Hashem told Moshe to speak to the rock. Just speak. But after so many complaints, Moshe reaches a breaking point. He cries out, “Listen, you rebels!” and hits the rock. And then… everything changes.

Hashem tells Moshe and Aharon, “Because you did not believe in Me to sanctify Me before the eyes of Bnei Yisrael, you will not bring this congregation into the land…”

Chazal go deeper. The Gemara in Pesachim says Moshe’s mistake came from anger. And with anger comes confusion. You can’t think straight. The Rambam calls it a form of madness. The Gemara in Nedarim says it’s like avodah zarah—because in that moment, you’re not living with Hashem. You forget Who’s running the world. You forget who you are.

Anger drives away the Shechinah. But simcha? That’s where Geulah begins.

Simcha brings the Shechinah in. When Yaakov thought Yosef was gone, his spirit dimmed and Ruach HaKodesh left. But when he heard Yosef was alive, “Vatechi ruach Yaakov”—his spirit revived. Chazal say Ruach HaKodesh returned. Simcha brought it back.

Real simcha isn’t just a feeling, it’s a portal. It lifts the fog and brings Hashem into focus. The Simchat Beit HaSho’eva in the Beit HaMikdash was so powerful the Mishna says if you’ve never seen it, you’ve never seen joy. The Yerushalmi says Mi’sham hayu shovevim Ruach HaKodesh—from there they would draw Ruach HaKodesh because of the immense joy.

People yearning for nevuah would go there—because joy opened the heavens. Simcha clears blockages. It brings us close.

And in the time of Geulah, it will flood the world. Yeshayahu says: U’va’u Tzion b’rina, v’simchat olam al rosham—they will return to Zion in song, with eternal joy.

Shir Hamaalot describes Az yimalei sechok pinu. Then our mouths will be filled with laughter. The Midrash says even those who suffered most will sing. The return to the Beit HaMikdash will flood the world with simcha. The kind of joy that erupts when all the pain melts away. When the world finally gets it.  When the Shechinah is back home.

We daven for it daily: Hamachazir Shechinato L’Tzion. 

So let’s live with that simcha now. Daven, learn, and grow with the joy that welcomes Hashem.
Because simcha brings the Shechinah. And Geulah? It’s going to bring more simcha than we’ve ever known.