(יז) שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי הַפֶּסַח וּשְׁמוֹנַת יְמֵי הֶחָג עִם שְׁאָר יָמִים טוֹבִים כֻּלָּם אֲסוּרִים בְּהֶסְפֵּד וְתַעֲנִית. וְחַיָּב אָדָם לִהְיוֹת בָּהֶן שָׂמֵחַ וְטוֹב לֵב הוּא וּבָנָיו וְאִשְׁתּוֹ וּבְנֵי בֵּיתוֹ וְכָל הַנִּלְוִים עָלָיו שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים טז יד) "וְשָׂמַחְתָּ בְּחַגֶּךָ" וְגוֹ'. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַשִּׂמְחָה הָאֲמוּרָה כָּאן הִיא קָרְבַּן שְׁלָמִים כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָנוּ מְבָאֲרִין בְּהִלְכוֹת חֲגִיגָה יֵשׁ בִּכְלַל אוֹתָהּ שִׂמְחָה לִשְׂמֹחַ הוּא וּבָנָיו וּבְנֵי בֵּיתוֹ כָּל אֶחָד כָּרָאוּי לוֹ:
(יח) כֵּיצַד. הַקְּטַנִּים נוֹתֵן לָהֶם קְלָיוֹת וֶאֱגוֹזִים וּמִגְדָּנוֹת. וְהַנָּשִׁים קוֹנֶה לָהֶן בְּגָדִים וְתַכְשִׁיטִין נָאִים כְּפִי מָמוֹנוֹ. וְהָאֲנָשִׁים אוֹכְלִין בָּשָׂר וְשׁוֹתִין יַיִן שֶׁאֵין שִׂמְחָה אֶלָּא בְּבָשָׂר וְאֵין שִׂמְחָה אֶלָּא בְּיַיִן. וּכְשֶׁהוּא אוֹכֵל וְשׁוֹתֶה חַיָּב לְהַאֲכִיל לַגֵּר לַיָּתוֹם וְלָאַלְמָנָה עִם שְׁאָר הָעֲנִיִּים הָאֻמְלָלִים. אֲבָל מִי שֶׁנּוֹעֵל דַּלְתוֹת חֲצֵרוֹ וְאוֹכֵל וְשׁוֹתֶה הוּא וּבָנָיו וְאִשְׁתּוֹ וְאֵינוֹ מַאֲכִיל וּמַשְׁקֶה לַעֲנִיִּים וּלְמָרֵי נֶפֶשׁ אֵין זוֹ שִׂמְחַת מִצְוָה אֶלָּא שִׂמְחַת כְּרֵסוֹ. וְעַל אֵלּוּ נֶאֱמַר (הושע ט ד) "זִבְחֵיהֶם כְּלֶחֶם אוֹנִים לָהֶם כָּל אֹכְלָיו יִטַּמָּאוּ כִּי לַחְמָם לְנַפְשָׁם". וְשִׂמְחָה כָּזוֹ קָלוֹן הִיא לָהֶם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלאכי ב ג) "וְזֵרִיתִי פֶרֶשׁ עַל פְּנֵיכֶם פֶּרֶשׁ חַגֵּיכֶם":
(17) The seven days of Passover and the eight days of Sukkot along with the other holidays are all forbidden for eulogizing and fasting. And one is obligated to be joyful and of a good heart on them—he, his children, his wife, the members of his household and all who accompany him. As it is stated (Deuteronomy 16:14), "And you shall rejoice in your holiday, etc." Even though the joy that is mentioned here is [referring to] peace offerings—as we explain in the Laws of the Festival Offering—included in that joy is for him, his children and the members of his household to rejoice—everyone according to what is fit for him.
(18) The children, for example, should be given parched grain, nuts, and sweetmeats; the womenfolk should be presented with pretty clothes and trinkets according to one's means; the menfolk should eat meat and drink wine, for there is no real rejoicing without the use of meat and wine. While eating and drinking, one must feed the stranger, the orphan, the widow, and other poor unfortunates. Anyone, however, who locks the doors of his courtyard and eats and drinks along with his wife and children, without giving anything to eat and drink to the poor and the desperate, does not observe a religious celebration but indulges in the celebration of his stomach. And about such is it stated (Hosea 9:4), "their sacrifices are like the bread of mourners, all who eat it will be contaminated; for their bread is for their own appetites." Such joy is a disgrace for them, as it is stated (Malakhi 2:3), "I will spread dung on your faces, the dung of your festivals."
אדם המתפלל ונפלה בלבו שמחה אהבת ה' פתאום דע כי ה' חפץ לעשות רצונו וזהו שנאמר (שיר השירים ז ז) מה יפית ומה נעמת אהבה בתענוגים וכתיב (ישעיהו נח יד) אז תתענג על ה' ויתן לך משאלות לבך. וכתיב (איוב כב כו) כי אז על שדי תתענג ותשא אל אלהיך פניך תעתיר אליו וישמעך אם בשמע קולנו נפלה בלבו השמחה או קודם שיסיים יהיו לרצון אמרי פי. (באיזו שעה ביום) יש לבקש כך
יהי רצון מלפניך שזאת האהבה תהא לעולם קשורה ונטועה בלבי ובלב כל זרעי
ואל יבקש אלא על האהבה ורצון ה'.
ואם ביום או בלילה בלא תפלה בעוד שלבו שמח ונפשו גילה בהקב"ה ואל ידבר עם אדם עד שתצא מלבו.
והנביאים בשעה שנפשם קשורה באהבה עזה לבם בהקב"ה כאלו אינם בזה העולם. וזהו שנאמר (מלכים ב' ט יא) מדוע בא המשוגע הזה אליך. ויאמר להם אתם ידעתם את האיש ואת שיחו ל
German Pietists 12th Century
When a person is praying and suddenly the joy of the love of God strikes his heart, [you should] know that God wishes to do God's will, as it is said:
How fair are you, how pleasant! Oh Love, with all its rapture! -תענוגים- (Song of Songs 7:7) and it is written:
Then you will delight -תתענג- in YHVH (Isaiah 58:14) and
Seek the favor תתענג of YHVH and God will grant you the desires of your heart (Psalms 37:4) and it is written:
When you seek the favor -תתענג- of Shaddai and lift up your face to God you will pray to God and God will listen to you (Job 22:26-27).
If this joy strikes at his heart at “Hear our voice" (שמע קולנו in the Amidah) or before he finishes “May the expressions of my mouth find favor" (יהיו לרצון אמרי פי) he should pray as follows:
"May it be Your will that this love always be bound and planted in my heart and in the heart of all of my seed" and he should not request anything save the love and desire of God.
If the joy struck at his heart at another time of the day or night, while he is not praying, as long as his heart and soul are rejoicing in the Blessed Holy One, he should not speak with anyone - until the joy departs his heart.
As for the prophets, when their soul was bound in great love, their heart was with the blessed Holy One, it was as though they were not in this world, as it is said:
"What did that madman come to you for? He said to him, you know the man and his ranting!"
(ה) הַמְכַבֶּה אֶת הַנֵּר מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא מִתְיָרֵא מִפְּנֵי גוֹיִם, מִפְּנֵי לִסְטִים, מִפְּנֵי רוּחַ רָעָה, וְאִם בִּשְׁבִיל הַחוֹלֶה שֶׁיִּישַׁן, פָּטוּר. כְּחָס עַל הַנֵּר, כְּחָס עַל הַשֶּׁמֶן, כְּחָס עַל הַפְּתִילָה, חַיָּב. וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי פּוֹטֵר בְּכֻלָּן חוּץ מִן הַפְּתִילָה, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא עוֹשָׂהּ פֶּחָם:
(5) One who extinguishes the lamp on Shabbat because he is afraid due to gentiles, from whom he is hiding in his home, and due to thieves, or if one is afraid due to an evil spirit, i.e., he is depressed and prefers sitting in the dark, or if he extinguished the flame due to the sick person so that he will sleep, he is exempt. However, in a case where he extinguishes the flame in order to spare the lamp, spare the oil, or spare the wick, he is liable. Rabbi Yosei exempts him in all of those cases, as in his opinion no labor prohibited by Torah law is being performed by extinguishing the flame, except for the case where he seeks to spare the wick. Only in that case is extinguishing a creative action because he makes the wick into charcoal by extinguishing the flame.
מפני רוח רעה. השורה עליו, וכשאינו רואה נוח לו. ורמב״ם פירש רוח רעה, מין ממיני החולי הבא לבעלי המרה השחורה, שלא ינוחו אלא כשישבו בחשך ובהסתרה מבני אדם:
מפני רוח רעה – On account of “ruach ra’ah” (melancholia): that rests upon him, and when he can’t see, it is comfortable for him. The Rambam explains “ruach ra’ah” as a type of illness that is black bitterness, in which [those afflicted] can only rest when they sit in the dark secluded from people.
(א) אַחֲרֵי־כֵ֗ן פָּתַ֤ח אִיּוֹב֙ אֶת־פִּ֔יהוּ וַיְקַלֵּ֖ל אֶת־יוֹמֽוֹ׃ (פ) (ב) וַיַּ֥עַן אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ (ג) יֹ֣אבַד י֭וֹם אִוָּ֣לֶד בּ֑וֹ וְהַלַּ֥יְלָה אָ֝מַ֗ר הֹ֣רָה גָֽבֶר׃ (ד) הַיּ֥וֹם הַה֗וּא יְֽהִ֫י חֹ֥שֶׁךְ אַֽל־יִדְרְשֵׁ֣הוּ אֱל֣וֹהַּ מִמָּ֑עַל וְאַל־תּוֹפַ֖ע עָלָ֣יו נְהָרָֽה׃ (ה) יִגְאָלֻ֡הוּ חֹ֣שֶׁךְ וְ֭צַלְמָוֶת תִּשְׁכָּן־עָלָ֣יו עֲנָנָ֑ה יְ֝בַעֲתֻ֗הוּ כִּֽמְרִ֥ירֵי יֽוֹם׃ ....(י) כִּ֤י לֹ֣א סָ֭גַר דַּלְתֵ֣י בִטְנִ֑י וַיַּסְתֵּ֥ר עָ֝מָ֗ל מֵעֵינָֽי׃ (יא) לָ֤מָּה לֹּ֣א מֵרֶ֣חֶם אָמ֑וּת מִבֶּ֖טֶן יָצָ֣אתִי וְאֶגְוָֽע׃
(1) Afterward, Job began to speak and cursed the day of his birth. (2) Job spoke up and said: (3) Perish the day on which I was born, And the night it was announced, “A male has been conceived!” (4) May that day be darkness; May God above have no concern for it; May light not shine on it; (5) May darkness and deep gloom reclaim it; May a pall lie over it; May what blackens the day terrify it.... (10) Because it did not block my mother’s womb, And hide trouble from my eyes. (11) Why did I not die at birth, Expire as I came forth from the womb?
(ג) כֵּ֤ן הָנְחַ֣לְתִּי לִ֭י יַרְחֵי־שָׁ֑וְא וְלֵיל֥וֹת עָ֝מָ֗ל מִנּוּ־לִֽי׃ (ד) אִם־שָׁכַ֗בְתִּי וְאָמַ֗רְתִּי מָתַ֣י אָ֭קוּם וּמִדַּד־עָ֑רֶב וְשָׂבַ֖עְתִּי נְדֻדִ֣ים עֲדֵי־נָֽשֶׁף׃ (ה) לָ֘בַ֤שׁ בְּשָׂרִ֣י רִ֭מָּה וגיש [וְג֣וּשׁ] עָפָ֑ר עוֹרִ֥י רָ֝גַ֗ע וַיִּמָּאֵֽס׃ (ו) יָמַ֣י קַ֭לּוּ מִנִּי־אָ֑רֶג וַ֝יִּכְל֗וּ בְּאֶ֣פֶס תִּקְוָֽה׃ (ז) זְ֭כֹר כִּי־ר֣וּחַ חַיָּ֑י לֹא־תָשׁ֥וּב עֵ֝ינִ֗י לִרְא֥וֹת טֽוֹב׃ ...(יא) גַּם־אֲנִי֮ לֹ֤א אֶחֱשָׂ֫ךְ פִּ֥י אֲֽ֭דַבְּרָה בְּצַ֣ר רוּחִ֑י אָ֝שִׂ֗יחָה בְּמַ֣ר נַפְשִֽׁי׃ (יב) הֲֽיָם־אָ֭נִי אִם־תַּנִּ֑ין כִּֽי־תָשִׂ֖ים עָלַ֣י מִשְׁמָֽר׃ (יג) כִּֽי־אָ֭מַרְתִּי תְּנַחֲמֵ֣נִי עַרְשִׂ֑י יִשָּׂ֥א בְ֝שִׂיחִ֗י מִשְׁכָּבִֽי׃ (יד) וְחִתַּתַּ֥נִי בַחֲלֹמ֑וֹת וּֽמֵחֶזְיֹנ֥וֹת תְּבַעֲתַֽנִּי׃ (טו) וַתִּבְחַ֣ר מַחֲנָ֣ק נַפְשִׁ֑י מָ֝֗וֶת מֵֽעַצְמוֹתָֽי׃
(3) So have I been allotted months of futility; Nights of misery have been apportioned to me. (4) When I lie down, I think, “When shall I rise?” Night drags on, And I am sated with tossings till morning twilight. (5) My flesh is covered with maggots and clods of earth; My skin is broken and festering. (6) My days fly faster than a weaver’s shuttle, And come to their end without hope. (7) Consider that my life is but wind; I shall never see happiness again. ...(11) On my part, I will not speak with restraint; I will give voice to the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. (12) Am I the sea or the Dragon, That You have set a watch over me? (13) When I think, “My bed will comfort me, My couch will share my sorrow,” (14) You frighten me with dreams, And terrify me with visions, (15) Till I prefer strangulation, Death, to my wasted frame.
"The common point made by the concatenation (a group of things linked together or occurring together in a way that produces a particular result or effect) of Yahweh's speeches and the concluding narrative is that Yahweh is outside human calculations of justice; man cannot know whether his suffering has any meaning at all..."
"Job is not big enough to contend with Yahweh, and Yahweh refuses to contend with him. That is what Job has been saying all along. What other answer did we expect, when we knew from the beginning that Yahweh is omnipotent and His treatment of Job completely arbitrary? Yet Yahweh is pleased with Job because, although he complained, he at least maintained the difficult truth that the author wants the reader to accept: that God's management of the universe is arbitrary...He restores Job's fortunes because Job has maintained the truth. He threatens to punish the sanctimonious friends because they were willing to say anything, no matter how facile, pompous, or false, to explain away Job's suffering."
"Job's anger helps tame ours and bring it into manageable compass; this itself is a kind of consolation. We read Job not because it provides answers to our questions, consolation for our grief, or redress for our anger, but because it expresses our questions, grief, and anger with such force.
“The book of Job sets the terms for the discussion of suffering in such a way as to render meaningless the consolations of conventional piety, traditional wisdom, and theology. In their place, it offers a poem.”
Abraham Joshua Heschel
Levi Cooper
The goal of curtailing enjoyment is not to limit our interaction with the delights of this world. The constraints suggested in this passage are designed to ensure that we continue to hope and strive for a better age. The ultimate goal maybe to enjoy life, yet absolute pleasure is not possible in an unredeemed state. Certainly we have moments of temporary delight, such as the creation of a new family at a wedding. Yet even at these occasions, we are encouraged to curb our joy and spare a thought for the greater goal of a redeemed world where enjoyment will belong to all.