It’s so hard to be happy right now. Everything seems overwhelming and difficult. There is so much pain and suffering wherever we look, so much uncertainty about what tomorrow will bring. How can I possibly control my feelings when I can’t control what is happening around me? Sometimes it can feel as though being Jewish means carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders. Should being Jewish mean being miserable? What am I supposed to do?
A surprising answer lies in this week’s Torah portion, Ki Tavo. In describing a time of tremendous difficulty for the Jewish people, the Torah says, “Because you did not serve G-d with joy and gladness of heart.” At first glance, it seems almost unfair. These are people facing real challenges and real suffering. How can the Torah demand that they be joyful? Aren’t our emotions simply a reaction to what is happening around us?
The Torah is teaching us that while we cannot always control what happens around us, we have far more control over what happens within us than we realize. Our thoughts deeply influence and even birth our emotions, and we can choose where to direct those thoughts. We can focus endlessly on everything wrong, everything we are missing, and everything we fear might happen. Or we can focus on G-d’s blessings, the gift of life, our families, our community, our Torah, the Mitzvot we are privileged to perform, and the knowledge that even in moments we do not understand, G-d is with us and our lives have meaning and purpose.
In fact, joy is not an optional extra in Jewish life; it is an integral part of it. Being Jewish means recognizing that we were placed in this world with a mission: to transform darkness into light and make this world a home for G-d. That is challenging work, and misery doesn’t give us the strength to accomplish it. Joy does. Joy energizes us. It gives us the confidence to move forward when the world tells us to retreat, the strength to lift others when they are struggling, and the enthusiasm to continue bringing goodness, holiness and light into a world that desperately needs it.
So this week, let’s take control of where we allow our minds to go. When the darkness feels overwhelming, consciously focus on a blessing in your life. Thank G-d for it. Learn some Torah, do another Mitzvah, help someone who needs you, and remind yourself of the incredible privilege of being a Jew with a Divine mission. We may not be able to control everything happening around us, but we can choose what fills our minds and hearts. Choose faith. Choose gratitude. Choose purpose. Choose joy, and then take that joy and use it to illuminate the world.