The commandment to rejoice on the festivals: To rejoice on the festivals, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 16:14), “And you shall rejoice on your holiday.” And the first matter that is hinted in joy is that we offer peace-offerings regardless [of one’s circumstances] at the Choice House. And [this] is like the matter that is written (Deuteronomy 27:7), “And you shall offer peace-offerings” and it continues, “and you shall rejoice on your holiday.” And [concerning] the offering of peace-offerings, they, may their memory be blessed, said (Chagigah 6b), “Women are obligated in joy” — meaning that even they are obligated to bring peace-offerings of joy. And they, may their memory be blessed, also said (Chagigah 8a), “Rejoice in all types of rejoicing.” And included in this is the eating of meat and the drinking of wine, to wear new clothes, the distribution of fruit and types of sweets to the youths and the women and to play musical instruments in the Temple alone — and that is the joy of the drawing house (simchat beit hashoevah) that is mentioned in the Gemara (Sukkah 50a). All that we mentioned is included in “And you shall rejoice on your holiday.” And they, may their memory be blessed, said in Tractate Pesachim 109a, “A man is obligated to gladden his children and the members of his household on a festival.” And it is said there, “It was taught, Rabbi Yehudah ben Beteira says, ‘At the time when the Temple is standing, joy is only with meat, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 27:7), “And you shall offer peace-offerings, etc.” Now [...] joy is only with wine, as it is stated (Psalms 104:15), “And wine gladdens the heart of man.”’” And they said further, “With what should one make them rejoice? Men with what is fit for them, with wine. And women with what is fit for them, with nice clothes.” And the Torah also warned us to include the poor and the strangers (converts) and the weak in the joy, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 16:14), “you, the Levite, the stranger, the orphan and the widow.”
It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] because man is designed in [such] a way that his nature requires rejoicing occasionally, [just] like it requires nourishment in any case, and rest and sleep. And God wanted to give us — “His people and the flock of His grazing” — merit and [so] commanded us to make the rejoicing for His sake, so that we could merit in all of our deeds in front of Him. And behold, He fixed for us times during the year for holidays, to remember upon them the miracles and the goodnesses that He granted us. And He commanded us then at those times to support the physical with something of joy that it needs. And it comes out as a big remedy for us that the satiation of joyous occasions be for His sake and to remember Him; as this thought will be a fence, that we do not go further out than is enough from the straight path. And the one who has reflection without a desire to argue will find reason in my words.
And I have written a few of the laws of the commandment above. And the rest of its details are in Tractate Chagigah and in [various] places scattered in the Gemara.
And this commandment is practiced regarding the joy — but not regarding the sacrifice — in every place and at all times by males and females. And one who transgresses it and does not rejoice himself, the members of his household and the poor according to his ability, for the sake of the commandment of the festival, has nullified this positive commandment. And in the way that we mentioned did they, may their memory be blessed, say (Avot 2:17), “All of your actions should be for the sake of Heaven.”
מִצְוָה לִשְׂמֹחַ בָּרְגָלִים – לִשְׂמֹחַ בָּרְגָלִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים טז יד) וְשָׂמַחְתָּ בְּחַגֶּךָ, וְהָעִנְיָן הָרִאשׁוֹן הָרָמוּז בְּשִׂמְחָה זוֹ הוּא, שֶׁנַּקְרִיב שְׁלָמִים עַל כָּל פָּנִים בְּבֵית הַבְּחִירָה, וּכְעִנְיָן שֶׁכָּתוּב וְזָבַחְתָּ שְׁלָמִים, וַהֲדַר וְשָׂמַחְתָּ בְּחַגֶּךָ. וּבִשְׁבִיל הַקְרָבַת הַשְּׁלָמִים אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (חגיגה ו, ב) נָשִׁים חַיָּבוֹת בַּשִּׂמְחָה, לוֹמַר שֶׁאַף הֵן חַיָּבוֹת לְהָבִיא שַׁלְמֵי שִׂמְחָה. וְעוֹד אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם ח א) שְׂמַח בְּכָל מִינֵי שִׂמְחָה, וּבִכְלַל זֶה הוּא אֲכִילַת הַבָּשָׂר וּשְׁתִיַּת הַיַּיִן, וְלִלְבֹּשׁ בְּגָדִים חֲדָשִׁים, וְחִלּוּק פֵּרוֹת וּמִינֵי מְתִיקָה לַנְּעָרִים וְלַנָּשִׁים, וּלְשַׂחֵק בִּכְלֵי שִׁיר בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ לְבַד, וְזוֹ הִיא שִׂמְחַת בֵּית הַשּׁוֹאֵבָה הַנִּזְכֶּרֶת בַּגְּמָרָא (סוכה נ א), כָּל זֶה שֶׁזָּכַרְנוּ בִּכְלַל וְשָׂמַחְתָּ בְּחַגֶּךָ. וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה בְּמַסֶּכֶת פְּסָחִים (קט, א) חַיָּב אָדָם לְשַׂמֵּחַ בָּנָיו וּבְנֵי בֵיתוֹ בָּרֶגֶל, וְשָׁם נֶאֱמַר, תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן בְּתֵירָה אוֹמֵר בִּזְמַן שֶׁבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ קַיָּם אֵין שִׂמְחָה אֶלָּא בְּבָשָׂר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כז ז) וְזָבַחְתָּ שְׁלָמִים וְגוֹ'. עַכְשָׁו אֵין שִׂמְחָה אֶלָּא בְּיַיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קד טו) וְיַיִן יְשַׂמַּח לְבַב אֱנוֹשׁ. וְאָמְרוּ עוֹד בַּמֶּה מְשַׂמְּחָן? אֲנָשִׁים בָּרָאוּי לָהֶם בְּיַיִן, וְנָשִׁים בָּרָאוּי לָהֶם בִּבְגָדִים נָאִים, וְהִזְהִירַתְנוּ הַתּוֹרָה כְּמוֹ כֵן לְהַכְנִיס בִּכְלַל הַשִּׂמְחָה הָעֲנִיִּים וְהַגֵּרִים וְהַחֲלוּשִׁים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אַתָּה וְהַלֵּוִי וְהַגֵּר וְהַיָּתוֹם וְהָאַלְמָנָה.
The commandment to rejoice on the festivals: To rejoice on the festivals, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 16:14), “And you shall rejoice on your holiday.” And the first matter that is hinted in joy is that we offer peace-offerings regardless [of one’s circumstances] at the Choice House. And [this] is like the matter that is written (Deuteronomy 27:7), “And you shall offer peace-offerings” and it continues, “and you shall rejoice on your holiday.” And [concerning] the offering of peace-offerings, they, may their memory be blessed, said (Chagigah 6b), “Women are obligated in joy” — meaning that even they are obligated to bring peace-offerings of joy. And they, may their memory be blessed, also said (Chagigah 8a), “Rejoice in all types of rejoicing.” And included in this is the eating of meat and the drinking of wine, to wear new clothes, the distribution of fruit and types of sweets to the youths and the women and to play musical instruments in the Temple alone — and that is the joy of the drawing house (simchat beit hashoevah) that is mentioned in the Gemara (Sukkah 50a). All that we mentioned is included in “And you shall rejoice on your holiday.” And they, may their memory be blessed, said in Tractate Pesachim 109a, “A man is obligated to gladden his children and the members of his household on a festival.” And it is said there, “It was taught, Rabbi Yehudah ben Beteira says, ‘At the time when the Temple is standing, joy is only with meat, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 27:7), “And you shall offer peace-offerings, etc.” Now [...] joy is only with wine, as it is stated (Psalms 104:15), “And wine gladdens the heart of man.”’” And they said further, “With what should one make them rejoice? Men with what is fit for them, with wine. And women with what is fit for them, with nice clothes.” And the Torah also warned us to include the poor and the strangers (converts) and the weak in the joy, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 16:14), “you, the Levite, the stranger, the orphan and the widow.”
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. לְפִי שֶׁהָאָדָם נָכוֹן עַל עִנְיָן שֶׁצָּרִיךְ טִבְעוֹ לִשְׂמֹחַ לִפְרָקִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ אֶל הַמָּזוֹן עַל כָּל פָּנִים, וְאֶל הַמְּנוּחָה וְאֶל הַשֵּׁנָה, וְרָצָה הָאֵל לְזַכּוֹתֵנוּ, אֲנַחְנוּ עַמּוֹ וְצֹאן מַרְעִיתוֹ, וְצִוָּנוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת הַשִּׂמְחָה לִשְׁמוֹ לְמַעַן נִזְכֶּה לְפָנָיו בְּכָל מַעֲשֵׂינוּ. וְהִנֵּה קָבַע לָנוּ זְמַנִּים בַּשָּׁנָה לַמּוֹעֲדִים, לִזְכֹּר בָּהֶם הַנִּסִּים וְהַטּוֹבוֹת אֲשֶׁר גְּמָלָנוּ, וְאָז בָּעִתִּים הָהֵם צִוָּנוּ לְכַלְכֵּל הַחֹמֶר בִּדְבַר הַשִּׂמְחָה הַצְּרִיכָה אֵלָיו, וְיִמָּצֵא לָנוּ תְּרוּפָה גְּדוֹלָה, בִּהְיוֹת שֹׂבַע הַשְּׂמָחוֹת לִשְׁמוֹ וּלְזִכְרוֹ, כִּי הַמַּחְשָׁבָה הַזֹּאת תִּהְיֶה לָנוּ גָּדֵר לְבַל נֵצֵא מִדֶּרֶךְ הַיֹּשֶׁר יוֹתֵר מִדַּאי, וַאֲשֶׁר עִמּוֹ הִתְבּוֹנְנוּת מִבְּלִי הַחֵפֶץ בְּקִטְרוּג יִמְצָא טַעַם בִּדְבָרַי.
It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] because man is designed in [such] a way that his nature requires rejoicing occasionally, [just] like it requires nourishment in any case, and rest and sleep. And God wanted to give us — “His people and the flock of His grazing” — merit and [so] commanded us to make the rejoicing for His sake, so that we could merit in all of our deeds in front of Him. And behold, He fixed for us times during the year for holidays, to remember upon them the miracles and the goodnesses that He granted us. And He commanded us then at those times to support the physical with something of joy that it needs. And it comes out as a big remedy for us that the satiation of joyous occasions be for His sake and to remember Him; as this thought will be a fence, that we do not go further out than is enough from the straight path. And the one who has reflection without a desire to argue will find reason in my words.
מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. כָּתַבְתִּי קְצָתָן לְמַעְלָה. וְיֶתֶר פְּרָטֶיהָ, בְּמַסֶּכֶת חֲגִיגָה וּבִמְקוֹמוֹת מִן הַגְּמָרָא בְּפִזּוּר.
And I have written a few of the laws of the commandment above. And the rest of its details are in Tractate Chagigah and in [various] places scattered in the Gemara.
וְנוֹהֶגֶת מִצְוָה זוֹ לְעִנְיַן הַשִּׂמְחָה, אֲבָל לֹא לְעִנְיַן הַקָּרְבָּן בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן בִּזְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת. וְהָעוֹבֵר עַל זֶה וְאֵינוֹ מְשַׂמֵּחַ עַצְמוֹ וּבְנֵי בֵּיתוֹ וְהָעֲנִיִּים כְּפִי יְכָלְתּוֹ לְשֵׁם מִצְוַת הָרֶגֶל בִּטֵּל עֲשֵׂה זֶה, וְעַל הַדֶּרֶךְ הַזֶּה יֹאמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (אבות פ"ב מי"ב) וְכָל מַעֲשֶׂיךָ יִהְיוּ לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם.
And this commandment is practiced regarding the joy — but not regarding the sacrifice — in every place and at all times by males and females. And one who transgresses it and does not rejoice himself, the members of his household and the poor according to his ability, for the sake of the commandment of the festival, has nullified this positive commandment. And in the way that we mentioned did they, may their memory be blessed, say (Avot 2:17), “All of your actions should be for the sake of Heaven.”