The Torah portion opens and closes with the same theme: simchah, joy. It begins with the mitzvah of offering bikkurim (first-fruits) in the Temple, an exercise in appreciating what God has given us, as it says,
“You shall rejoice in all the good that the Lord your God has granted you and your family” (Deut. 26:11).
Afterwards, the Torah describes the terrible trials that will befall the Jewish people if they are unfaithful to the Torah’s teachings. This section concludes with the root cause for these punishments:
“Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy (simchah) and contentment (tuv leivav).” (Deut. 28:47)
Not only does God expect us to keep the mitzvot, but we are to perform them with joy and contentment. What is the difference between these two emotions?
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