"Serve G*d With Joy"

JOY painting by Arielle

JOY pansies, birds painting

by © Arielle (Joy's older sister) 2007

SERVE G*D WITH JOY

Clock created by Joy Krauthammer ©

SERVE HASHEM WITH JOY
"Ivdu Et Hashem B'Simcha"

a teaching from the Holy Ari z"l sent by Reb Sholom Brodt

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Towards the end of the tochacha (section of admonition), Moshe Rabbainu says, "Since you did not serve Hashem your G*d, with joy and good heartedness, when you were affluent-- You will serve your enemies, whom Hashem sends against you, in hunger and in thirst... " (Parsha Ki Tavo. Deut. 28:47-48)

The opening word of this verse, in Hebrew is 'tachat' and is usually translated as "instead of". This word may also be translated as 'because'. So the Ari explains; how does it happen that a people who had attained such great spiritual heights and stood at Mt. Sinai, and actually heard Hashem's voice, could fall to such a low place to incur the wrath and curses found in this parsha? How could this be?

It all begins as a result of not serving Hashem with joy. Even if you are doing all the mitzvot correctly, but if they are being done without joy, then the 'yetzer harah' (the evil inclination) finds an opening, a crevice in which to latch on, and get a grip on you. If a Jew is doing a mitzvah with a heart filled with joy, there is no room, there is no place for the yetzer-hara to enter; there is no way for the 'yetzer harah' to knock you down.

In the beginning of the parsha wherein we learn of the mitzvah of "Bikkurim", the first-fruits, which we were to bring each year to Yerushalayim, the Torah says: "V'somachtah b'chol hatov ... " / you shall rejoice with all the good... "When you are joyful, there is life in your voice, there is life in your mitzvot; and even if you fall, you will get up again and again... and you will love again ... and you are one again ... united within the Mystery of Oneness."

But how is it possible to 'be commanded' to 'be joyful'? Rebbe Nachman says that being joyous is really our natural state; you only have to take a look the children to see how true this is.
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Additional teaching on TACHAT.
I love the word as part of El Moley Rachamim: "Tachat Kanfei haShechinah"/ UNDER the wings of Shechinah. I have these words engraved on the license frame of my auto's personalized plate. As I drive in JOY to my goals, I am flying on the wings of Shechina.

http://www.aish.com/tp/i/moha/48961051.html

The accepted translation is "an eye for an eye." A more literal, though not very helpful translation, would be "an eye under an eye." The word tachat literally means "under," but the sentence lacks any decisive meaning when translated this way. This same word appears several times in the Torah in other contexts:

And Adam was once again intimate with his wife and she had a son. And he called his name Shet, 'for God has provided me with other offspring tachat Hevel - in place of Hevel - for he was killed by Kayin. (Bereishit 4:25)

Though the word tachat could be translated literally as "under" or "for," neither of these translations works well in this context. Rather "in place of," "instead of," or "as a replacement for" is clearly the best definition.

Similarly, when Avraham was commanded to bring his son Yitzchak as an offering, at the last minute the heavens opened and an angel called out, bidding him to stop. The text continues:

Avraham lifted his eyes, and behold a ram was entangled in the brush by the horns, and Avraham went and took the ram, and offered it as an offering tachat b'no - in place of his son. (Bereishit 22:13)

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A Chabad link on PERPETUAL JOY from the Baal Shem Tov
www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?aid=1211258&jewish=Perpetual-Joy.htm
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Serve G*d With Joy

Every Tu B'Shvat I plant trees or flowers. On my daughter Aviva's birthday during Sukkot, when she was two years, I planted two citrus trees in her honor. People and animals truly appreciate the fruit from my trees. There was a child's swing set for Aviva between the trees, but as they matured, the swings were dismantled and trees planted, now over thirty years ago.

Friends and I "Serve G*d In Joy" as we plant and in 'covenant', co-partner / shutafim with The Holy One, continuing creation of the world and bringing beauty and health to the universe as well as chesed / loving-kindness. G*d has made us in the image of / b'tzelem Elokim, G*d's image in the world.

SERVE G*D WITH JOY workshop can be BOOKED at: joyofwisdom1 at gmail.com
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Enjoy photos of BEING IN JOY

Figs, Passion Fruits and Grapefruit in Joy's garden

Pomegranates and Joy

My friend Edith and her Persimmons

JOY photos

JOY Serving G*d In Joy
Uplifting friends to come to praise The Holy One

Joy Krauthammer on percussion

Aleph's Kallah

Hachnatsat Kallah gala
© Daryl Tempkin

Joy Krauthammer on djembe,
YION Farbrengen
© Martin Fine

Joy on djembe at Aviva & Brett's chuppah

Joy, percussionist,
Makom Ohr Shalom
© Mark Reden.

Joy percussionist, B'nai Horin

Joy Krauthammer
Ruach Ha Aretz

Joy, playing timbrel at Klaristenfeld wedding

Joy playing Miriyahm HaNeviah, Joy, percussionist, Shoshi's simcha, Ahavat Torah

Lev Eisha Women's Seder

Joy playing AJ Heschel Day School

Moroccan Seder

Joy Krauthammer, moon drum

Heschel School

Joy Krauthammer, percussionist, Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, Reb Debra Orenstein

Makom Ohr Shalom

Joy on blues kit, final class performance

Joy playing the blues "First Place"

Joy plays djembe

Rosh Chodesh, Shomrei Torah Synagogue

Joy Krauthammer, percussionist,

Wedding of Aviva & Brett

Joy plays Shoshi's simcha,

Ahavat Torah

Joy Krauthammer, Torah,

Serving G*d in Joy

Joy Krauthammer plays Tibetan singing bowls

Sounds of Joy

Serving B'nai Horin, House of the Book

ALL JOY SERVING G*D IN JOY

1 FOR JOY license plate

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The Secret of Joy

Reb Shlomo Carlebach, zt"l taught us a secret -

the secret of joy

If you want to be b'Simcha (joyous) give everyone blessings with all your heart. And even if at first this seems awkward, keep on doing it until you truly find yourself in that holy space of blessing - and before you even know it you will be b'simcha, you are joyous!

Don't forget we are also 'kohanim' as it says, "And you shall be into Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." [Shemos 19]

April 2009 ~ Nissan 5769

BlesSings to you for a meaningful Passover and journey from slavery to freedom.

"Then Miriam the Prophetess, Aaron's sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her with timbrels and dances." Exodus 15:20
Shabbat shalom. See you in shul.

Joy Krauthammer

Purple Bearded Iris in Joy's Garden photo by Joy Krauthammer ©
Just Joy, auto plate, photo by Joy Krauthammer ©

Serve G*d With Joy

Stained glass window, Carlebach Shul, NY

Shabbat shalom

I invite you to "Serve G*d With Joy". (Psalms 100:2)

"Ivdu Et Hashem B'Simcha"

BlesSings to you for shalom & joy.

Joy

Serve G*d With Joy heart

"Ivdu Et HaShem B'Simcha"