Adar: Don't Worry, Be Happy?
Adar: Don't Worry, Be Happy?



The Talmud says: "When Adar arrives, we increase joy."

For as long as he lives, Bobby McFerrin, the noted American vocalist, conductor, and ten-time Grammy Award winner, will be remembered for one specific song. This point was proven to me back in the spring of 1995, when I served as a counselor for a group of Jewish high school students from Los Angeles on their two month visit to Israel.

We had given the group some free time along the Ben-Yehuda Street pedestrian mall in Jerusalem, and I, along with the group organizer's daughter, walked up towards the top of the street to get away from the LA teens for a bit. As we strolled by one of the fancy jewelry/Judaica shops, we could not help but notice the slim, dreadlocked, African-American gentleman examining the merchandise.

My companion showed no fear as she immediately entered the store and boldly approached him.

"'Don't Worry, Be Happy.' Right?" she bluntly asked.

McFerrin turned, smiled, nodded, and graciously gave her an autograph. Although this scene had surely played out before him thousands of times in the past, he must have been surprised that it happened in Jerusalem of all places, where he was scheduled to be the guest conductor of the Israel Philharmonic that evening.

I got to thinking about that song title as the month of Adar commences this week.  During this period, in between Rosh Chodesh Adar and Purim, people customarily cite – or sing – the famous Talmudic adage, "Mi-she'nikhnas Adar marbim be-simcha" – "When Adar arrives, we increase joy."

Do the two phrases go together? Does Judaism require, especially during the merry month of Adar, that we 'don’t worry, be happy'? I always thought worrying was the Jewish national pastime, sort of like baseball, but with more guilt. How can we Jews, as a people, not worry? It's unnatural!

And what about Rabbi Nachman of Breslev who is quoted as having said: “Mitzvah gedolah le’hiyot besimcha tamid.” “It is a great mitzvah to always be happy.” From this it seems like we should always be happy, but be 'extra' happy in Adar. Is that it?

I think the key to understanding the phrase about Adar requires looking back at the original statement in the Talmud. The full text of the passage, in Tractate Ta'anit (29a), reads as follows: "Rabbi Yehuda the son of Rav Shemuel Bar Sheilat said in the name of Rav: Just as when Av arrives we decrease our joy, so, too, when Adar arrives, we increase our joy."

Notice that at onset of the month of Av, when we mark the saddest day of the Jewish calendar, the 9th of Av, on which the 1st and 2nd temples in Jerusalem were destroyed, we do not cease in joy altogether, we simply decrease the level of it, just like we increase the joy factor in Adar.

Apparently, we always need to go through life with some level of joy in our hearts. Sometimes it is held in check (at the beginning of Av) and sometimes we are advised to crank it up (in Adar).

But still, how can we all be happy all the time? Times are tough now. I especially identify with a few phrases of McFerrin's song: "Ain't got no cash, ain't got no style, .." To which his musical remedy is "…but don't worry, be happy!" Is it that simple?

What prevents a person from rejoicing in life? Only the feeling that he or she is missing something. Indeed, being happy is not really about how much we actually have, it is rather about appreciating how much we have. It is only through appreciation that we really have things at all. As Ben Zoma said: Who is rich? One who appreciates what he has..." (Talmud- Avot 4:1)

One might conclude that that's enough. If I truly appreciate what I have, then I will be happy, and then I won't have

What sets the Jewish people apart? That we do worry.

to worry.

But that's just what sets the Jewish people apart. It's that we do worry. We worry about peace and security in Israel, we worry about the economy, and we even worry about the people in Haiti enough to send a team of army professionals to assist them after a massive earthquake. And, we worry (or should worry) about each other. “Kol Yisrael areivim zeh ba-zeh”—“All Jews are responsible for each other”. Yes, we worry!

So with all due respect to Bobby McFerrin, we cannot, even during the joyful month of Adar, not worry at all. You see, it's in our genes to worry. But, we'll try to keep it in check and boost the joy level. Maybe our motto for Adar should be: 'Don't Worry - So Much. Be Happier!'