In the past, I’ve sometimes felt LESS happy on Purim because of my own expectation that I’d be extremely happy, or that most other Jews are tremendously happy around Purim time. We all know that we are SUPPOSED to be happy. “When the month of Adar begins, our joy increases” (Talmud, Taanit 29a).
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10 Types of Happy Jews
One of the best things about Judaism, which is a religion, culture and peoplehood, is that there are so many different points of access and connection. I’ve found that what brings one Jew simcha (Jewish joy) may not light up his Jewish friend.
Here are ten different types of happy Jews (just in time for Purim!). Which one or two types would you categorize yourself as? I’m #4 and #5. Please note: of course an individual Jew can feel happiness from, and identify with, multiple aspects of Judaism (this is probably ideal, in fact). But most Jews seem to have an area or two that makes them especially happy. Let’s be honest, though, we are all kind of #2 😊
I Miss Abuelo…
“Simcha, what happened? You put on A LOT of weight since I saw you last!”
That’s how Abuelo (may his memory be for a blessing) greeted me last May, which was one of the last times I had the privilege of seeing him (although I didn’t know it at the time). Abuelo was a doctor and the father of D., a friend of mine in Modi’in. He used to visit Israel from his home in Argentina about twice a year to see his daughter, son-in-law and four grand kids.
Everyone warmly called him “Abuelo,” which means “grandfather” in Spanish, because he was an avuncular, sweet patriarch with a doctor’s calming bedside manner.
5 Best Purim Blog Posts
Happy Purim!
In case you missed them, here are my five best Purim blogs:
1. The Happiness of Rosh Chodesh
Rosh Chodesh (the beginning of a new Jewish month) teaches us about the resiliency of the Jewish people and the righteousness of women.
Do you know which singular action is said to guarantee you a place in the World to Come (heaven)?
Bird Man, Birdman and Purim
My name is displayed on a banner that hangs in my high school gymnasium. Nearly 20 years ago, I finished my three years of varsity high school basketball in Massachusetts having scored over 1,000 points.
At the time, I was the second-leading scorer in school history. A few years later, after others players had also broken that barrier, the school created a banner for its 1,000-point scorers.
If the high school version of me had known that one day his name would hang on a banner in the gym, he would have been ECSTATIC. I got into basketball because I craved recognition.
Duality of the Purim Mask
We all figuratively wear masks, at least occasionally, to hide our true identities. Some of us put on a mask at work. Others wear a mask in their communities, or even with their families. We are so scared that people will catch a glimpse of our authentic, vulnerable selves, and then reject us. It seems easier to wear a fake exterior, like armor.
It is a custom to dress up and wear masks during the upcoming holiday, Purim. When you think about it, in our everyday lives wearing a mask and hiding our authentic selves can be harmful. But in some instances, especially concerning happiness, putting on a mask can be helpful. We can call this “the duality of the Purim mask”…
G-d Bless the Comedians
The Talmud contains a fascinating story about an act that is apparently so important and noble that it GUARANTEES the one who performs it a spot in the World to Come (Heaven).
Which singular action could be so powerful and meaningful? Does a Jew have to donate major sums of his money to earn his place in the Next World? Does he have to learn Torah 18 hours a day?
The Happiness of Rosh Chodesh
Maybe something in your life isn’t going well. You’re struggling with a relationship; you’re unemployed or you hate your job; you can’t seem to lose weight and get in shape. Whatever the issue is, Rosh Chodesh (the beginning of a new month in the Jewish calendar) reminds us to NEVER give up, because things can get better. Perseverance and optimism are keys to simcha (Jewish joy), which we can learn by thinking about Rosh Chodesh and the cycles of the moon.