Chassidic and classical Jewish sources explore the centrality of joy in divine service, teaching that simcha is not merely an emotional accompaniment to mitzvot but a fundamental requirement for authentic spiritual connection. The sources emphasize that sadness obstructs the Divine Presence while genuine joy in mitzvah-performance opens the heart to Hashem and enables sustained spiritual growth.
מִצְוָה גְּדוֹלָה לִהְיוֹת בְּשִׂמְחָה תָּמִיד
Opens as a working sheet — explore, annotate, and export.
What the sources say
The foundation for serving Hashem with joy is laid in Tehillim 100:2, which commands "worship GOD in gladness; come into the divine presence with shouts of joy," and is reinforced by Devarim 28:47, which identifies failure to "serve the ETERNAL your God in joy and gladness" as the very root of divine rebuke.
The Gemara in Shabbat 30b draws out the inner logic: the Divine Presence rests neither from sadness nor from frivolity, but specifically "from an atmosphere imbued with the joy of a mitzva," a distinction echoed by the Sulam on Zohar, Vayechi 117, which concludes that "there is no service of the Holy One except from within joy."
Building on these foundations, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov (Likutei Moharan II 24:1) elevates simcha to a standing obligation — "it is a great mitzvah to always be happy" — and adds that all illness stems from "flawed joy," while Likkutei Etzot, Happiness 5:2 pushes further, teaching that one should perform mitzvot with such joy that one desires not reward in the World to Come but only the next mitzva itself.
The Tanya grounds this joy in contemplative awareness: Tanya, Likkutei Amarim 33:1 teaches that the soul's true joy arises when one deeply envisions Hashem's unity — how He fills all worlds and everything is "of no reality whatsoever in His presence" — while Tanya, Likkutei Amarim 31:11 frames a life of service as one of "great joy" because engaging in Torah and prayer is the soul's release from exile, like a prince freed from captivity returning to his father's royal house.
Deuteronomy 28:47
The Torah states: 'Because you did not serve Hashem your God with joy and goodness of heart' — the classic biblical source establishing that simcha is not peripheral but central to the obligation of divine service.
תַּ֗חַת אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹא־עָבַ֙דְתָּ֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּשִׂמְחָ֖ה וּבְט֣וּב לֵבָ֑ב מֵרֹ֖ב כֹּֽל׃
Because you would not serve the ETERNAL your God in joy and gladness over the abundance of everything,
Psalms 100:2
'Serve Hashem with joy, come before Him with joyful song' — the foundational verse cited throughout chassidic and mussar literature as the biblical mandate to infuse all avodas Hashem with simcha.
עִבְד֣וּ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה בְּשִׂמְחָ֑ה בֹּ֥אוּ לְ֝פָנָ֗יו בִּרְנָנָֽה׃
worship GOD in gladness; come into the divine presence with shouts of joy.
Sulam on Zohar, Vayechi 117
Rabbi Elazar taught that serving Hashem must come from joy, citing the verses "Serve Hashem with gladness" and "Come before Him with singing," and further stated that the Divine Presence does not rest upon one who is in sadness, as evidenced by the verse about the prophet requiring a musician in order for prophecy to come.
למדנו אר"א אמר ר' אבא, כתוב עבדו את ה' בשמחה, באו לפניו ברננה, הכתוב בא להוציא, שאין עבודת הקב"ה אלא מתוך שמחה. שאמר ר' אלעזר אין השכינה שורה מתוך עצבות, שכתוב, ועתה קחו לי מנגן והיה כנגן המנגן וגו':
Shabbat 30b:5
The Divine Presence rests upon a person only through joy connected to mitzvah-performance, not through sadness, laziness, frivolous laughter, lightheadedness, or idle speech, as illustrated by Elisha regaining his prophetic spirit when music was played; Rav Yehuda and Rava extend this principle to ruling on halakha and to sleep before a good dream.
״וְשִׁבַּחְתִּי אֲנִי אֶת הַשִּׂמְחָה״ — שִׂמְחָה שֶׁל מִצְוָה. ״וּלְשִׂמְחָה מַה זֹּה עוֹשָׂה״ — זוֹ שִׂמְחָה שֶׁאֵינָהּ שֶׁל מִצְוָה. לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁאֵין שְׁכִינָה שׁוֹרָה לֹא מִתּוֹךְ עַצְבוּת וְלֹא מִתּוֹךְ עַצְלוּת וְלֹא מִתּוֹךְ שְׂחוֹק וְלֹא מִתּוֹךְ קַלּוּת רֹאשׁ וְלֹא מִתּוֹךְ שִׂיחָה וְלֹא מִתּוֹךְ דְּבָרִים בְּטֵלִים, אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ דְּבַר שִׂמְחָה שֶׁל מִצְוָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְעַתָּה קְחוּ לִי מְנַגֵּן וְהָיָה כְּנַגֵּן הַמְנַגֵּן וַתְּהִי עָלָיו יַד ה׳״. אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה: וְכֵן לִדְבַר הֲלָכָה. אָמַר רָבָא: וְכֵן לַחֲלוֹם טוֹב.
Similarly, “So I commended mirth,” that is the joy of a mitzva. “And of mirth: What does it accomplish?” that is joy that is not the joy of a mitzva. The praise of joy mentioned here is to teach you that the Divine Presence rests upon an individual neither from an atmosphere of sadness, nor from an atmosphere of laziness, nor from an atmosphere of laughter, nor from an atmosphere of frivolity, nor from an atmosphere of idle conversation, nor from an atmosphere of idle chatter, but rather from an atmosphere imbued with the joy of a mitzva. As it was stated with regard to Elisha that after he became angry at the king of Israel, his prophetic spirit left him until he requested: “But now bring me a minstrel; and it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him” (II Kings 3:15). Rav Yehuda said: And, so too, one should be joyful before stating a matter of halakha. Rava said: And, so too, one should be joyful before going to sleep in order to have a good dream.
Shabbat 130a:13
Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel teaches that mitzvot initially accepted with joy—such as circumcision—continue to be performed with joy, while those initially accepted with contentiousness—such as the laws of forbidden relations—continue to be performed with contentiousness, because the initial manner of acceptance establishes an enduring character in how the mitzvah is fulfilled.
תַּנְיָא, רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר: כׇּל מִצְוָה שֶׁקִּיבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם בְּשִׂמְחָה, כְּגוֹן מִילָה, דִּכְתִיב: ״שָׂשׂ אָנֹכִי עַל אִמְרָתֶךָ כְּמוֹצֵא שָׁלָל רָב״ — עֲדַיִין עוֹשִׂין אוֹתָהּ בְּשִׂמְחָה. וְכׇל מִצְוָה שֶׁקִּבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם בִּקְטָטָה, כְּגוֹן עֲרָיוֹת, דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיִּשְׁמַע מֹשֶׁה אֶת הָעָם בּוֹכֶה לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָיו״, עַל עִסְקֵי מִשְׁפְּחוֹתָיו — עֲדַיִין עוֹשִׂין אוֹתָהּ בִּקְטָטָה, דְּלֵיכָּא כְּתוּבָּה דְּלָא רָמוּ בַּהּ תִּיגְרָא.
Apropos affection for the mitzva of circumcision, the Gemara cites a baraita in which it was taught that Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: Every mitzva that the Jews initially accepted upon themselves with joy, such as circumcision, as it is written: “I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great spoil” (Psalms 119:162), and as the Sages explained, this “word” refers to the mitzva of circumcision, over which they rejoiced, they still perform it with joy. And every mitzva that the Jews initially accepted upon themselves with contentiousness and regret, such as the prohibition against incestuous relations, as it is written: “And Moses heard the people weeping, family by family” (Numbers 11:10), and as the Sages interpreted homiletically: They wept over matters pertaining to their families, as they were prohibited at that time from marrying family members, they still perform with contentiousness. The fact is that there is no marriage contract and wedding in which contentiousness does not arise, as there is inevitably some conflict between the parties. The baraita asserts that this is because, initially, the Jews did not accept the laws governing marriage and family relationships willingly.
Arakhin 11a:11
The Gemara discusses the role of song and music in the Temple service, deriving that joy (simcha) is a component of avodah itself. This passage grounds the chassidic emphasis on niggun and simcha in ancient halakhic and Temple-service tradition.
רַב מַתְנָה אָמַר מֵהָכָא: ״תַּחַת אֲשֶׁר לֹא עָבַדְתָּ אֶת ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּשִׂמְחָה וּבְטוּב לֵבָב״, אֵיזוֹ הִיא עֲבוֹדָה שֶׁבְּשִׂמְחָה וּבְטוּב לֵבָב? הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר: זֹה שִׁירָה. וְאֵימָא דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה, דִּכְתִיב: ״פִּקּוּדֵי ה׳ יְשָׁרִים מְשַׂמְּחֵי לֵב״! ״מְשַׂמְּחֵי לֵב״ אִיקְּרִי, ״טוֹב״ לָא אִיקְּרִי.
Rav Mattana said that the source for the requirement to accompany the Temple offerings with song is derived from here: “Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness, and with goodness of heart” (Deuteronomy 28:47). What is this service of God that is performed with joyfulness and with goodness of heart? You must say that this is song. The Gemara objects: But you can say that this service is studying the words of Torah, as it is written: “The precepts of the Lord are upright, rejoicing the heart” (Psalms 19:9). The Gemara explains: Torah is indeed called a matter that rejoices the heart, but it is not called “goodness.”
Likutei Moharan, Part II 24:1
Rebbe Nachman teaches that it is a great mitzvah to always be in a state of joy, and that sadness is an enormous obstacle. He offers practical counsel on how to seek out the good points within oneself and others in order to attain genuine simcha.
מִצְוָה גְּדוֹלָה לִהְיוֹת בְּשִׂמְחָה תָּמִיד, וּלְהִתְגַּבֵּר לְהַרְחִיק הָעַצְבוּת וְהַמָּרָה שְׁחֹרָה בְּכָל כֹּחוֹ. וְכָל הַחוֹלַאַת הַבָּאִין עַל הָאָדָם, כֻּלָּם בָּאִין רַק מִקִּלְקוּל הַשִּׂמְחָה. כִּי יֵשׁ עֲשָׂרָה מִינֵי נְגִינָה, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת שִׂמְחָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהילים צ״ב:ה׳): עֲלֵי עָשׂוֹר וְכוּ' כִּי שִׂמַּחְתַּנִי ה' בְּפָעֳלֶךָ וְכוּ'.
It is a great mitzvah to always be happy, and to make every effort to determinedly keep depression and gloom at bay. All the illnesses that afflict people are due only to flawed joy. For there are ten types of song, which are synonymous with joy, as in “Upon a ten-stringed instrument… For You caused me to rejoice by Your deeds…” (Psalms 92:4–5).
Likkutei Etzot, Happiness 1-5:2
A topical digest of Rebbe Nachman's teachings on joy: sadness blocks all spiritual growth, simcha opens the heart to Hashem, and finding one's own inner goodness is the key to sustained rejoicing in divine service.
ב. צָרִיךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת הַמִּצְווֹת בְּשִׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה כָּל כָּךְ, עַד שֶׁלֹּא יִרְצֶה בְּשׁוּם שְׂכַר עוֹלָם הַבָּא בִּשְׁבִילָהּ, אֶלָּא שֶׁיַּזְמִין לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִצְוָה אַחֶרֶת בִּשְׂכַר מִצְוָה זֹאת, כִּי הוּא נֶהֱנֶה מֵהַמִּצְוָה בְּעַצְמָהּ. וְעַל־יְדֵי זֶה יוּכַל לֵידַע מַה שֶּׁנִּגְזַר עַל הָעוֹלָם, אִם הוּא קֹדֶם גְּזַר דִּין וְאִם הוּא לְאַחַר גְּזַר דִּין, וְעַל מִי וָמִי נִגְזַר הַדִּין חַ"ו. וְיוֹדֵעַ אֵיךְ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל עֲבוּר הָעוֹלָם, כִּי לְאַחַר גְּזַר דִּין צְרִיכִין הַצַּדִּיקִים לְהַלְבִּישׁ תְּפִלָּתָם בְּסִפּוּרִים. וְכָל זֶה זוֹכִין עַל־יְדֵי עֲשִׂיַּת הַמִּצְווֹת בְּשִׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה מֵהַמִּצְוָה בְּעַצְמָהּ: (לק"א סי' ה' אות ב') [ה]. צָרִיךְ לְאָדָם שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ עַזּוּת גָּדוֹל דִּקְדֻשָּׁה, כְּדֵי שֶׁיּוּכַל לַעֲמֹד כְּנֶגֶד הָעַזֵּי פָּנִים הַמּוֹנְעִים. וְעִקַּר הָעַזּוּת וְהַהִתְחַזְּקוּת הוּא עַל־יְדֵי שִׂמְחָה וְחֶדְוָה, בְּחִינַת כִּי חֶדְוַת ה' הוּא מָעֻזְּכֶם: (לק"א סי' כ"ב אות ט')
You should feel so happy when you do a mitzva that you don’t do it merely to receive a reward in the World to Come. You want God to send you another mitzvah, and this will be the reward of the first one, because your joy is in the mitzvah itself. Someone who attains this degree of joy will be able to know what decrees have been passed against the world, whether the decree has been sealed yet or not, and against whom judgement has been passed. And through this he will know how to pray for the world, because after the decree has been sealed the Tzaddikim have to clothe their prayers in story form (5:2). It takes determination and boldness to press forward in your quest for holiness in the face of all the obstacles created by arrogant people. The main source of strength is in joy: “For the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10) (22:9).
Keter Shem Tov 1
The Baal Shem Tov's foundational teaching that the Shekhinah does not rest upon sadness but only upon the joy of a mitzvah. Simcha is presented as the very medium through which divine connection is achieved.
ענין מלתא דבדיחותא קודם הלימוד (שבת ל, ב). כי החיות רצוא ושוב והאדם בסוד קטנות וגדלות וע"י השמחה ומלתא דבדיחותא יוצא מקטנות לגדלות ללמוד ולדבקה בו ית'. וז"ש (תענית כב, א) בהני תרי בדחי שהיו מפקחין צער האדם ע"י מלתא דבדיחותא ואז יוכלו לקרבו ולהעלותו.
Chovat HaTalmidim 11:13
Rav Kalonymus Kalman Shapira teaches that a young person's divine service must be filled with joy and enthusiasm; a student who learns or davens with heaviness cannot truly connect to Hashem. Simcha is cultivated through song, stories of tzaddikim, and focusing on one's bond with Hashem.
השקיפה בחור ישראל, אל זוהר תפארת ישראל, ואל עצמותם עצם השמים לטוהר אשר מלפנים, ותדאג על חשכתנו הנוראה עתה, דאג והשתוקק לעבוד, לשוב, לעלות ולהתקרב עכ״פ מעט לאלקינו. עורר בזמן מן הזמנים את נפשך, תשאף, תשתפך ובשיח כעין זה תתעטף. אנא ד׳. מעולם אתה אבינו ואנו בניך, ומעולם ומעת אשר רק יגיח ילד וילדה ישראלי מרחם אמו, צרינו מרובים ומרים ומענינו קשים ועזים, להפרידנו ממך, ח״ו, אבל כ״א מאתנו מוכן למסור את נפשו בשבילך ד׳. ואף כשבה קטנה מאתנו כבר פושטת את צוארה בשבילך, אין קץ למוקדי אש אשר שרפונו ואין חקר לצרותינו התמידיות במשך כל ימי חיינו המוצצות את לשד חיינו, ובשבילך וכדי שלא להפרד ממך את הכל באהבה ושמחה מקבלים. כן אנו כלנו וכן הנני גם אני. כן אני עתה וכן אהי׳ תמיד. אבל אבי ומלכי, מעולם אותנו נהגת, עין בעין את שכינת עוזך ראינו, ועמנו כאב אוהב עם בניו דברת, ומה טוב הי׳ לנו אז. לא כן עתה גרמו עונותינו ועלית למרום, את השמים בעדך סגרת, אין רואה ואין שומע, לא מדבר ולא עונה, לא נביא ולא חוזה. אנא ד׳, על מי נטשת את מעט הצאן, שארית ישראל במדבר שממה כזה מקום מזיקי הגוף והנפש, אבי שבשמים יראה נפשי להיות בלעדך אף רגע, קרב אותנו והתקרב אלינו כמאז.
Jewish young man, look at the earlier radiance of the splendor of Israel and at its essence which was pure like the essence of the skies; and be concerned about the terrible darkness now. Be concerned and yearn to serve, to return and be elevated, to come at least a little closer to our God. Find time to arouse your soul. Aspire, pour out your soul and enwrap yourself in a speech like this: Please God, forever have You been our Father and we have been Your children. And forever - as soon as a Jewish boy or girl springs out from the womb of its mother, it experiences many bitter troubles and difficult and harsh sufferings in order to separate us from You, God forbid. Yet each one of us is prepared to give his life for You, God. And even a 'small lamb' among us is already stretching out its neck for Your sake. There is no end to the pyres of fire that have burned us and there is no comparison to our constant troubles all the days of our lives, sucking up the the vigor of our lives. But for Your sake and in order to not be separated from You, we accept it all with love and joy. We are all like this, and I am also like this. I am like this now and I will always be like this. However, my Father and King, when You always led us, we could see Your powerful Divine presence eye to eye, and You spoke to us like a father who loves his children; and how goodly was it for us then! It is not like this now. Our iniquities have caused You to ascend upon high. You have shut the Heavens behind You. There is no one to see and no one to hear; none speaking and none answering; no prophet and no seer. Please, God, to whom have you abandoned the little flock, the remnant of Israel, in a desolate wilderness like this - a place of damagers of body and spirit? My Father in the Heavens, my soul is frightened of being without You for an instant; bring me close to You like before!
Tanya, Part I; Likkutei Amarim 33:1
The Alter Rebbe prescribes meditating on the greatness of Hashem as a path to genuine joy in divine service. He distinguishes between appropriate times for soul-searching and the need to actively cultivate simcha as the foundation for avodah.
עוֹד זֹאת תִּהְיֶה שִׂמְחַת הַנֶּפֶשׁ הָאֲמִיתִּית, וּבִפְרָט כְּשֶׁרוֹאֶה בְּנַפְשׁוֹ בְּעִתִּים מְזוּמָּנִים שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְזַכְּכָהּ וּלְהָאִירָהּ בְּשִׂמְחַת לֵבָב, אֲזַי יַעֲמִיק מַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ וִיצַיֵּיר בְּשִׂכְלוֹ וּבִינָתוֹ עִנְיַן יִחוּדוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ הָאֲמִיתִּי, אֵיךְ הוּא מְמַלֵּא כָּל עָלְמִין עֶלְיוֹנִים וְתַחְתּוֹנִים, וַאֲפִילוּ מְלֹא כָּל הָאָרֶץ הַלֶּזוּ הוּא כְּבוֹדוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ, וְכוּלָּא קַמֵּיהּ כְּלָא חֲשִׁיב מַמָּשׁ, וְהוּא לְבַדּוֹ הוּא בָּעֶלְיוֹנִים וְתַחְתּוֹנִים מַמָּשׁ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיָה לְבַדּוֹ קוֹדֶם שֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית, וְגַם בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה שֶׁנִּבְרָא בוֹ עוֹלָם הַזֶּה, הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ וְכָל צְבָאָם, הָיָה הוּא לְבַדּוֹ מְמַלֵּא הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה, וְגַם עַתָּה כֵּן, הוּא לְבַדּוֹ בְּלִי שׁוּם שִׁינּוּי כְּלָל. וְהִנֵּה, כְּשֶׁיַּעֲמִיק בָּזֶה הַרְבֵּה, יִשְׂמַח לִבּוֹ וְתָגֵל נַפְשׁוֹ אַף גִּילַת וְרַנֵּן בְּכָל לֵב וְנֶפֶשׁ וּמְאֹד בֶּאֱמוּנָה זוֹ, כִּי רַבָּה הִיא, כִּי הִיא קִרְבַת אֱלֹהִים מַמָּשׁ. וְזֶה כָּל הָאָדָם וְתַכְלִית בְּרִיאָתוֹ, וּבְרִיאַת כָּל הָעוֹלָמוֹת עֶלְיוֹנִים וְתַחְתּוֹנִים – לִהְיוֹת לוֹ דִּירָה זוֹ בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר לְקַמָּן בַּאֲרִיכוּת. וְהִנֵּה, כַּמָּה גְדוֹלָה שִׂמְחַת הֶדְיוֹט וּשְׁפַל אֲנָשִׁים, בְּהִתְקָרְבוּתוֹ לְמֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם הַמִּתְאַכְסֵן וְדָר אִתּוֹ עִמּוֹ בְּבֵיתוֹ, וְקַל וָחוֹמֶר לְאֵין קֵץ לְקִרְבַת וְדִירַת מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא, וּכְדִכְתִיב: ״כִּי מִי הוּא זֶה אֲשֶׁר עָרַב לִבּוֹ לָגֶשֶׁת אֵלַי, נְאֻם ה׳״:
This, also, will be the true joy of the soul, especially when one recognizes, at appropriate times, that one needs to purify and illuminate one’s soul with gladness of the heart. Let him then concentrate his mind and envisage in his intelligence and understanding the subject of His true Unity, blessed be He: how He permeates all worlds, both upper and lower, and even this world is filled with His glory, and how everything is of no reality whatsoever in His presence, and He is One Alone in the upper and lower realms, as He was One Alone before the six days of Creation and also in the space wherein this world was created, the heavens and earth, and all their host—He alone filled this space; and now also this is so, being One Alone without any change whatsoever. When one will deeply contemplate this, his heart will be gladdened and his soul will rejoice even with joy and singing, with all heart and soul and might, in [the intensity of] this faith which is tremendous, since this is the [experience of the] very proximity of G–d, and it is the whole [purpose] of man and the goal of his creation, as well as of the creation of all the worlds, both upper and lower, that He may have an abode here below, as will later be explained at length. Behold, how great is the joy of a common and lowly man when he is brought near to a king of flesh and blood, who accepts his hospitality and lodges under his roof! How infinitely more so is the [joy in the] abiding nearness of the Supreme King of kings, the Holy One, blessed is He. And so it is written, “For who is this that engaged his heart to approach Me? says the L–rd.”
Tanya, Part I; Likkutei Amarim 31:11
The Alter Rebbe teaches that sadness is a major obstacle to divine service and that one must push away melancholy with all one's strength. True simcha comes not from material things but from the joy of the soul's connection to Hashem, even in the midst of personal struggles.
וְזֹאת תִּהְיֶה עֲבוֹדָתוֹ כָּל יָמָיו בְּשִׂמְחָה רַבָּה, הִיא שִׂמְחַת הַנֶּפֶשׁ בְּצֵאתָהּ מֵהַגּוּף הַמְתוֹעָב, ״וְשָׁבָה אֶל בֵּית אָבִיהָ כִּנְעוּרֶיהָ״, בִּשְׁעַת הַתּוֹרָה וְהָעֲבוֹדָה, וּכְמַאֲמַר רַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה: לִהְיוֹת כָּל יָמָיו בִּתְשׁוּבָה. וְאֵין לְךָ שִׂמְחָה גְדוֹלָה כְּצֵאת מֵהַגָּלוּת וְהַשִּׁבְיָה, כִּמְשַׁל בֶּן מֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה בְּשִׁבְיָה וְטוֹחֵן בְּבֵית הָאֲסוּרִים וּמְנֻוָּול בְּאַשְׁפָּה, וְיָצָא לַחָפְשִׁי – אֶל בֵּית אָבִיו הַמֶּלֶךְ.
And this shall be his service all his life in great joy, the joy of the soul in her release from the despised body and “returning to her Father’s house as in her youth,” when engaged in Torah and prayer. Indeed, the Rabbis, of blessed memory, have said that one should be in a state of repentance throughout one’s life. For there is no greater joy than the escape from exile and imprisonment, as in the example of the king’s son who was kept in captivity, turning the millstone in prison and becoming covered with filth; then he is liberated and he returns to his father’s royal house.
Kedushat Levi, Exodus, Shemot
The names of the tribes indicate the elevation of all desires to Hashem alone—Reuben elevated the desires between man and woman to the Creator, Simeon did likewise, and Levi indicates the elevation of all attachments to the Creator; therefore the tribes are called matot (staves), from the language of directing from one chamber to another, meaning that physical desires elevated them to the Creator.
הנה באמת שמות השבטים מורים על העלאות כל התאוה לה' לבדו. בראובן העלה כל התאות שבין איש לאשתו להבורא יתברך שמו וכן שמעון וכן לוי מורה עליות כל התחברות להבורא יתברך לכך נקראים השבטים מטות מלשון מטהו מחלון לחלון, כלומר שהתאות הגשמיות העלהו להבורא יתברך.
Noam Elimelekh, Sefer Devarim, Ki Tavo.1:1
Rav Elimelech of Lizhensk comments on the verse 'because you did not serve Hashem with joy' (Devarim 28:47), teaching that lack of simcha in avodah is itself a sin — simcha is not optional but essential to genuine service of Hashem.
והיה כי תבא כו'. נראה לפרש דהנה יש שני מדריגות צדיקים, יש צדיק עובד ה' מיראה כל ימות החול, ובהגיע שבת קודש ניתוסף עליו קדושה יתירה שעובד מאהבה, כי בחינת שבת היא אהבה, ובוא יבוא הצדיק במדריגת אהבה, ויש צדיק שגם בימי החול עובד ה' באהבה, וזה הצדיק נקרא בשם "שבת" כדאיתא בזוהר הקדוש תלמיד חכם נקרא שבת, והיינו כי שבת היא בחינת אהבה, והצדיק הזה ג"כ תמיד בבחינה הזאת לכן ג"כ נקרא שבת. וזהו שאמרו חז"ל "כל המענג את השבת נותנין לו נחלה בלי מצרים", ר"ל הצדיק שהוא תמיד בבחינת אהבה והוי כמענג עם השבת שמתענגין זה עם זה, כי הוא תמיד בבחינת אהבה כמו השבת, נותנין לו נחלה כו' ר"ל נחל ה', הוא הנחל העליון אשר משם מושך הצדיק השפע לישראל. וזהו דמצינו באליהו הנביא ז"ל "וישב בנחל כרית והעורבים מביאים לו לחם", ולכאורה למה בחר ה' בעורבים שהם אכזרים על בניהם שהם יביאו לו לחם? וע"פ דברינו הנ"ל כך פירושו, "וישב בנחל" שהיה ממשיך השפעות מנחל העליון, ודרכי העורבים הם הקליפות לטרוף טרף ההשפעות, אלא העובד ה' מאהבה גם הם ישלימו ויסכימו עמו לבלתי יגעו בהשפעה, וזהו רמז ש"העורבים הביאו לו לחם" ר"ל שגם הקליפות הסכימו עמו. וזהו "כל המענג כו' נותנים לו נחלה", כנ"ל להמשיך השפעות מנחל ה', "בלי מצרים" ר"ל בלי שום קטרוג ומונע. וזהו "כי תבא" לשון יחיד, דהיינו כשיהיו כל ישראל באחדות, "אשר ה' אלקיך" ר"ל שבכללות ישראל יש שני הבחינות הנ"ל אהבה ויראה, ה' הוא אהבה, ואלקים הוא דין הוא יראה, אז כשתהיו כולם באחדות "נותן לך נחלה וירשתה", ר"ל אז יהיה הנחל ה' בידך להמשיך השפעות קדושה וברכה לכל ישראל.
And it will be, when you come etc. (Deuteronomy 26:1) - it is important to explain that behold, there are two levels of righteous people. There is the righteous that serves G!d out of awe all days of the wee, and when the Holy Shabbat comes an extra holiness is added to that righteous one, that s/he serves G!d out of love, and through that the righteous one comes to the level of love. And there is the righteous person that also during the days of the week serves G!d out of love, and this righteous one is called with the name Shabbat, as we find in the Holy Zohar “a disciple of the sages is called Shabbat”, that is, Shabbat is the aspect of love, and this righteous person is always at this level, therefore s/he is also called Shabbat. And that is what our sages of blessed memory said “whoever enjoys Shabbat is given an inheritance (nachalah) without limit” that is to say, the righteous person that is always in the aspect of love, and enjoys the Shabbat and they enjoy each other, because that [righteous] one is always in the aspect of love [just] like the Shabbat, “is given an inheritance [nachalah] etc” that is, nachal H’, which is the higher river [nachal] from which the righteous person makes the Flow (Shefa) continue to Israel. And this is what we find regarding Eliahu HaNavi z”l, “and he sat by Nachal Karit and the crows brought bread for him” (I Kings 17:2). And it is important to ask why did G!d chose the crows, which are cruel to their young, to bring bread to him? And according to our previous words “and he sat by Nachal” that he was continuing the Flow from the Higher River, and the ways of the crows, which are the husks (kelipot) is to tear at the flows, and this is the hint (remez) that “the crows brought him bread” that is to say that even the husks agreed with him. And this is “whoever enjoys is given Nachalah etc”, as we said before, to continue the Flows from the River of G!d “without limit” that is to say without any prosecutor nor preventer. And this is “when you come”, the language is about the individual, which means that when all Israel are in oneness; “that Ad-nai your G!d” meaning that in the collective of Israel there are the two aspects spoken of before, love and awe, Havayah is love and Elokim is judgment which is awe, then, when all are in oneness, “He gives to you as inheritance (nachalah) and you possess it”, that is to say that then the River (Nachal) of Ad-nai will be in your hand to continue the flows of holiness and blessing to all of Israel.