In order to do the mitzvah of being joyful during the holiday of Passover these are the physical pleasures that we are obligated to fulfill:
Men - eating meat and drinking wine
Women - wearing new jewelry and new clothing
Children - wearing new shoes, and eating candies, and nuts
(Pesachim 109a, Rambam Hilchos Yom Tov: 6:17,18)
The Jewish holidays are times of great spirituality and an opportunity to uplift ourselves. If we are commanded to be joyous on the holidays it should be a happiness of the soul. By contemplating G-d's wonders and his relationship to the Jewish people, one should produce a happiness that knows no boundaries. So what does meat, wine, cloths and candies have to do with it? These are the pleasures of an uncultivated ignoramus who is running after his desires and not the happiness of someone whose goal in life is the fear of G-d and the love of His commandments.

Furthermore it says, in the afternoon before the Jewish holidays one should not eat so that he shouldn't be full for evening meal which needs to be eaten with lust. (Pesachim 99b, Ramah 639:3) What kind of philosophy is this, Hedonism?

The Midrush (Shir HaShirim 1:4 ) tells us we are supposed to have a happiness that comes from being spiritually elevated. Happiness with HaShem, with His deliverance, with his Torah and with His greatness. The Rambam says its impossible to serve HaShem through joking and lightheadedness (Rambam Hilchos Yom Tov: 6:20), so the joy we should have is the joy of doing a mitzvah and the love of our creator. Why do we need to be involved with such physical indulgences that seem to takes us away from serving HaShem in purity? How does this all fit together?

The answer Rav Isaac Sher gives is, that each mitzvah we do has two parts. The required act and the intention that we have before the act. For example the mitzvah of giving charity requires the intention that one is giving for the sake of the mitzvah and then he must actually perform the act of giving. Each part is separate. The mitzvah of being joyful on Pesach is a mitzvah we do with our heart. This mitzvah is a feeling and it also has two parts. First, one has to prepare himself to truly feel a deep physical happiness. Secondly, after this feeling is really solid, he can do the mitzvah of feeling joyous with G-d and His holiday.

For most of us it is only by being physically satiated that true happiness will sit deep in our hearts otherwise we will just be "saying" that we are happy. We need the physical pleasure in order to really feel the spiritual happiness. Each individual has different needs like meat, wine, cloths or candies. We all must strive to know ourselves and to be honest with ourselves in order to serve G-d with a pure heart . We must try our best to be happy for the sake of heaven.


[This message was edited by Rabbi Mitterhoff on December 08, 2003 at 10:53 PM.]

[This message was edited by Rabbi Mitterhoff on December 08, 2003 at 10:56 PM.]

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Rabbi Mitterhoff,

one must use spiritually to ulift the spirituality, hence when he eats and uses it L'shem Shamayim he is helping to fulfill his mission in this world, of making a dwelling place for G-D, by using teh material for a Divine purpose.

Did you mean the physical to uplift the spirtual?