Fear of Israel

The story of Balak and Bilaam is very timely, and should give us hope. Our present situation needs to end as is hinted in the Torah.

We are introduced to Balak, the king of Moab. We are told that the entire nation of Moab has been struck with a great fear of the Jewish people. Surprisingly, their fear was not based on the fantastic exodus from Egypt, and the devastation and demise of the Egyptians. This was forty years later, and even great events could be forgotten.

They had heard of the miraculous defeat of the two giants, Sichon and Og. Moshe had conquered them and the land of the Emori, and Bashan. This is the area that includes the Golan Heights of today.

The fear of the neighboring countries of Midian and Moab was so great that even though they hated each other, they made an alliance. They needed to do something to weaken the Jewish people, or they would be next.

Throughout the Tanach, we see a repeated scenario. Israel’s enemies believe that they can harm us, and may even wish to have us eliminated, G-d forbid. Ultimately, Hashem’s love for His people is so great that He helps subdue our enemies. Not only are they defeated, but they are left with a feeling of awe and fear of Am Yisrael.

Balak and Bilaam were both motivated by fear and hatred of the Jewish people. They thought they could devise a new scheme of cursing Israel to weaken them. They failed and they were both killed. The glory of Israel remained as did the fear of Israel.

I believe that the bravery of our soldiers and the heroism of the Jewish people, will have the same result in our current war. With Hashem’s help, we will see a great victory. And our enemies will respect us and be in a state of fear of the G-d of Israel and His people.

Choosing Good Friends

The Messilat Yesharim discusses how harmful a bad choice of friends can be to a person. They can bring ruin to one’s soul, his possessions, and his entire reputation.

One must recognize the danger of flattery. It is particularly important to stay away from friends that are nothing more than flatterers. Such people act with deceit, have an agenda, and are certainly not true friends.

There is nothing better for a person than to seek out friends of integrity. He will open his eyes to that which he is blind. When he errs, he will admonish him out of his love for him, saving him from every evil.

Often a person is unable to see his own faults. His true friend will see and will warn him to improve his ways, so that he will be protected from those dangers.

By seeking the advice of men of integrity, one saves himself from his own faults and weaknesses. We must take great care to surround ourselves only with positive, sincere, and idealistic friends.

It is important that we stay focused on our ultimate purpose in this world. We need to constantly work at self improvement, and growing spiritually. Our choice of good friends, can be a great help in achieving these goals.

Hitting the Rock

There are many possible explanations as to what exactly was Moshe’s sin when he hit the rock, rather than speak to it. The obvious answer is that he disobeyed Hashem’s command.

There is another interpretation that Moshe’s sin was that he did not control his anger. This got him in trouble in the past, and he still needed to overcome this character flaw.

There is yet another interpretation that has relevance to today. When they began their journey in the desert forty years earlier, Moshe was actually commanded to hit the rock to bring forth water. That generation was very tough, as they had only recently become free men. They did not have a problem being treated in a harsh manner.

But now as they were about to enter Eretz Yisrael, it was a much more pampered generation. They were used to having everything done for them. They were not used to being scolded in a direct way.

Hashem wanted to see if Moshe could make the adjustment with this present generation. When he failed by hitting the rock, it was decided that a new leader was needed to bring the nation into the Promised Land.

Educators need to make similar adjustments in line with the abilities of their students. We are taught to teach according to the needs of the student. This was one of the main lessons learned from the episode of Moshe hitting the rock.

Death of Miriam

There is an interesting Midrash, that is very deductive. This was based on the simple verse that says that Miriam died, and she was buried.

The Midrash deduces that Miriam’s death must have occurred after the entire generation of the desert had already died. Until that time, every year on Tisha B’Av, the people needed to dig their own grave, and sleep in it.

If they were included in the punishment of the spies, they would not wake up. This happened until the final year in the desert. When the fifteenth of Av came, and there was no more death, that date became a minor holiday known as Tu B’Av.

If the narrative of the Torah, told us that Miriam was buried, it must have been after the punishment was over.

During that fortieth year, Miriam first passed away, and the “באר מרים,” Miriam’s well, ended the water supply in the desert. Aharon also died a few months later, and the “Clouds of Glory,” died with him. And in the last month of the year in Adar, Moshe Rabbeinu passed away, that ended the falling of the Manna.

It is interesting how the wisdom of the Rabbis allows them to piece together, historical events.

Honoring Parents

The Talmud in Masechet Kidushin, discusses the importance of the Mitzva to honor our parents. It tells the story of a non-Jew named Dama Ben Netina, who showed great honor to his father.

The Beit Hamikdash sent representatives to Dama Ben Netina, to negotiate the purchase of one of the precious stones of the breastplate of the Kohein Hagadol. They were willing to pay a large sum of money for this purchase.

Dama passed up this opportunity because he refused to wake up his father to get the key, where this precious stone was being stored.

As a reward for showing such great honor to his father, the next year, a Red Heifer was born to Dama’s herd, and he received the same amount of money that he would have earned the year before.

The Chidushei Harim asks why he was rewarded in this fashion. Couldn’t his loss have been made up in some other way?

He answers that the Red Heifer was his reward in order to protect Am Yisrael. If there would have been some kind of prosecution in the Heavenly court against the Jewish people, we would have a proper response.

If it was said that we should be embarrassed that we were outshone by the Gentile, Dama Ben Netina, who was willing to lose a big sum of money for honoring his father, we would answer as follows.

Dama was willing to lose money for a Mitzva that was logical and had merit. But the Jewish people were willing to spend a huge sum for a Mitzva that had no logical explanation.

Therefore, the merit of the Jewish people was even greater than that wonderful act of Dama Ben Netina.

Rewarded for Faith

The Mitzva of the פרה אדומה, the Red Heifer, is considered the most difficult commandment of the Torah. It is in the category of a “Chok,” which means that we are not meant to understand it.

Other examples of Chukim, would be the prohibition of mixing milk and meat. And the restrictions against forbidden mixtures, such as wool and linen, also falls under the category of “Chok.”

The message here is that our commitment to religious observance is not based on our understanding why exactly we observe each Mitzva. It is based on our faith that everything in the Torah is true, and expresses the will of G-d.

We are taught that our reward is far greater when we not only do not understand why we do what we do. But it is even greater when according to our own intellect and values, what we are asked to do, doesn’t seem right to us.

Nevertheless, we surrender our will for the sake of Hashem’s will. We are mere human beings composed of flesh and blood. How could we possibly think that we are on a level to disagree with the Eternal G-d, who created us?

When we come to sections of the Torah, like Para Aduma, it is a reminder of our own smallness, and the greatness of the King of the Universe,

Know How To Answer the Heretic

The Keli Yakar makes an observation about the redundancy of the wording in the Torah. The Mitzva of the פרה אדומה, the Red Heifer is introduced at the beginning of Parshat Chukat.

Usually, a section begins with instructions from Hashem to Moshe, and ends with the word, “לאמר,” to teach it to the nation. In this instance, the word, לאמר, is said a second time in the very next Pasuk.

The explanation for this redundancy is to remind us of our obligation to know how to explain the truth of the Torah to Gentiles and heretics. This is especially true when we are presented with a Mitzva that is extremely difficult to comprehend.

The ashes of the Red Heifer were needed to atone for one who came in contact with the dead. The difficulty comes from the fact that the Kohanim who handle this animal, become impure, while the one who was impure, becomes pure. Even King Solomon could not understand this Mitzva.

This serves as a recognition that it is our duty to be so well versed in the Torah, so that we be able to explain it to others. The Mishna in Pirkei Avot tells us, דע מה להשיב לאפיקורס, “know how to answer the heretic.”

Some say that we get a pass regarding the Para Adumah. The nations of the world might see us observing these inexplicable laws, and they marvel at us by saying, “Only a wise and understanding nation, could have such statutes.”

Nevertheless, we are confronted today with missionaries and cults that try to undermine the validity of the Torah. We must be equipped with basic answers to show the fallacies of their philosophies.

The benefit of having this knowledge, is that we get strengthened ourselves when we realize how easy it is to refute the New Testament and other challenges to our religion. We must know that there is only one truth in the world and that is Hashem and the Torah.

Acquiring Humility

The Messilat Yesharim describes humility as one of the highest character traits that a person can possess.

The author, Rav Moshe Chaim Lutzatto, gives directions as to how to achieve true humility. He breaks this down into two major areas. There is Anava, (Hebrew for humility) in outlook and Anava in conduct, which is a humble manner of behavior.

Anava in outlook reminds a person of his own deficiencies. Every person has limited talents, and he is expected to use those talents to the best of his ability. He must remind himself of the lowly state of earthly creatures. And also be reminded the puniness of our accomplishments compared to earlier generations.

Anava in conduct consists of humble comportment in four areas: generally behaving in an unassuming manner-in one’s manner of speech, walking, and similar things. Tolerating insults shows humility, as does fleeing from honor. And finally, the humble person is careful to treat everyone with respect.

These are some of the tips given in Messilat Yesharim. It also that we never forget our own mortality and vulnerability.

We must remember that greatness and true humility go together. The greater the person, the more humble he is. And this is exactly why Moshe Rabbeinu was the greatest person whoever lived.

Special Laws For the Kohein and Levi

After establishing that Aharon was the one designated to serve as the Kohein Hagadol, the Torah listed some of the laws connected with the Kohanim and Leviim.

Both the Kohanim and Leviim were given the responsibility of guarding the Temple. They were to make sure that its sanctity was not compromised. There was nightly guard duty surrounding all of the entrances to the Temple. The Kohanim were on the inside, and the Leviim on the outside.

There was another commandment that the Kohanim should not do the work of the Leviim, and the Leviim were not to do the work of the Kohanim. Each one’s role, needed to be respected.

There was another negative commandment that forbade a non-Kohein for taking part in Temple service. This was related to maintaining the sanctity of the Temple.

There were also special gifts reserved for the Kohanim and Leviim. The Kohein was given the task of Pidyon Haben. He was entitled to keep the five silver coins necessary to redeem the first born. The major gift given to the Levite was Maaser Rishon, or the first tithe. They received ten percent of the produce of the fields of all of Israel. This was their major source of sustenance, as the Leviim were generally considered poor.

All of these laws mentioned, are found in the latter part of Parshat Korach. This was a clear indication of the special role of the Kohein and Levi. Someone once said that the very slogan written on some police cars, described the Kohein and Levi, with the simple words, “to protect and to serve.”

Selfish People Cannot Be Happy

The Torah tells us that when Moshe Rabbeinu heard all of the claims that were made against him, he fell on his face.

The Talmud in Masechet Sanhedrin asked what exactly did Moshe hear? The answer is that they accused him of having relations with married women. It may have been a response of disbelief at how low his detractors would go at trying to discredit him.

In Jewish Law, if there is a dispute, and one side says, “I am not an evil person,” this is an indication that he is accusing the other side of being evil.

When Korach told Moshe that the entire nation is holy, he was implying that Moshe was not holy. But there is also the consideration that often when one accuses someone else of wrongdoing, they are actually the ones doing that which they are accusing others about.

It is well known that Chazal tell us that קדושה, holiness, is found when one is careful not to violate any of the laws connected with sexual immorality.

Therefore, when Korach and his cronies made these serious accusations against Moshe, it implied that they were guilty of these very accusations.

Psychologists might say that a clear indication of the narcissistic personality, is that typically, the narcissist accuses others of the very thing for which he is carrying guilt. It would not be wrong to say that Korach was the classic narcissist. He only saw himself and satisfying his own needs without being able to realize the damage of such self gratification.

A selfish person can never find happiness or peace of mind. Like so many people, Korach had so much to be grateful for. But he allowed himself to succumb to his personality flaws. How sad it is when an individual self destructs!

A Real Leader

The Torah commentators use the story of Korach’s rebellion, as an indication of how difficult it is to be a leader in Israel. If the greatest man whoever lived had his detractors, then it is clear that every leader will have his share of troublemakers.

There is an old joke, where a congregation is asked if they would accept an eighty year old with a speech impediment as their rabbi. They replied that they certainly would not accept such a person for that position. The reply to them was, “You just turned down Moshe Rabbeinu!”

Being a leader in Israel was never meant to be a popularity contest. The focus must always be the needs of the community. This is true for politicians and rabbis, (even though some rabbis act like politicians!)

Rabbi Yisrael Salanter had a great quote in connection with the role of rabbi. “A rabbi whose community does not disagree with him, is not really a rabbi. A rabbi who fears his community, is not really a man!

We see numerous examples from Tanach describing how difficult it is to be a leader in Israel. Shaul Hamelech is an example of one who was unable to meet the challenges of directing Am Yisrael.

When King David danced with great passion when the Holy Ark was returned to Jerusalem, he was reprimanded by his wife, Michal. (She was the daughter of Shaul.) She felt that such wild dancing was not appropriate for the king of Israel.

David told Michal that her father lost his kingdom because he cared too much about satisfying public opinion. He only cares about doing what was right in the eyes of G-d. David was a great leader who had the correct motivation. All leaders should follow his example. One can never satisfy everyone, but acting according to Hashem’s will, is the guarantee of success.

Try to Avoid Conflict

There is a Mishna in Pirkei Avot that says the disagreements between Shamai and Hillel, were for the sake of Heaven. The disagreements of Korach and his congregation, were not for the sake of Heaven.

It is implied by the wording of this Mishna, that there was also a great deal of strife within the ranks of the Korach rebellion. They had many different views as to how to go about removing Moshe and Aharon from their positions. The Noam Elimelech wrote that they all agreed on one point. They wanted to fight Moshe Rabbeinu at all costs. He was their common enemy.

This sounds strikingly familiar to many of the conflicts we see in the world today. In Israel, there are many groups that fight among themselves, but agree on one thing: רק לא ביבי, “as long as it’s not Bibi.” The same sentiment exists in the States with their “Trump” syndrome.

At the time of the Torah, there were demagogues, such as Korach, that knew how to rile up the people. They didn’t even know what the cause was, and they were ready to join the movement. Today it is the media that relentlessly goes after those that they do not like. They have a tremendous influence over the masses, who do not have the wisdom to discern between the truth and “fake news.”

Moshe and Aharon’s motivation was to show the people the truth. It helps a lot if you can bring down a fire to consume your sacrifice. But there needs to be a desire to seek real clarity in this world. Avoiding strife and conflicts that have no validity, should be learned from the disaster of Korach. We must always be certain that our motivations are pure. In that way, we will be confident that all that we do will be “for the sake of Heaven.”

Entitlement and Humility

There are two words that tell a great deal about a person’s character. These words are “entitlement” and “humility.” Korach’s downfall came about because of his feelings of entitlement. Aharon’s appointment as Kohein Hagadol was because of his humility.

Korach felt entitled to the position of High Priest since he descended from the esteemed family of Kehat. Just like his cousin, Aharon, he was the oldest male offspring to his father, Yitzhar. He also knew by way of Ruach Hakkdesh that the Prophet Shmuel, would descend from him, and he was on the level of Moshe and Aharon.

All of these feelings of entitlement made Korach crazy. He led a disgraceful rebellion which led to his demise. And by the way, it was said that Korach was the wealthiest man in the world.

Aharon epitomized humility in every way. We see how he humbly accepted his fate when his two sons were killed. And we saw how his humility did not allow him to have an ounce of jealousy towards his younger brother Moshe’s success. He and Moshe were mentioned as איש אחד בלב אחד, “One man and one heart.”

So much can be learned from Korach and Aharon. One’s sense of entitlement gives him no rest or peace of mind. He is never satisfied and always feels that he has more coming to him.

The humble person is happy with his lot in life. He realizes that everything he has is a gift from Hashem. Nobody owes him anything. He is overwhelmed with feelings of gratitude for the abundant undeserved kindness he has received from Hashem. He is happy and at peace and does not allow himself to harbor feelings of jealousy towards anyone.

It should be clear that we must emulate Aharon and his humility. And we must stay far away from the Korachs of the world, who live by their feelings of entitlement. What an incredibly value lesson this is, for all of us!

Karet

One of the punishments given in the Torah for serious offenses, is known as “Karet,” or being cut off from the Jewish people.

There are sins connected with incest that are punishable with Karet, as well as not fasting on Yom Kippur and eating Chametz on Pesach. We are not exactly sure how this punishment is given, because it is given in Heaven.

The Ramban mentions that there are three levels to Karet, depending on how they are written in the Torah. In one instance it says, ונכרתה האיש, “and that man shall be cut off.” It also says, ונכרתה הנפש, “and that soul shall be cut off.”

The first two cases might reflect a weakness in self control. But the most severe type of Karet has the words, הכרת תכרת, “that soul shall surely be cut off. This refers to sins in connection with blasphemy and denying the truth of the Torah.

The Talmud in Sanhedrin describes such a denier as an Apikores, or heretic. This refers to one who denies that the Torah is from Heaven. It includes even a denier that even one verse is not from Hashem. Such beliefs turn people away from the Torah, and they begin doubting its validity.

There is some comfort here as one needs to have a strong knowledge of Torah before he can be considered an Apikores. There may not actually be anyone that qualifies for this title. Nevertheless, one must be aware of the pitfalls of giving credibility to heretical ideas. We must stay firm in our beliefs in Hashem and the Torah. And we certainly must be aware of the severity of violating the commandments of the Torah, and especially those connected with Karet.

Turning After Eyes and Heart

One of the 613 Mitzvot comes from the chapter that discusses Tzitzit. Our fringes worn on our four cornered garments are meant to remind us to think in the right way.

The specific commandment is not to turn after our hearts and after our eyes. The explanation of “after our heart,” is that we are to refrain from allowing heretical ideas from entering our hearts. We need to carefully monitor what we read or hear. If that information is contrary to true Torah thought, we must distance ourselves from it.

The fear is that we might be negatively influenced, and it will cause us to turn away from G-d. We are only permitted such things if our goal is to understand it, so that we can refute such heretical ideas.

The other half of this commandment is not to turn “after our eyes.” The basic idea here is that we should not allow ourselves to be drawn towards various lusts. Such lusts cause us to be pulled down towards materialism and physical pleasures. Ultimately, we will become more obsessed with the physical, rather than the spiritual.

Both of these areas have proven that they do turn a person away from his task of serving Hashem, and getting closer to Him. We must be aware of the obstacles that might get us off track.

A Torah Jew should have the humility to realize that his own opinion is not significant. When a person wants to know how to react to a particular situation, he needs to find a traditional source to guide him in his thinking.

The goal is to get to the point where he is knowledgeable enough to be able to back up any viewpoint with the source for that view. In other words, one’s opinion is not his own, but he learns to act on every level, according to what is expected of him as a Jew.

Achieving this goal is helped greatly by remembering not to “turn our hearts and eyes” away from Hashem.

Loyalty To Our People

The tragic sins of the spies as well as the Golden Calf, were a reflection of a lack of loyalty. In both instances, the transgressors should have known better.

There were plenty of miraculous signs that showed that there was Divine protection. The exodus from Egypt and the revelation at Mount Sinai were clear indications that the promises of Moshe Rabbeinu would come true. Making a graven image and questioning our right to settle the Land of Israel, were clear indications that there was a serious lack of loyalty. Everything Moshe promised until that time, came true, and there was absolutely no justification for doubting him.

The issue of loyalty to the Jewish people, has become a topic worthy of great consideration. We have witnessed the most horrendous atrocities, and yet, when we legitimately respond to these acts, we are suddenly accused of absurd accusations of genocide and racism.

This latest excuse for anti-semitism, should make every Jew rethink where his loyalties lie. It should be clear that we are a “nation that dwells alone.” We must stick together because when all is said and done, we only have Hashem and each other to rely upon.

I find it strange that a recurring question in an election year is why is it that so many Jews do not vote on the basis of which candidate is good for the Jews and Israel.

This question is really a question of loyalty. Are we loyal to our people, or do we see ourselves as citizens of the country we are living in, before our commitment to the Jewish people.

As a result of October seventh, there is a new reality for many Jews. It is time to accept that a big part of this reality is that we are “guests” in every country where Jews live. The welcome mat does eventually get trampled upon. Perhaps we are witnessing a world wide trampling, and the conclusion ought to be, to remain loyal to the ones that we can truly trust. And there couldn’t be a better time than now, to come home to the one country that will welcome every Jew. In short, it is time for every Jew to come home to Israel.

Who Taught the World Morality

There is a point that needs to be made regarding the insanity that we have been witnessing since October the seventh. The record needs to be set straight.

When the Jewish people are asked at Mount Sinai whether they are prepared to accept the Torah, they first answer, “We will do.” They are asked the same question again, and they answer with, We will do and we will hear.”

The second answer reflected a willingness to observe all of the commandments of the Torah, without knowing what would be expected of us.

The first question we were asked was whether or not we were prepared to accept our unique יעוד, or destiny. Moshe explained that it would be the responsibility to teach the world morality.

While the rest of the world might choose to act in a wild and immoral fashion, the Jewish people were to be the anchor of the world.

We gave the world the Torah and Ten Commandments, and we were given the task of showing by example, all that is good and holy. It is written that the nations of the world will marvel at the Divine wisdom and sanctified practices of the Jewish. Only a wise and understanding people as the Jews could have such laws.

We need to be reminded of this fact, as Israel continues to fulfill their special destiny in the way it conducts itself.

This demonstrates the absolute absurdity of Israel constantly being lectured by other countries and bodies that don’t know the first thing about morality, and right and wrong.

Has America or the European Union, or ICC, shown itself as having superior values to the Chosen People. It is Chutzpah of the highest magnitude to be judged by these pathetic bodies.

We need to remind ourselves who we are, and be proud to be the”People of the Book.” The Jewish people will live forever, while those who lecture us will fall to oblivion.

Caleb-The First Aliya Shaliach

In the story of the spies, many see Calev as the hero. He was the one who had to speak out, as the people knew that Joshua would be loyal to Moshe.

The Torah tells us that Calev silenced the people from their complaining. He simply told that “We will go up and inherit the land, because we are able to do so.”

The Keli Yakar tells us that he needed to combat all of the negativity of the spies who doubted that they would receive Hashem’s protection.

In essence, Calev was the first Shaliach for making Aliya.

It was as if he foresaw the struggles that his descendants would go through when they would want to move to Israel.

Many people have to go through this same negativity. Often there are family members that discourage their idealistic relatives.

They tell them of the insurmountable struggles they wlll have to through. Making a living will be nearly impossible, not to mention the issues of security.

Making Aliya is the most worthwhile venture a Jew can do. I often said that if one truly loves his children, he would not raise them in America.

It is true that making Aliya is not the easiest Mitzva. But this is what makes its reward so great. We are simply coming home to the only place on earth where are welcome.

We must silence the negative voices of today’s Meraglim. And just like Calev, let everyone know that we will inherit the land and we will succeed!

Crying for Nothing

This week we read of the tragic story of the spies, and their evil report about Eretz Yisrael. They should have known better not to speak Lashon Hara. This incident followed Miriam’s punishment for speaking against Moshe Rabbeinu.

The Keli Yakar’s version of the story was that one of the purposes of sending the heads of the tribes as spies, was to test their true character.

We must not be intimidated by the outward appear of certain so called leaders. They might look the part because of how they dressed and carried themselves, but being able to stand up to the challenge of faith, might be another story.

The Talmud emphasizes the importance of תוכו כברו, that one’s inside must be like his outside. The spies failed miserably and chose to bad mouth Israel, instead of appreciating its holiness.

They succeeded in demoralizing the people that led to the night of, “crying for nothing.” Hashem said that this date, the ninth of Av, would be one of eternal weeping. Both Temples were destroyed on this date, as well as many other tragedies.

Sometimes the true men of faith are not necessarily the ones that feign piety, and are going through the motions. Their phoniness eventually gets exposed when they show weakness and not strength.

We are living in a time of incredible heroism. Our brave young soldiers have demonstrated just how much they love the land. They are rectifying the sin of the spies, as they are motivated by a deep love for the Land of Israel, and all Jews.

Caleb said it best as one of the two good spies. “We can beat these guys, for the land given to us, is a very, very good land.”

Those who see the miracles of Eretz Yisrael, long to be here, and are here. But it is the masses who are blinded by their comforts, that fail to appreciate Israel, and are left behind. Their phoniness will lead to their own downfall.

We are living in amazing times, and one would have to be blind, not to see how special these times are. The story of the spies should be all we need to get our thinking back on track.

Happiness and Worry

The Messilat Yesharim is a book that gives step by step instructions as to how a person is able to elevate himself spiritually.

The Ramchal expresses the goal of reaching the level of Chasdidut, which is translated as “piety.” This refers to an individual who has worked on himself to such a point that every action he does, is for the sole purpose of making Hashem proud of him.

Yet, despite having achieved such elevation, the Ramchal warns that this could be lost when one allows himself to be in a state of worry. When this worry is accompanied with too much focusing on worldly matters (watching the news!), he will quickly fall from his previous lofty situation.

To combat this, it is suggested that a person contemplate the greatness of G-d. It is recommended to study chapters of Tehillim, to become inspired by the passion King David had, in his own personal closeness to Hashem.

It is interesting to note that the Orchot Tzaddikim wrote his book based on parallel personality traits. He dealt with arrogance-humility, love-hate, generosity-miserliness. But when it came to the opposite of happiness, it was not sadness as we’d expect. The Orchot Tzaddikim felt that the opposite of happiness was worry.

The Mussar books all speak of doing our best to eliminate worry from our lives. It is a very unnecessary and destructive emotion. We must work to get to the point of complete reliance on Hashem, and acquire the faith that He is taking care of us and providing us with all our needs. We must not let worry take away our happiness.