As Purim approaches, we must on the lookout for any idea which can help us get into the spirit of things. As Rebbe Nachman would say, Simcha is in fact one of the most difficult things to reach. All the more so during the Purim season, when we see how the streets are full with rejoicing, yet in our own hearts s different strory might be taking place.
One of the most powerful lessons of the Rebbe zt"l regarding happiness is found in Likutei Moharan II: 23.
The Rebbe presents an anology of a circle of dancers. Those within the circle are probably happy. However, there are usually some people standing on the side, who aren't up to dancing. They're not in that much of a joyous mood, if not worse.
The natural inclination of those rejoicing is to concentrate on their own happiness, and not to let the sour mood of the onlookers ruin their dance. Why mar their Simcha with their negativity?
But, the Rebbe says, that's not a perfect Simcha, as we might have thought. The greatest joy would be to grab those on the side and force them into the circle, to force them to be happy also!
In life, we all Baruch Hashem have those things which are going good for us, and we all certainly have what to be thankful for. So when we encounter those things which we'd rather not, we instinctively push them to the side, under the rug. We look at the half of the cup which is full. And we hope that this will keep us B'Simcha, by not letting negative things ruin what we do have positive. We go on dancing and rejoice with our good.
The problem is, half the cup is still empty. The negative issues are making a lump under the rug. Even while we dance in our circle of good points, every so often we catch a glimpse of those sour faces standing on the side. There's only so long that we can ignore them for.
We've got to grab those sad things and force them to dance with us!
We've got to turn every reason we have to be sad into a reason to be happy!
The way to do this is through Emunah. When we have that realization that whatever happens to us is from Hashem, and everything He does is only good, then no matter what it is that's irking us, we can always rejoice with it.
There are no more good points and bad points, only good points. Some of them I readily understand why they are good, others I don't. But they're still good, and they're more than a reason to dance.
Even those things which I'm depressed about because of what I've done to myself through my own free will, I can bring myself to rejoice with. I must know that Hashem is always in control, and how no matter how many mistakes I've made, I can never mess anything up entirely. Hashem is always making sure to set the stage after my mistakes that I should be able to fix them. On the contrary, if I'll do Teshuvah, he'll make sure that my mistakes become catalysts for the greatest growths.
Based on all this, I never have a reason not to be happy, because whatever it may be causing me to be sad, is in fact a tremendous reason to be very much B'Simcha.
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