Serve Hashem with joy

עבדו את ה' בשמחה

Tehillim (Psalms), Chapter 100, Verse 2:

"Serve Hashem with joy; come before Him with singing."

Explanation:

This verse from Psalms emphasizes the importance of serving Hashem with joy and gladness. Joy in serving Hashem is not just an emotional state but a fundamental attitude in fulfilling mitzvot (commandments) and engaging in spiritual practices. Serving Hashem with joy reflects a deep connection and closeness to Hashem, recognizing the value and significance of fulfilling His commandments. The commentators explain that this verse highlights the need to approach the service of Hashem not only out of obligation or fear but also with a sense of happiness and upliftment, which enhances the spiritual quality and depth of every religious act.

לשון הרמב"ם	English
רמב"ם, הלכות לולב, פרק ח', הלכה טו שֶׁהַשִּׂמְחָה שֶׁיִּשְׂמַח אָדָם בַּעֲשִׂיַּת הַמִּצְווֹת וּבְאַהֲבַת הָאֵל שֶׁצִּוָּה בָּהֶן, עֲבוֹדָה גְּדוֹלָה הִיא; וְכָל הַמּוֹנֵעַ עַצְמוֹ מִשִּׂמְחָה זוֹ, רָאוּי לְהִפָּרַע מִמֶּנּוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמָר "תַּחַת, אֲשֶׁר לֹא-עָבַדְתָּ אֶת-ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ, בְּשִׂמְחָה, וּבְטוּב לֵבָב" (דברים כח,מז). וְכָל הַמַּגִּיס דַּעְתּוֹ, וְחוֹלֵק כָּבוֹד לְעַצְמוֹ, וּמִתְכַּבֵּד בְּעֵינָיו בִּמְקוֹמוֹת אֵלּוּ--חוֹטֶא, וְשׁוֹטֶה. וְעַל זֶה הִזְהִיר שְׁלֹמֹה, וְאָמַר "אַל-תִּתְהַדַּר לִפְנֵי-מֶלֶךְ" (משלי כה,ו).	Rambam, Hilchot Lulav, Chapter 8, Halacha 15 The joy that a person should feel in doing the mitzvot and in the love of Hashem who commanded them is a great act of service. Anyone who holds himself back from this joy is deserving of punishment, as it is stated: “Because you did not serve Hashem your G-d with joy and with gladness of heart” (Deuteronomy 28:47). Anyone who becomes haughty, honors himself, and seeks personal glory in these matters is a sinner and a fool. Concerning this, Shlomo warned: “Do not glorify yourself before the king” (Proverbs 25:6).
רמב"ם, הלכות לולב, פרק ח', הלכה טז וְכָל הַמַּשְׁפִּיל עַצְמוֹ, וּמֵקַל גּוּפוֹ בִּמְקוֹמוֹת אֵלּוּ--הוּא הַגָּדוֹל הַמְּכֻבָּד, הָעוֹבֵד מֵאַהֲבָה. וְכֵן דָּוִיד מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמֵר "וּנְקַלֹּתִי עוֹד מִזֹּאת, וְהָיִיתִי שָׁפָל בְּעֵינָי" (שמואל ב ו,כב). וְאֵין הַגְּדֻלָּה וְהַכָּבוֹד אֵלָא לִשְׂמֹחַ לִפְנֵי ה', שֶׁנֶּאֱמָר "וְהַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִד מְפַזֵּז וּמְכַרְכֵּר לִפְנֵי ה'" (ראה שמואל ב ו,טז).	Rambam, Hilchot Lulav, Chapter 8, Halacha 16 But anyone who humbles himself and makes light of his own honor in these matters—he is truly great and honored, one who serves out of love. Thus said David, King of Israel: “I will be even more lowly than this, and humble in my own eyes” (II Samuel 6:22). True greatness and honor lie only in rejoicing before Hashem, as it says: “And King David was dancing and leaping before Hashem” (see II Samuel 6:16).

לשון הרמב"ם

English

רמב"ם, הלכות לולב, פרק ח', הלכה טו
שֶׁהַשִּׂמְחָה שֶׁיִּשְׂמַח אָדָם בַּעֲשִׂיַּת הַמִּצְווֹת וּבְאַהֲבַת הָאֵל שֶׁצִּוָּה בָּהֶן, עֲבוֹדָה גְּדוֹלָה הִיא; וְכָל הַמּוֹנֵעַ עַצְמוֹ מִשִּׂמְחָה זוֹ, רָאוּי לְהִפָּרַע מִמֶּנּוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמָר "תַּחַת, אֲשֶׁר לֹא-עָבַדְתָּ אֶת-ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ, בְּשִׂמְחָה, וּבְטוּב לֵבָב" (דברים כח,מז). וְכָל הַמַּגִּיס דַּעְתּוֹ, וְחוֹלֵק כָּבוֹד לְעַצְמוֹ, וּמִתְכַּבֵּד בְּעֵינָיו בִּמְקוֹמוֹת אֵלּוּ--חוֹטֶא, וְשׁוֹטֶה. וְעַל זֶה הִזְהִיר שְׁלֹמֹה, וְאָמַר "אַל-תִּתְהַדַּר לִפְנֵי-מֶלֶךְ" (משלי כה,ו).

Rambam, Hilchot Lulav, Chapter 8, Halacha 15
The joy that a person should feel in doing the mitzvot and in the love of Hashem who commanded them is a great act of service. Anyone who holds himself back from this joy is deserving of punishment, as it is stated: “Because you did not serve Hashem your G-d with joy and with gladness of heart” (Deuteronomy 28:47). Anyone who becomes haughty, honors himself, and seeks personal glory in these matters is a sinner and a fool. Concerning this, Shlomo warned: “Do not glorify yourself before the king” (Proverbs 25:6).

רמב"ם, הלכות לולב, פרק ח', הלכה טז
וְכָל הַמַּשְׁפִּיל עַצְמוֹ, וּמֵקַל גּוּפוֹ בִּמְקוֹמוֹת אֵלּוּ--הוּא הַגָּדוֹל הַמְּכֻבָּד, הָעוֹבֵד מֵאַהֲבָה. וְכֵן דָּוִיד מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמֵר "וּנְקַלֹּתִי עוֹד מִזֹּאת, וְהָיִיתִי שָׁפָל בְּעֵינָי" (שמואל ב ו,כב). וְאֵין הַגְּדֻלָּה וְהַכָּבוֹד אֵלָא לִשְׂמֹחַ לִפְנֵי ה', שֶׁנֶּאֱמָר "וְהַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִד מְפַזֵּז וּמְכַרְכֵּר לִפְנֵי ה'" (ראה שמואל ב ו,טז).

Rambam, Hilchot Lulav, Chapter 8, Halacha 16
But anyone who humbles himself and makes light of his own honor in these matters—he is truly great and honored, one who serves out of love. Thus said David, King of Israel: “I will be even more lowly than this, and humble in my own eyes” (II Samuel 6:22). True greatness and honor lie only in rejoicing before Hashem, as it says: “And King David was dancing and leaping before Hashem” (see II Samuel 6:16).

לשון הרמב"ם	English
רמב"ם, הלכות דעות, פרק ג', הלכה ג' הַמַּנְהִיג עַצְמוֹ עַל פִּי הָרְפוּאָה--אִם שָׂם עַל לִבּוֹ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה כָּל גּוּפוֹ וְאֵבָרָיו שְׁלֵמִים חֲזָקִים בִּלְבָד, וְשֶׁיִּהְיוּ לוֹ בָּנִים עוֹשִׂין מְלַאכְתּוֹ וַעֲמֵלִין לְצָרְכּוֹ--אֵין זוֹ דֶּרֶךְ טוֹבָה. אֵלָא יָשִׂים עַל לִבּוֹ שֶׁיְּהֶא גּוּפוֹ שָׁלֵם חָזָק, כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּהְיֶה נַפְשׁוֹ יְשָׁרָה לָדַעַת אֶת ה', שֶׁאֵי אִפְשָׁר שֶׁיָּבִין וְיִשְׂתַּכֵּל בַּחָכְמוֹת, וְהוּא חוֹלֶה אוֹ אֶחָד מֵאֵבָרָיו כּוֹאֵב;	Rambam, Hilchot De'ot, Chapter 3, Halacha 3 One who conducts his life according to health principles—if his intent is only that his body and limbs be whole and strong, and that he have children to serve him and assist him—this is not the good path. Rather, he should set his heart to have a healthy and strong body in order that his soul be upright to know Hashem. For it is impossible to understand or reflect on wisdom when one is ill or in pain.
וְיָשִׂים עַל לִבּוֹ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ בֵּן, אוּלַי יִהְיֶה חָכָם וְגָדוֹל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. נִמְצָא הַמְּהַלֵּךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ זוֹ כָּל יָמָיו כֻּלָּן, עוֹבֵד אֶת ה' תָּמִיד, אַפִלּוּ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁנּוֹשֵׂא וְנוֹתֵן, וְאַפִלּוּ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבּוֹעֵל--מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמַּחְשַׁבְתּוֹ בַּכֹּל, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּמְצָא צְרָכָיו עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה גּוּפוֹ שָׁלֵם לַעֲבֹד אֶת ה'.	And he should desire to have a child, perhaps that child will become a wise and great person in Israel. Thus, one who follows this path all his life is constantly serving Hashem—even when doing business or engaging in marital relations—because his intention in everything is to fulfill his needs so that his body will be complete and able to serve Hashem.
וְאַפִלּוּ בְּשָׁעָה שְׁהוּא יָשֵׁן, אִם יָשֵׁן לַדַּעַת כְּדֵי שֶׁתָּנוּחַ דַּעְתּוֹ עָלָיו, וְיָנוּחַ גּוּפוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יֶחֱלֶה, וְלֹא יוּכַל לַעֲבֹד אֶת ה' וְהוּא חוֹלֶה--נִמְצֵאת שִׁינָה שֶׁלּוֹ, עֲבוֹדָה לַמָּקוֹם בָּרוּךְ הוּא. וְעַל עִנְיָן זֶה צִוּוּ חֲכָמִים וְאָמְרוּ, וְכָל מַעֲשֶׂיךָ, יִהְיוּ לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם; וְהוּא שֶׁאָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה בְּחָכְמָתוֹ, "בְּכָל-דְּרָכֶיךָ דָעֵהוּ" (משלי ג,ו).	Even when he sleeps—if he sleeps with the intention that his mind and body should be rested so he will not become ill and unable to serve Hashem—then his sleep becomes service to the Almighty, blessed be He. About this matter the Sages instructed: “All your deeds should be for the sake of Heaven,” and Shlomo, in his wisdom, said: “In all your ways, know Him” (Proverbs 3:6).