Joy & Grief Sources

1. The Eternal answered the prayer of Abraham on behalf of Abimelech, and he likewise had Sarah in mind, as He had promised; namely, that she would conceive; and the Eternal did to Sarah as He had spoken, namely that she would bear a child.

2. So Sarah conceived, and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the fixed time of which the angels of the Almighty had spoken to him.

3. And Abraham called the name of his son, that was born to him, Isaac (Joy).

4. When Isaac his son was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as the Almighty had commanded him;

5. though Abraham was a hundred years old, when Isaac was born to him; nevertheless, he spared not his son but circumcised him.

6. Sarah said: “The Almighty has made joy for me; whoever hears of it will rejoice for me.”
7. And she further said: “Praised be the Eternal Who has said to Abraham that Sarah will give children to suck; for I have borne him a son in his old age.”

(40) On the first day you shall take the product of hadar trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.

(1) A psalm for praise. Raise a shout for the LORD, all the earth;
(2) worship the LORD in gladness;
come into His presence with shouts of joy.
(3) Acknowledge that the LORD is God;
He made us and we are His, His people, the flock He tends.
4) Enter His gates with praise, His courts with acclamation. Praise Him! Bless His name!
(5) For the LORD is good;
His steadfast love is eternal;
His faithfulness is for all generations.

The Sages taught: One may neither stand to pray from sorrow nor from laziness, nor from laughter, nor from a conversation, nor from frivolity, nor from purposeless matters. Rather, from the joy of a mitzva.

§ The Mishna taught that Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: There were no days as happy for the Jewish people as the fifteenth of Av and as Yom Kippur. The Gemara asks: Granted, Yom Kippur is a day of joy because it has the elements of pardon and forgiveness, and moreover, it is the day on which the last pair of tablets were given.

It was taught: R' Yehuda b. Beteira says: "While the Temple is standing, there is no joy unless there is meat, as it says (Deut. 27) 'And you shall sacrifice peace offerings and eat them there, and you will be joyful before the Lord, your G!d'. Now that the Temple is not standing, there is no joy without wine, as it says (Psalms 104) ' And wine will rejoice the heart of man.'"

§ The Gemara returns to its explanation of the Megilla. The verse states: “The Jews had light and gladness, and joy and honor” (Esther 8:16). Rav Yehuda said: “Light”; this is referring to the Torah that they once again studied. And similarly, it says: “For the mitzvah is a lamp and the Torah is light” (Proverbs 6:23). “Gladness” [simḥa]; this is referring to the Festivals that they once again observed. And similarly, it says: “And you shall be glad [vesamakhta] on your Festival” (Deuteronomy 16:14). “Joy” [sasson]; this is referring to circumcision, as they once again circumcised their sons. And similarly, it says: “I rejoice [sas] at Your word” (Psalms 119:162), which the Sages understood as referring to David’s rejoicing over the mitzva of circumcision.

(1) The Israelites arrived in a body at the wilderness of Zin on the first new moon, and the people stayed at Kadesh. Miriam died there and was buried there. (2) The community was without water, and they joined against Moses and Aaron.

(22) Setting out from Kadesh, the Israelites arrived in a body at Mount Hor. (23) At Mount Hor, on the boundary of the land of Edom, G!d said to Moses and Aaron, (24) “Let Aaron be gathered to his kin: he is not to enter the land that I have assigned to the Israelite people, because you disobeyed My command about the Waters of Meribah. (25) Take Aaron and his son Eleazar and bring them up on Mount Hor. (26) Strip Aaron of his vestments and put them on his son Eleazar. There Aaron shall be gathered unto the dead.” (27) Moses did as G!d had commanded. They ascended Mount Hor in the sight of the whole community. (28) Moses stripped Aaron of his vestments and put them on his son Eleazar, and Aaron died there on the summit of the mountain. When Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain, (29) the whole community knew that Aaron had breathed his last. All the house of Israel bewailed Aaron thirty days.

(1) Moses went up from the steppes of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the summit of Pisgah, opposite Jericho, and G!d showed him the whole land: Gilead as far as Dan; (2) all Naphtali; the land of Ephraim and Manasseh; the whole land of Judah as far as the Western Sea; (3) the Negeb; and the Plain—the Valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees—as far as Zoar. (4) And G!d said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, ‘I will assign it to your offspring.’ I have let you see it with your own eyes, but you shall not cross there.” (5) So Moses the servant of G!d died there, in the land of Moab, at the command of G!d.

(6) [G!d] buried him in the valley in the land of Moab, near Beth-peor; and no one knows his burial place to this day. (7) Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died; his eyes were undimmed and his vigor unabated. (8) And the Israelites bewailed Moses in the steppes of Moab for thirty days. The period of wailing and mourning for Moses came to an end.

(1) Mourner: Yitgadal v’yitkadash sh’mei raba: [cong. Amen.]

(2) Mourner: b’alma di-v’ra chirutei, v’yamlich malchutei b’chayeichon uvyomeichon uvchayei d’chol beit yisrael, ba’agala uvizman kariv, v’im’ru: “amen.” [cong. Amen.]

(3) Cong. and mourner: Y’hei sh’mei raba m’varach l’alam ul’almei almaya.

(4) Mourner: Yitbarach v’yishtabach, v’yitpa’ar v’yitromam v’yitnaseh, v’yithadar v’yit’aleh v’yit’halal sh’mei d’kud’sha, b’rich hu, [cong. b’rich hu.]

(5) Mourner: l’eila min-kol-birchata v’shirata, tushb’chata v’nechemata da’amiran b’alma, v’im’ru: “amen.” [cong. Amen.]

(6) Mourner: Y’hei shlama raba min-sh’maya v’chayim aleinu v’al-kol-yisrael, v’im’ru: “amen.” [cong. Amen.]

(7) Mourner: Oseh shalom bimromav, hu ya’aseh shalom aleinu v’al kol-yisrael, v’imru: “amen.” [cong. Amen.]

Glorified and sanctified be G!d’s great name throughout the world
which G!d has created according to G!d's will.

May G!d establish G!d's kingdom in your lifetime and during your days,
and within the life of the entire House of Israel, speedily and soon;
and say, Amen.

May G!d's great name be blessed forever and to all eternity.

Blessed and praised, glorified and exalted, extolled and honored,
adored and lauded be the name of the Holy One, blessed be G!d,
beyond all the blessings and hymns, praises and consolations that
are ever spoken in the world; and say, Amen.

May there be abundant peace from heaven, and life, for us
and for all Israel; and say, Amen.

G!d who creates peace in G!d's celestial heights,
may G!d create peace for us and for all Israel;
and say, Amen.

He brought a valuable cup worth four hundred zuz and broke it before them and they became sad. The Gemara also relates: Rav Ashi made a wedding feast for his son and he saw the Sages, who were excessively joyous. He brought a cup of extremely valuable white glass and broke it before them, and they became sad.

"A valiant woman, who can find" (Proverbs 31:10): That is the Torah; "and further than pearls (peninim) is her price" - as it was 'in front of Me and inside (lefanim)' and Moshe merited to bring it down to earth. "Her husband puts his confidence in her and lacks no 'booty'" - that there is nothing lacking in it. Another explanation: "A valiant woman, who can find" -

They said, "There was a story about Rabbi Meir who was sitting and expounding in the study hall on Shabbat afternoon when two of his sons died. What did his mother do? She placed both of them on the bed and spread a sheet over them. At the end of Shabbat, Rabbi Meir came home from the study hall. He said to her, 'Where are my two sons?' She said [back], 'They went to the study hall.' He said to her, 'I scanned the study hall and I did not see them.' They gave him the cup of Havdalah and he separated [the days of the week with the closure of Shabbat]. He repeated and said, 'Where are my two sons?' She said, 'They went elsewhere and they are coming now.' She placed food in front of him and he ate and blessed. After he blessed, she said to him, 'I have a question to ask you.' He said to her, 'Say your question.' She said to him, 'Rabbi, before today, a man came and deposited something with me, and now he is coming to take it. Should we return it to him or not?' He said, 'My daughter, one who has a deposit with him must return it to its owner.' She said to him, 'Were it not for your consent, I would not have given it to him.' What did she do? She grabbed his hand, brought him up to that room, had him approach the bed, and took off the sheet from upon them. When he saw both of them dead and laying upon the bed, he began to cry and say, 'My sons, my sons, my teachers, my teachers - my sons in the way of the world, my teachers in that they would enlighten my eyes with their Torah.' At that time, she said to Rabbi Meir, 'Rabbi, is this not what I told you - do I not need to return the deposit to its Owner?' He said, '"The Lord has given and the Lord has taken; may the name of the Lord be blessed"' (Job 1:21)." Rabbi Chanina said, "With this thing, she consoled him and his mind became composed - that is why it states, 'A valiant woman, who can find.'" Rabbi Chama bar Chanina said, "On account of what did the sons of Rabbi Meir become liable and die at one time? Because they were accustomed to leaving the study hall to sit with food and drink." Rabbi Yochanan said, "Even with trifling matters - as when the Torah was given to Israel, he only warned them about the words of Torah, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 26:16), 'This day the Lord, your God, commands you to do.'"

(1) Now Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu each took his fire pan, put fire in it, and laid incense on it; and they offered before ה' alien fire, which had not been enjoined upon them. (2) And fire came forth from ה' and consumed them; thus they died at the instance of ה'. (3) Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what ה' meant by saying:
Through those near to Me I show Myself holy,
And gain glory before all the people.”And Aaron was silent. (4) Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, “Come forward and carry your kinsmen away from the front of the sanctuary to a place outside the camp.” (5) They came forward and carried them out of the camp by their tunics, as Moses had ordered. (6) And Moses said to Aaron and to his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not bare your heads and do not rend your clothes, lest you die and anger strike the whole community. But your kin, all the house of Israel, shall bewail the burning that ה' has wrought. (7) And so do not go outside the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, lest you die, for G!d's anointing oil is upon you.” And they did as Moses had bidden. (8) And ה' spoke to Aaron, saying: (9) Drink no wine or other intoxicant, you or your sons, when you enter the Tent of Meeting, that you may not die. This is a law for all time throughout the ages, (10) for you must distinguish between the sacred and the profane, and between the tamei and the tahor; (11) and you must teach the Israelites all the laws which ה' has imparted to them through Moses. (12) Moses spoke to Aaron and to his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar: Take the meal-offering that is leftover from יהוה’s offerings by fire and eat it unleavened beside the altar, for it is most holy. (13) You shall eat it in the sacred precinct, inasmuch as it is your due, and that of your sons, from G!d's offerings by fire; for so I have been commanded. (14) But the breast of elevation offering and the thigh of gift offering you [and your wife], and your sons and daughters with you, may eat in any pure place, for they have been assigned as a due to you and your sons from the Israelites’ sacrifices of well-being. (15) Together with the fat of fire offering, they must present the thigh of gift offering and the breast of elevation offering, which are to be elevated as an elevation offering before ה', and which are to be your due and that of your sons with you for all time—as ה' has commanded. (16) Then Moses inquired about the goat of sin offering, and it had already been burned! He was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s remaining sons, and said, (17) “Why did you not eat the sin offering in the sacred area? For it is most holy, and it is what was given to you to remove the guilt of the community and to make expiation for them before ה'. (18) Since its blood was not brought inside the sanctuary, you should certainly have eaten it in the sanctuary, as I commanded.” (19) And Aaron spoke to Moses, “See, this day they brought their sin offering and their burnt offering before ה', and such things have befallen me! Had I eaten sin offering today, would ה' have approved?” (20) And when Moses heard this, he approved.

TRANSLITERATION

Hinei El y'shuati, evtach v'lo efchad.
Ki ozi v'zimrat Yah Hashem vay'hi li lishuah.
Ush'avtem mayim b'sason mimaay'nei hay'shuah.
L'Hashem hay'shuah, al am'cha virchatecha, selah.
Hashem tz'vaot imanu, misgav lanu, Elokei Yaakov, selah.
Hashem tz'vaot, ashrei adam botei-ach bach!
Hashem hoshiah; haMelech yaaneinu v'yom kor'einu.

LaY'hudim hay'tah orah v'simchah v'sason vikar; kein tih'yeh lanu.

Kos y'shuot esa, uv'shem Hashem ekra.

Baruch atah, Hashem Elokeinu, Melech haolam, borei p'ri hagafen.

Baruch atah, Hashem Elokeinu, Melech haolam, borei minei v'samim.

Baruch atah, Hashem Elokeinu, Melech haolam, borei m'orei ha-esh.

Baruch atah, Hashem Elokeinu, Melech haolam, hamavdil bein kodesh l'chol, bein or l'choshech, bein Yisrael laamim, bein yom hash'vi-i l'sheishet y'mei hamaaseh.
Baruch atah Hashem, hamavdil bein kodesh l'chol.

TRANSLATION

Behold, the G!d who gives me triumph! I am confident, unafraid; for G!d is my strength and might, and has been my deliverance. Joyfully shall you draw water from the fountains of triumph, deliverance is G!d's; Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah.
HashemTz'vaot is with us; the G!d of Jacob is our haven. Selah.
HashemTz'vaot happy is the one who trusts in You. O G!d, grant victory!
May the Sovereign answer us when we call.

(This line is customarily recited by the participants first and then the leader repeats:)
The Jews enjoyed light and gladness, happiness, and honor.
So may it be for us.
I raise the cup of deliverance and invoke the name of G!d.

We praise You, Ad!nai our G!d, Sovereign of all, Creator of the fruit of the vine.

We praise You, Ad!nai our G!d, Sovereign of all, Creator of varied spices.

We praise You, Ad!nai our G!d, Sovereign of all, Creator of the lights of fire.

Praise to You, Ad!nai our G!d, Sovereign of all: who distinguishes between the holy and ordinary, between light and dark, between Israel and the nations, between the seventh day and the six days of work. Praise to You, Adonai who distinguishes the holy and ordinary.