ושבחתי אני את השמחה שמחה של מצוה ולשמחה מה זה עושה זו שמחה שאינה של מצוה ללמדך שאין שכינה שורה לא מתוך עצבות ולא מתוך עצלות ולא מתוך שחוק ולא מתוך קלות ראש ולא מתוך שיחה ולא מתוך דברים בטלים אלא מתוך דבר שמחה של מצוה שנאמר (מלכים ב ג, טו) ועתה קחו לי מנגן והיה כנגן המנגן ותהי עליו יד ה' אמר רב יהודה וכן לדבר הלכה אמר רבא וכן לחלום טוב
What is meant by, 'for this is the whole of man'? — Said R. Eleazar, The entire world was created only for the sake of this [type of] man. Simeon b. 'Azzai-others state, Simeon b. Zoma-said: The entire world was created only to be a companion to this man. And how are its words self-contradictory? — It is written, anger is better than play;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. VII, 3.
');"><sup>13</sup></span> but it is written, I said of laughter, It is to be praised.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. II, 2.
');"><sup>14</sup></span>
Jerusalem Talmud Sukkah
Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said, why is it called drawing festivity? For from there one was drawing the holy spirit, following you shall draw water in rejoycing from the fountains of salvation. An illustration. Rebbi Levi and Jehudah bar Naḥman were taking two tetradrachmas to assemble the congregation before Rebbi Joḥanan. Rebbi Levi went and preached, Jonah ben Amittai was from the tribe of Asher, for it is written, Asher did not disinherit the inhabitants of Acco and the inhabitants of Sidon. And it is written, arise and go to Sarepta which belongs to Sidon. Rebbi Joḥanan came and preached, Jonah ben Amittai was from the tribe of Zevulun, as it is witten, the third lot fell to the sons of Sevulun according to their families, and it is written, from there it turned eastward to Gat Ḥepher and Et Qaṣin. And it is written, following the word of the Eternal, the God of Israel, which He spoke through His servant, Jonah ben Amittai the prophet from Gat Ḥepher. On the next Sabbath Rebbi Levi said to Jehudah bar Naḥman: you take the two tetradrachmas and go assemble the congregation before Rebbi Joḥanan. He went and said before them, Rebbi Joḥanan did teach us well, his mother from Asher and his father from Zevulun. And his hip from Sidon, the hip from which he came was from Sidon. And it is written, he descended to Yafo, when it should have been “he descended to Acco”! Rebbi Jonah said, Jonah ben Amittai belonged to the pilgrims, came to the water-drawing festivity and the holy spirit rested on him, to teach you that the holy spirit only rests on a happy heart. What is the reason? It was when the musical instrument played, God’s spirit was on him. Rebbi Benjamin bar Levi said, it is not written here “it was when he played on the musical instrument”, but it was when the musical instrument played, God’s spirit was on him.
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