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Quote of the Day: The Best Kind of Joy
Simcha is usually translated as joy, rejoicing, gladness, happiness, pleasure or delight. In fact, simcha,has a nuance untranslatable into English. Joy, happiness, pleasure, and the like are all states of mind, emotions. They belong to the individual. We can feel them alone. Simcha, by contrast, is not a private emotion. It means happiness shared. It is a social state, a predicate of ‘we,’ not ‘I.’ There is no such thing as feeling simcha alone. –Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
In the mornings, I’m usually up and about at least one hour before my husband, and he usually sleeps until I wake him up. For some reason, I love the moment I do that. I’ve already seen the darkness submit to the morning light, welcomed the day, and then he and I can greet the new day together. As I gently bump him awake with a silly grin on my face, he opens one eye and submits to offering me a grin in return. It’s a moment of beginning, of sharing a new start, and it’s become a loving moment for me. (Since he’s only half awake, I’ll assume he’s happy to see me!)
Until recently, I wasn’t aware of the distinct translation of simcha—and it actually brought me joy, just knowing how special it was. In these times, it is so easy to get caught up in the stresses of our lives, to forget that joy is always available if we open to it. But the idea of bringing others in to celebrate life with us, even for the smallest of things, is a very special kind of sharing. Who knows what sadness a person might be experiencing at that very moment? Who knows how you might be able to lift him up in extending yourself in a sweet and intimate way?
Not only can the other person enjoy that moment, but you have the satisfaction of knowing that simcha has been offered to someone else who may need it as much as you do, if not more.
Saying something playful to the cashier who looks preoccupied, making a self-deprecating remark to the friend who is struggling, reminding a spouse that you love him—anyone can enjoy the beauty of simcha. Let your own joy bubble up, sprinkle it on those around you, let them bathe in its loveliness.
Let simcha flourish!
Published in Group Writing
My day starts with a barking dog telling me to rise and release him from his bed, permit him to relieve himself and feed him. This is before sunrise. It is not simcha. But I use the time after my obligations are done and my coffee is brewed to catch up on Ricochet and pen a post. Thereafter either Mrs Rodin rouses herself or I ply her with coffee — that is when simcha occurs, as in your household. There is more simcha if the event occurs after I complete post than if it is the middle of composition, but it is there nonetheless.
I didn’t say this in the OP, but I would love to hear people’s sharing simple simcha with others!
I agree! Need to get that dog re-trained!
At 10 years of age that’s not going to happen. And besides, this phenomena is a result of his training having been a sleeping companion until fairly recently. The circumstances of his demotion relate to his age and resulting behavioral changes and putting up with morning barking of a duration I can control currently seems preferable to the other alternative.
A gaggle of puppies is the perfect example of Simcha, probably for the puppies, but definitely for any humans near enough to take in the adorable view! My daughter finds joy every time we pass a dog on a walk in town, on a hike, or even when just driving by. Just the presence of the dogs creates Simcha. She finds joy and her joy is infectious.
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This post is part of the Quote of the Day group writing project on Ricochet. Please help us generate even more collective joy by signing up to post your quote on the September QOTD Signup Sheet!
I’m so glad you “got it,” Lilly. I love seeing dogs on my walks, too!