The Scroll of Kohelet, which we read aloud on the particularly joyous holiday of Sukkot even though (or because) it speaks at length about vanity and despair, features some seeming contradictions. 

It speaks of our natural need to connect to the everyday physical world, that which is "under the sun," and at the same time to experience the exalting Awe and Fear of G-d. Understanding this will help us resolve at least one of its contradictions, as follows.

Kohelet 8,15 states, "I have praise for happiness." But back in 2,2, we read most pessimistically, "This happiness – what does it accomplish?" What are we to make of this?

The Talmud (Shabbat 30b) explains that there are two types of joy: One type is mitzvah-based, and this is praiseworthy, while other forms of joy are in fact worthless. There is positive happiness, and negative happiness. What is an example of mitzvah-based joy? The Talmud provides one from the Prophets, and states that it teaches us a cardinal principle that governs whether G-d will dwell in our midst. The Talmud states regarding a critical incident with the Prophet Elisha: 

"… this teaches you that the Divine Presence does not dwell within us from amidst sadness, or laziness, or empty laughter, or light-headedness, or time-wasting talk – but only from amidst a matter of mitzvah joy, as is written: "'Now take me a musician' – and when the musician played music, the hand of G-d came upon him" (Kings II 3,15). 

To understand the truth of this Rabbinic teaching, let us delve into the words of the Prophet that help us grasp how music enables Prophecy. We read in the above chapter (Kings II) that King Yehoram ben Ahav of Israel was a wicked king who "performed evil in the eyes of G-d." With no shame, Yehoram called for King Yehoshaphat of Judea to join him in battle against Moav – but the coalition, which also included the King of Edom – soon suffered its first calamity: no water. 

Such a situation would normally bring one to total despair, and in fact King Yehoram responded by saying, "Woe, for G-d has called these three kings together to deliver us into the hands of Moav." But the righteous King Yehoshaphat had a different approach, and taught his fellow king, Yehoram, that when it comes to Israel, normal physical tools cannot be used in order to ascertain the situation and the necessary strategy. Advisors, experts, and forecasts will not do the trick; they are mere "tools" from "under the sun." What is needed now, Yehoshaphat tells Yehoram, is a Prophet!

"Yehoshaphat said: Is there not a Prophet of G-d, via whom we can find out? And one of the servants of the King of Israel answered and said, "Here is Elisha ben Shaphat, a disciple of Eliyahu…" 

But Elisha did not want to come to the aid of the wicked Yehoram, and said: "What do I have [to do] with you? Go to the prophets of your father [Ahav] and of your mother [Jezebel]!" 

But Yehoshaphat told Elisha that this was not the right time to give rebuke, even if justified, given that all of Israel was facing war and difficult times: "Don't [speak that way], for G-d has [seemingly] summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hands of Moav."

Elisha agreed, saying that only because of his respect for Yehoshaphat, the King of Judea, was he willing to prophecy: "'And now fetch me a musician' - and when the musician played, the hand of the Lord came upon him."

Our Sages of the Talmud (Pesachim 66b) learned from this incident that, "if a person is angered, if he is a prophet then his prophesy is taken from him." Anger is a state in which a person simply loses his ability to think straight; he "breaks utensils in his fury" (Shabbat 105b), and the Zohar says it is forbidden to look in his face. One who is angered puts his own self-ness where it does not belong, and loses his "soul streaming" from above, from the world above the sun. Even if the anger is directed at an evil person, but not at the right time and place, it blocks off the option of receiving the message of the living G-d.

What happens when such a person hears music? The music does not bring him prophesy, but rather enables him – if he is otherwise worthy of receiving prophesy, after very hard work – to rid himself of the barrier that blocks off the appearance of G-d's word. This is what happened with Elisha, who then prophesied to the kings: "So has the Lord said, 'This valley will be made full of pools… and He will deliver Moav into your hands."

We see, then, that the "joy of mitzvah" that the Talmud speaks of is not necessarily connected with drinking wine, as on Purim, for instance. Rather, it is the joy of "mental and spiritual readiness" to receive and absorb G-d's message – the joy of connection between the world "under the sun" to the upper world.

Elsewhere, Rav Kook explains (Ein Ayah, Shabbat) the concept of "joy of mitzvah:"
"The joy of moral guidance regarding the inclinations of one's inner traits towards goodness and kindness revealed in the Torah path; the joy of carrying out all the mitzvot… which contain holy, eternal and exalted goals, worthy of imprinting upon life the true seal of natural joy – as is written, "May the heart of those who seek G-d rejoice" (Tehillim 105,3).

Translated by Hillel Fendel