ADAR - TERUMA
Joy is the Pre-requisite to Life
There is a classic Chassidic saying that goes something like this: ‘Joy is not itself a mitzvah, but it brings to fulfilling many mitzvos. Conversely, melancholy is not itself a sin, but it brings to many sins.’ Joy is the fuel that nourishes our soul. If we are to go about life productively and usefully, we must have a fundamental degree of joy.