"When Adar enters, we increase in joy; when Av enters, we decrease in joy." 

I heard from my predecessor at South Head, Rabbi Tobias Silberman, a beautiful insight on this passage in the Talmud. There are occasions when a Jew must increase in joy, and other occasions when a Jew must decrease in joy. There is however NO occasion in which a Jew may not be joyful. 

In a similar vein, the Shulchan Aruch - Orach Chaim begins with a quote from King David, "I place G-d before me constantly" and concludes with a quote from King Solomon, "It is good to have a joyful heart constantly". 

The Chida explains that these two statements are the "Two Tablets of Stone" that must be engraved upon every Jewish heart. And indeed, they are two sides of the same coin, for it is not possible to believe in G-d and not be constantly joyful, nor is it possible to be truly joyful without constantly placing one's faith in   G-d. 

Living in this wonderful country there is much to be joyful about, and there is much reason to have faith in G-d. Let us hope that we appreciate this more fully as we move further into Adar - and that the joy in this realization permeates our being with gratitude and a desire to contribute more goodness to the world. 

Rabbi Benzion Milecki OAM