It is a mitzva to be in a good mood for the entire festival. At first glance, this would seem to be an easy mitzva, since everyone wants to be happy. In practice though, it is difficult because ever-present worries and tensions work against happiness. Even so, the mitzva is to transcend our worries and concerns, move beyond what upsets us, and rejoice with God. Toward this end, we should delve into the meaning of the festivals. They remind us that God chose us from among all the nations, gave us His Torah, sanctified us with His mitzvot, and brought us to the good Land so we could have a life filled with blessing and sanctity. Remembering this will help us be mindful of all the wonderful things in our lives, and take pleasure in the great mission we are tasked with – to increase goodness and blessing in the world.
Since there is a mitzva to be happy on the festivals, we should avoid anything sad. Thus, mourning is forbidden. If a close relative dies before the festival, the shiva (one-week mourning period) ends as soon as the festival begins. This applies even if there was only one minute of mourning before the festival (14:10 above).
On a festival, everyone should avoid whatever makes them worried or sad. Additionally, we should not lose our temper or become angry. We should not cause grief to family members by criticizing them or bringing up old grudges. Rather, we should do our very best to compliment them and make them happy. This will allow blessing to infuse the entire year.
