Timeless Torah

Some of the world's most sublime and inspired blessings are found in the Torah. But then again, some of the world's best curses are there as well. In this week's Biblical portion alone there exists a virtual smorgasbord of malediction comprising ninety nine curses. Among them is this denunciation, “All these curses shall come upon you, pursue you and catch you so as to destroy you, all because you did not serve G-d with joy and a glad heart.”
What is difficult to swallow, besides the “Pursue you, catch you, destroy you" part, is the Torah's expectation that we would achieve the high degree of spirituality necessary to “Serve G-d with joy.” At first glance, it seems rather unrealistic to hold everyone to such an exalted standard.
The Chassidic master, the Rebbe of Kotzk, answers this question by punctuating the above mentioned verse somewhat differently. What he does is insert a comma before the word “with joy.” The sentence now reads, “All these curses shall come upon you... because you did not serve G-d, and rejoiced in not serving Him.”
It is not unrealistic to hope that man will be disappointed and even saddened by his dereliction in fulfilling the Divine mandate. It is only natural that human beings aspire to improve themselves. However, if one is actually happy with the fact that he is defying the will of the Almighty, that is intolerable and deserving of the punishments listed.
Of course, such contempt is hard to understand. "Who", you ask, "would truly rejoice in not obeying the One Above?"
Unfortunately, this phenomenon is not as uncommon as you might think. Have you then never come across the Jew who argues that ritual Judaism is archaic, petty and irrelevant? Have you never encountered the smug individual who will say that he is veritably proud that he knows better; that Yiddishkeit is hocus pocus nonsense filled with superstition? Or the fellow who states that, "Thank G-d, I'm not religious."
Among the curses is, "Your sons and daughters will be given to a foreign nation." Today's estranged youth from our own heritage, who would rather date gentiles than Jews, are the fulfillment of this ancient Biblical verse and the modern mania of denying our roots.
If you can't believe, so be it. Just don't be happy about it.