Breaking the Barriers

Chasidim are known for their joyful approach to life, whether the mundane and material or the spiritual and inspirational. The Baal Shem Tov, founder of Chasidism, established joy as one of the two "platforms" of Chasidic teachings: love your fellow as yourself is one, serve G-d with joy is the other.
At first this almost obsessive insistence on joy aroused the criticism of the opponents. Life is serious. Prayer is serious. Torah study requires gravity of mind. Etc.

There were other charges: By being so joyful, it was claimed, Chasidim minimized the sinfulness of mankind and trivialized the tragic.

Of course, the charges were false. A cursory glance through the writings of the Chasidic masters reveals they were fully aware of the trials and tribulations of life. Dealing with transgression and repentance also has a place in their teachings.

And while Chasidic prayer remains joyous, its intensity and importance cannot be doubted. For, while Chasidim reintroduced singing and vitality, they also emphasized why and to Whom we pray.

Still, the emphasis on joy can sometimes seem to be an over-emphasis, if not just wishful thinking. Arguing that the sadness, or depression, that follows a sin is in many ways worse than the sin itself, seems exaggerated. And claiming that "joy breaks through all barriers" sounds like a pep talk.

Except - modern science confirms what Chasidism has been saying for over two centuries. It seems that physical pain and depression aren't just connected, they actually travel together. And apparently, depression leads the way.

Scientists studying depression and pain discovered that it can cause "floating" pain - random and otherwise unexplainable pains in various parts of the body. Someone who's depressed can experience back pain, headaches, or just heightened sensitivity to pain - all of which may seem to come out of nowhere.

The reason is "that pain and emotion travel down some of the same neural pathways in your brain." So sometimes the neurotransmitters "carrying news of gloom and doom ... jump the tracks" resulting in very real physical pain. As the depression fades, so does the pain.

Of course, sometimes the depression is so serious and deep that the individual must take antidepressants or go into therapy - and for many, many people, such treatment is a life-saving necessity.

But for many of us, and most of the time, a little extra joy can go a long way. We really can "smile away" those aches and pains.

Joy does more than negate the negative, though. It also increases the positive. Joy energizes us. When the Baal Shem Tov said, "serve G-d with joy," he was telling us, among other things, that joy intensifies and gives significance to our actions. It's not just the difference between doing what we have to and what we want to. Without joy not only can we not truly appreciate the experience, we can't internalize it.

Joy breaks barriers: in a sense it travels the neural pathways opposed to depression, with the opposite result. If depression "jumps the track" into pain, joy helps us "jump the track" to pleasure - not just physical pleasure, but to material and intellectual achievement, as well.