שֵׁי
לָכּ
לַלִבּ כְ
רָָכּ דֶא חָ
חַֹמ שְִׂל חָ הְמ
יתוֵֹבּ יֵנ
Sukkot , we should take pains to make the time special for ourselves and our families . The rabbis offered us containers in time , like z ’ man simchatenu , during which we should take needed breaks from distress . Rambam highlights that taking a breather from distress does not have to mean raucous celebration . He writes :
אוֹתָ הּ שִׂ הוּא וּבָ נָיו וּבְ
א וּ י ל וֹ “ Included in [ this charge to ] rejoice is that a person , their children , and the members their household should rejoice , each one in a manner appropriate for them .”
We may each have different capacities and ways of rejoicing . If it is all you can do to put out a nice tablecloth , and not a full holiday spread , there is no judgment about the type of simcha you can handle . In our 21 st century , modern neuroscience has caught up to what Rambam recognized in 12 th century Egypt : Research shows that noticing even one blessing or one thing to be grateful for each day leads to better health outcomes . Rabbi Yitz Greenberg offers us a supremely relevant entry point to gratitude for this year , writing , “ Only those who know the fragility of life can truly appreciate the full preciousness of every moment .” 24
Rambam is not satisfied with an individual finding gratitude or joy , however . He goes on to explain :
24
Irving Greenberg , The Jewish Way : Living the Holidays , p . 112 . 103