How to Increase in Joy When Life Is Difficult?

"When Adar enters, joy increases," and the righteous have explained that the word "increase" implies that we should add joy each day of the month of Adar. But how do we create joy when life's circumstances are not easy or joyful?

In the teachings of Chassidut, in accordance with the ideas from the Tanya, authored by the Alter Rebbe, the founder of Chabad Chassidut, we are taught 5 ways to do this:

1. Joy in simply being Jewish. Every Jew has a divine soul that is a part of Hashem Himself! We have the privilege of being connected to Hashem in a special and intimate way just by virtue of who we are.

2. Observance of Torah and mitzvot enables a connection with Hashem. A mitzvah comes from the word companionship and connection- a mitzvah binds us with Hashem. The mitzvah is like clothing for the soul, while Torah learning is like nourishment for the soul (because the one who learns Torah connects with the essence and innerness of Hashem Himself). We have the ability to create a connection with Hashem at any moment, through Torah and mitzvot and, of course, also through prayer – both prayer in the general format and personal prayer from the heart! This is also hinted at in the name Am Yisrael (yashar kel which means straight to G-d). We have the ability to create a direct connection with Hashem at all times!

3. Just as we are happy to bring joy to someone we love, we can also invoke joy in ourselves by contemplating that through doing Hashem's will, we bring satisfaction to Hashem and hasten the true and complete redemption!

4. Judaism teaches us to see the hidden good even in what doesn't seem positive at first glance. If we delve deep and seek the good in a situation, we succeed in being joyful.

5. When there is something painful in our lives or in our past, we can find a way to bring out good from the situation, and this will encourage us and add joy. In spiritual matters, when one performs precise repentance, it is possible, as the Lubavitcher Rebbe said, to transform failure into a springboard for a leap forward and an increase in holiness. From challenges in our lives, we can try to extract good and do the best we can.. Often, challenges and difficulties reveal hidden strengths in us that we were unaware of, leading us to live our lives more based on faith, truth, and kindness.

Chassidut teaches that "joy breaks boundaries" – joy elevates us beyond hardships, pains, and personal limitations. Joy leads to elevation that cannot always be achieved by other means, sweetens judgments and nullifies decrees!