Joy is an integral part of our avodas Hashem. The absence of such joy is clearly indicative of a deficiency of our appreciation for the great gift of Torah which Hashem has bestowed upon us. In this week's parsha the performance of mitzvos without this enthusiasm is strongly critiqued. After a long, harsh description of the terrible tragedies that will befall the Jewish people, the Torah concludes that these will occur because we are not serving Hashem with joy and goodness of our hearts. There are times during the year when it is relatively easy to be in a state of joy. Particularly during the Shalosh Regalim, when there is actually a mitzvah to rejoice, our avodas Hashem naturally takes on the spirit of joy. However, as we approach the Yomim Noraim it becomes more difficult to instill the proper level of joy into our avodas Hashem.
The Rambam highlights this by explaining that the very reason we don't recite Hallel on Rosh Hashana is because they are not days of abundant joy. The poskim note that the Rambam did not say there is no mitzvah to rejoice on these days. Rather, because of the appropriate fear and trepidation that accompany the Days of Judgment, the joy that would normally be present on yom tov is mitigated. Nevertheless, a degree of rejoicing is not only appropriate on the Yomim Noraim, according to many including the Rambam it is actually a fulfillment of simchas yom tov. What is the essence of this simcha that does accompany the otherwise awesome Days of Awe?
Chazal elaborate in Maseches Yoma about the two paths of teshuva. The lower level is teshuva that results from fear. Teshuva achieved out of love, however, is a significantly higher form of teshuva. On Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur it is almost impossible not to be stirred to perform teshuva out of fear. Simply contemplating the ramifications of the Days of Judgment will instill the feelings of awe and trepidation necessary for this level of teshuva. We are expected, however, to reach a higher level. A sincere desire to come closer to Hashem as we contemplate His endless kindness for us will be a catalyst for teshuva out of love. Culminating on Yom Kippur when Hashem extends His mercy and compassion to us, we complete our teshuva that began out of fear and return to Hashem with love.
It is this higher level of teshuva that is a source of great joy. Perhaps that is why the Torah warns us in this week's parsha about avodas Hashem that is lacking joy. Such an avodas Hashem may enable teshuva out of fear, but the height of avodas Hashem will never be reached. May we merit during the upcoming days to begin the teshuva process and reach its culmination by returning to Hashem out of love and an abundance of joy.
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