Work the OY, Feel the JOY!

This Shabbat ushers in and blesses the new Hebrew month of Adar. The sages teach us that "when the month of Adar is upon us, we increase in joy." It's tempting to see this from a "Voodoo" perspective, as a month that magically frees us from the grip of whatever sadness envelopes us—magically transporting us to the blissful shores of a mystical never-never land.

But it's not like that. In fact, it's the exact opposite. The sages remind us that true joy, "Simcha," is an inner-based conscious mindset that we opt for in lieu of short-term relief stemming from outer-based experiences. As Frida Kahlo said, "I drank to drown my sorrows, but the damned things learned how to swim."

The teaching is linguistically intentional. The Hebrew words of this phrase "Marbim Besimcha" mean literally "we increase our own joy."

Joy is then whatever is left when we run out of whatever it is that is the "cause" of our happiness. Or simply put—"Joy is what TRUE HAPPINESS feels like."

Why Purim though? What is it about the NATURE of Purim that sets the stage for us to embark on the proactive path of Joy over the passivity of merely "seeking happiness?"