The merit of marbin besimcha
Who merits the World to Come?
That'sa question that was bothering Rabbi Beroka. He didn't look it up using Google or ChatGpt bcause he ha Eliyahu the Prophet on hand to answer his question by pointing out specific people in the marketplace in that category. A few different types get identified in Taanis 22a, including a pair of jesters.
דְּהָכִי וְהָכִי אֲתוֹ הָנָךְ תְּרֵי אַחֵי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הָנָךְ נָמֵי בְּנֵי עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי נִינְהוּ. אֲזַל לְגַבַּיְיהוּ, אֲמַר לְהוּ: מַאי עוֹבָדַיְיכוּ? אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: ינָשֵׁי
בָּדוֹחֵי אֲנַן, מְבַדְּחִינַן עֲצִיבֵי. אִי נָמֵי, כִּי חָזֵינַן בֵּי תְרֵי דְּאִית לְהוּ תִּיגְרָא בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ, טָרְחִינַן וְעָבְדִינַן לְהוּ שְׁלָמָא.
This account struck me as the type of simcha we are supposed to be increasing during the month of Adar.It's the kind that lift people up and leads t greater social harmony. The same brothers wo tell jokes to cheer people up also bring about peace. When you think about it, it makes sense. Happpy people are not resentful and more apt to get along with others than those who are nursing grudges.
The Purim story is not just about foiling the genocidal plot of Haman but also about kiyemu vekiblue -- a reacceptance of the Torah. The prerequisite of tht is achieving perfect unity among the Jews. They have not just be one people but connected as one person. This fits with what I've observed on the half shekel that we just red in this week's parsha and will now read again as IParshat Shekalim.
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