכְשֶׁבָּא אָדָם עִם פָּנִים שׂוֹחֲקוֹת יָכוֹל לְהַחֲיוֹת אוֹתָם מַמָּשׁ, וּלְהַחֲיוֹת אָדָם אֵינוֹ דָּבָר רֵק, כִּי הוּא דָּבָר גָּדוֹל מְאֹד.
A person might go through terrible suffering and not be able to express what is in his heart. There is no one to whom he can unburden his heart, so he remains deeply pained and worried. If you come to such a person with a happy face, you can literally give him life. This is a great thing and by no means an empty gesture.
(וּכְמוֹ שֶׁמּוּבָא בַּגְּמָרָא (תַּעֲנִית כב.): מֵהַנֵי תְּרֵי בַּדְחֵי שֶׁזָּכוּ לְמַה שֶּׁזָּכוּ עַל־יְדֵי זֶה שֶׁהָיוּ מְשַׂמְּחִים בְּנֵי אָדָם).
The Talmud teaches that two merrymakers were worthy of unusual merit merely because they made others happy (Ta'anit 22a).